The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship appeared this weekend for the first time in Indonesia, joining 16 races at 5 locations so far in Asia. In fact, the very first Formula E ePrix was held in Beijing while the 50th race was in Hong Kong. Other locations have been Putrajaya in Malaysia (twice) and Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. Seoul, Korea will join the list for the first time at the end of this season.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan joined over 60,000 spectators at the first-ever Jakarta ePrix, Round 9 of the 16-race calendar of Season 8. 11 teams and 22 drivers took part on the specially built Jakarta International e-Prix Circuit in Ancol Beach. It was uncharted territory for the participants with high humidity and searing heat. Also adding to the unknowns was the 2.37-km circuit’s unique banked sections, undulations, bumps and a mix of technical and high-speed sections.
The 2.37-KM, 18 corner circuit layout was inspired by the horses of the Kuda Kepang traditional dance.
After 8 rounds and 5 different race winners, Season 8 remains a thrilling battle. Going into Round 9 in Jakarta was championship leader Stoffel Vandoorne of Mercedes-EQ, ahead of ROKiT Venturi Racing’s Edoardo Mortara and DS TECHEETAH’s double champion Jean-Eric Vergne.
But it was Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) who fended off the efforts of Vergne and Edoardo Mortara to take his third win of the season. The Kiwi made a late-race lunge that caught then-leader Vergne off-guard at Turn 7 on Lap 31 in an opportunistic move from way back.
From there, energy management became increasingly critical for the lead duo as they fought between themselves and against searing track temperatures. After an early Safety Car period, the race was extended and drivers posted 40 laps in total as a result.
That allowed Mortara to join the party as Evans and Vergne duelled. Evans had some 5 minutes plus added time to hold the pair off, with the race anybody’s heading into the final turn and his rear tyres fading fast. He held on to stay ahead of Vergne and Mortara home as all 3 drivers finished within a second of each other.
Antonio Felix da Costa (DS TECHEETAH) slipped from second at the start to be fourth across the finishing line. As for the championship leader, Vandoorne was able to make 3 crucial passes through the race to wind up fifth after starting from seventh. He has enough points to retain his championship lead though the gap is now reduced.
“That was hard. I was just happy to be in it at the end. We had a tough last race [in Berlin], and this track was similar with the climate being on another level! We put a lot of work into the set-up and the systems, but the team gave me what I need, gave me the goods,” said Evans. “It was really tight at the end with Vergne; I thought I was going to pull away but my tyres started going off as soon as I got past him. I was under a bit of heat but we got the job done. This is what we needed.”
With Vandoorne’s closest rivals all finishing on the podium, the Drivers’ standings are closer. Just 12 points now split the top four, with Vergne 5 points back from the Belgian, Mortara 2 points away from the Frenchman in third, and Evans another 5 points back in fourth.
Vandoorne’s team, Mercedes-EQ, still holds its position at the top of the Teams’ championship with 186 points. That’s 16 points ahead of DS TECHEETAH which, after the Jakarta ePrix, climbs above ROKiT Venturi Racing.
The teams leave Jakarta to head to Morocco for the Marrakesh e-Prix on July 2. It will be Round 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and as in Indonesia, there will only be a single round run.
Keyword: Championship gaps tighten as Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans wins 1st Formula E Jakarta ePrix