The 2021 Valencia ePrix (formally the 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix) was a pair of Formula E electric car races held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in the town of Cheste near Valencia, Spain on 24 and 25 April 2021. Having previously hosted numerous pre-season tests, this was the inaugural running of a competitive Formula E event at the track, as well as the first time an ePrix was held in Spain. It marked the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2020–21 Formula E season. The first race was won by Nyck de Vries,[1] with Nico Müller and Stoffel Vandoorne rounding out the podium. Jake Dennis took his first Formula E victory in the second race,[2] finishing ahead of André Lotterer and Alex Lynn.

2021 Valencia ePrix
Race 5 of 15 of the 2020–21 Formula E season
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Race details
Date 24 April 2021 (2021-04-24)
Official name 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix
Location Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Cheste, Valencia
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 3.376 km (2.098 mi)
Distance 24 laps, 81.024 km (50.346 mi)
Weather Wet, 15 °C (59 °F). Humidity: 84%.
Pole position
Driver Techeetah-DS
Time 1:26.522
Fastest lap
Driver Netherlands Robin Frijns Virgin-Audi
Time 1:39.611 on lap 14
Podium
First Mercedes
Second Dragon-Penske
Third Mercedes
Lap leaders
2021 Valencia ePrix
Race 6 of 15 of the 2020–21 Formula E season
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Race details
Date 25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Official name 2021 DHL Valencia E-Prix
Location Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Cheste, Valencia
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 3.376 km (2.098 mi)
Distance 30 laps, 101.280 km (62.932 mi)
Pole position
Driver Andretti-BMW
Time 1:28.548
Fastest lap
Driver United Kingdom Alexander Sims
United Kingdom Alex Lynn[a]
Mahindra
Mahindra
Time 1:30.081 (1:30.263) on lap 26 (22)
Podium
First Andretti-BMW
Second Porsche
Third Mahindra
Lap leaders

Classification

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Race one

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Qualifying

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Group draw[3]
Group 1   BIR (1)   EVA (2)   FRI (3)   VAN (4)   DEV (5)   WEH (6)
Group 2   MOR (7)   JEV (8)   SIM (9)   DAC (10)   RAS (11)   ROW (12)
Group 3   SET (13)   MUL (14)   GUE (15)   BUE (16)   TUR (17)   DIG (18)
Group 4   BLO (19)   LYN (20)   CAS (21)   NAT (22)   DEN (23)   LOT (24)
Pos. No. Driver Team GS SP Grid
1 13   António Félix da Costa Techeetah-DS 1:26.870 1:26.522 1
2 17   Nyck de Vries Mercedes 1:26.914 1:26.730 71
3 28   Maximilian Günther Andretti-BMW 1:26.868 1:26.943 2
4 94   Alex Lynn Mahindra 1:26.799 1:27.022 3
5 23   Sébastien Buemi e.dams-Nissan 1:26.876 1:27.053 4
6 36   André Lotterer Porsche 1:26.933 5
7 71   Norman Nato Venturi-Mercedes 1:26.979 6
8 22   Oliver Rowland e.dams-Nissan 1:27.002 8
9 99   Pascal Wehrlein Porsche 1:27.008 9
10 37   Nick Cassidy Virgin-Audi 1:27.072 10
11 29   Alexander Sims Mahindra 1:27.109 11
12 25   Jean-Éric Vergne Techeetah-DS 1:27.157 12
13 27   Jake Dennis Andretti-BMW 1:27.177 13
14 33   René Rast Audi 1:27.290 14
15 4   Robin Frijns Virgin-Audi 1:27.317 15
16 48   Edoardo Mortara Venturi-Mercedes 1:27.338 16
17 20   Mitch Evans Jaguar 1:27.442 17
18 7   Sérgio Sette Câmara Dragon-Penske 1:27.456 18
19 88   Tom Blomqvist NIO 1:27.481 19
20 10   Sam Bird Jaguar 1:27.619 20
21 11   Lucas di Grassi Audi 1:27.634 21
22 6   Nico Müller Dragon-Penske 1:27.644 22
23 8   Oliver Turvey NIO 1:28.524 23
24 5   Stoffel Vandoorne Mercedes no time2 no time2 24
Source:[4][5]

Notes:

  • ^1  – Nyck de Vries received a 5-place grid penalty for causing a collision in the previous race in Rome.[6]
  • ^2  – Stoffel Vandoorne originally qualified first with a 1:26.839 in the group stage and a 1:26.494 in the superpole, but later had all his lap times cancelled due to a tyre infringement.[7][8]

Race

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Pos. No. Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 17   Nyck de Vries Mercedes 24 48:20.547 7 25
2 6   Nico Müller Dragon-Penske 24 +13.128 22 18
3 5   Stoffel Vandoorne Mercedes 24 +34.8864 24 15
4 37   Nick Cassidy Virgin-Audi 24 +36.903 10 12
5 33   René Rast Audi 24 +51.650 14 10
6 4   Robin Frijns Virgin-Audi 24 +52.985 15 8+11
7 11   Lucas di Grassi Audi 24 +2:41.9465 21 6
8 27   Jake Dennis Andretti-BMW 24 +3:07.061 13 4
9 25   Jean-Éric Vergne Techeetah-DS 24 +4:19.582 12 2
NC 8   Oliver Turvey NIO 24 Retired in pits6 23
NC 88   Tom Blomqvist NIO 24 Retired in pits6 19
NC 71   Norman Nato Venturi-Mercedes 23 +1 lap 6
Ret 48   Edoardo Mortara Venturi-Mercedes 20 Collision damage 16
Ret 99   Pascal Wehrlein Porsche 19 Brakes 9
Ret 36   André Lotterer Porsche 19 Collision/Brakes 5
Ret 20   Mitch Evans Jaguar 15 Collision damage 17
Ret 7   Sérgio Sette Câmara Dragon-Penske 14 Collision 18
Ret 28   Maximilian Günther Andretti-BMW 10 Spun off 2
Ret 23   Sébastien Buemi e.dams-Nissan 1 Collision 4
DSQ7 22   Oliver Rowland e.dams-Nissan 24 Energy usage 8
DSQ7 29   Alexander Sims Mahindra 24 Energy usage 11
DSQ7 13   António Félix da Costa Techeetah-DS 24 Energy usage 1 32
DSQ7 94   Alex Lynn Mahindra 24 Energy usage 3 13
DSQ7 10   Sam Bird Jaguar 24 Energy usage 20
Source:[9]

Notes:

  • ^1  – Fastest lap.
  • ^2  – Pole position.
  • ^3  – Fastest in group stage.
  • ^4  – Stoffel Vandoorne received a 5-second time penalty for forcing another car off the track, and a further post-race 10-second time penalty for failing to fulfil the total amount of time of his second attack mode.[10][11]
  • ^5  – Lucas di Grassi received a post-race drive-through penalty converted into a 30-second time penalty for failing to activate the second of the two mandatory attack modes.[12]
  • ^6  – Both NIO drivers pulled into the pit lane at the end of the final lap after exceeding the maximum energy usage. As they did not cross the chequered flag, they were not classified.[13]
  • ^7  – Rowland, Sims, da Costa, Lynn and Bird originally finished 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th and 11th respectively, but were disqualified from the race due to their energy used being over the regulatory limit.[14]

Standings after the race

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  • Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

Race two

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Qualifying

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Group draw[15]
Group 1   DEV (1)   VAN (2)   BIR (3)   FRI (4)   EVA (5)   WEH (6)
Group 2   RAS (7)   MUL (8)   MOR (9)   JEV (10)   SIM (11)   DAC (12)
Group 3   CAS (13)   ROW (14)   SET (15)   GUE (16)   DIG (17)   BUE (18)
Group 4   TUR (19)   BLO (20)   LYN (21)   DEN (22)   NAT (23)   LOT (24)
Pos. No. Driver Team GS SP Grid
1 27   Jake Dennis Andretti-BMW 1:31.855 1:28.548 1
2 36   André Lotterer Porsche 1:31.958 1:29.411 51
3 94   Alex Lynn Mahindra 1:32.585 1:29.737 2
4 88   Tom Blomqvist NIO 1:32.727 1:30.202 3
5 8   Oliver Turvey NIO 1:32.950 1:30.403 4
6 71   Norman Nato Venturi-Mercedes 1:33.155 1:30.489 6
7 25   Jean-Éric Vergne Techeetah-DS 1:33.198 7
8 22   Oliver Rowland e.dams-Nissan 1:33.336 8
9 23   Sébastien Buemi e.dams-Nissan 1:33.390 9
10 7   Sérgio Sette Câmara Dragon-Penske 1:33.452 10
11 29   Alexander Sims Mahindra 1:33.479 11
12 13   António Félix da Costa Techeetah-DS 1:33.604 12
13 99   Pascal Wehrlein Porsche 1:33.745 13
14 33   René Rast Audi 1:33.879 14
15 48   Edoardo Mortara Venturi-Mercedes 1:33.898 15
16 20   Mitch Evans Jaguar 1:34.115 191
17 4   Robin Frijns Virgin-Audi 1:34.166 16
18 5   Stoffel Vandoorne Mercedes 1:34.416 17
19 17   Nyck de Vries Mercedes 1:34.419 18
20 10   Sam Bird Jaguar 1:34.480 20
21 6   Nico Müller Dragon-Penske 1:34.588 21
22 11   Lucas di Grassi Audi 1:34.610 22
23 37   Nick Cassidy Virgin-Audi 1:37.838 23
24 28   Maximilian Günther Andretti-BMW 1:41.980 24
Source:[16][17]

Notes:

Race

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Pos. No. Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 27   Jake Dennis Andretti-BMW 30 46:32.002 1 25+3+11
2 36   André Lotterer Porsche 30 +1.483 5 18
3 94   Alex Lynn Mahindra 30 +2.428 2 15+12
4 22   Oliver Rowland e.dams-Nissan 30 +2.870 8 12
5 71   Norman Nato Venturi-Mercedes 30 +5.8113 6 10
6 33   René Rast Audi 30 +8.122 14 8
7 25   Jean-Éric Vergne Techeetah-DS 30 +8.782 7 6
8 8   Oliver Turvey NIO 30 +11.292 4 4
9 48   Edoardo Mortara Venturi-Mercedes 30 +12.014 15 2
10 11   Lucas di Grassi Audi 30 +12.405 22 1
11 23   Sébastien Buemi e.dams-Nissan 30 +13.295 9
12 28   Maximilian Günther Andretti-BMW 30 +13.594 24
13 37   Nick Cassidy Virgin-Audi 30 +14.329 23
14 10   Sam Bird Jaguar 30 +15.151 20
15 20   Mitch Evans Jaguar 30 +17.213 19
16 17   Nyck de Vries Mercedes 30 +18.444 18
17 88   Tom Blomqvist NIO 30 +18.885 3
18 99   Pascal Wehrlein Porsche 30 +19.274 13
19 4   Robin Frijns Virgin-Audi 30 +19.756 16
20 6   Nico Müller Dragon-Penske 30 +21.069 21
21 7   Sérgio Sette Câmara Dragon-Penske 30 +32.079 10
22 13   António Félix da Costa Techeetah-DS 30 +59.698 12
23 29   Alexander Sims Mahindra 30 +1:04.277 11
Ret 5   Stoffel Vandoorne Mercedes 20 Collision damage 17
Source:[20]

Notes:

  • ^1  – Pole position; fastest in group stage.
  • ^2  – Fastest lap.
  • ^3  – Norman Nato received a 5-second time penalty for causing a collision.[21]

Standings after the race

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  • Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

Controversy

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The ending of the first race caused controversy after roughly half of the field ran out of power at the end of the 50-mile distance, with five cars being disqualified and two retiring for this reason.[22][23] Frédéric Bertrand, circuit championships director of the FIA, said after the race that the finish of the race "demonstrated how difficult it was to win in Formula E", yet conceded that it should "never happen again".[24] His comments were blasted by da Costa, one of the drivers disqualified for energy use, who stated that Formula E would become the "joke of the week" following that finish.[25] Despite this the FIA stood by its energy management rules and race winner Nyck de Vries said that Formula E is "not necessarily" at fault.[26][27]

Notes

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  1. ^ Lynn received the point for fastest lap as Sims failed to finish in the top 10.

References

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  1. ^ "De Vries wins amid farcical Valencia Formula E finish". The Race. 24 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Dennis pulls off shock Valencia Formula E victory for BMW". The Race. 25 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Doc 33 - Qualifying Groups" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Doc 59 - Final Classification Qualifying-Superpole" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Doc 60 - Final Starting Grid" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Doc 105 - Decision No. 35" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Doc 51 - Provisional Classification Qualifying-Superpole" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Doc 57 - Decision No. 17" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Doc 97 - Final Classification Race" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Doc 70 - Decision No. 22" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Doc 72 - Decision No. 24" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Doc 71 - Decision No. 23" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Doc 94 - Decision No. 32" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Further disqualifications leave nine classified finishers in Valencia; Vandoorne penalised but keeps podium". Downforce Radio. 24 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Doc 100 - Qualifying Groups" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Doc 107 - Final Classification Qualifying-Superpole" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Doc 108 - Final Starting Grid" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Doc 91 - Decision No. 29" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Doc 87 - Decision No. 27" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  20. ^ "Doc 122 - Final Classification Race" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Doc 115 - Decision No. 38" (PDF). FIA Formula E. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  22. ^ "First Formula E Race On A Traditional Circuit Ends With Half The Grid Entirely Out Of Power". Jalopnik. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  23. ^ "How Valencia E-Prix farce gave Formula E an image problem". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  24. ^ "FIA: Valencia race shows 'how difficult' it is to win in FE". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Da Costa blasts FIA claims after controversial Valencia FE race". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  26. ^ "De Vries defends Formula E after chaotic Valencia finish". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Formula E stands by energy management rules after Valencia farce · RaceFans". RaceFans. 25 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
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2021 Rome ePrix
FIA Formula E World Championship
2020–21 season
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