Stoffel Vandoorne (Mercedes EQ) dominated the first qualifying session of the 8th Formula E season on Friday at Diriyah in Saudi Arabia. For this new season, the 8th of its existence, Formula E has decided to modify its qualifying format, with a group stage then direct eliminations, head to head, from the round of 16. The final opposed Stoffel Vandoorne (Mercedes EQ) and Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) and it was the Belgian who beat the Briton, with a time of 1’08″626.
Dennis was quickest in sectors 1 and 3 but lost six tenths in the second and had to drop just under four tenths to the former F1 driver, who thus won his sixth pole in Formula E. read also Vergne: “It will make things interesting” On the grid for the first race (start at 6 p.m., to be followed live on L’Équipe Live), Vandoorne will start ahead of Dennis, Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-EQ), André Lotterer (Tag Heuer Porsche), Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing), Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing), Robin Frijns (Envision Racing) and Oliver Rowland (Mahindra Racing). Disappointment for Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah), only 13th, Antonio Felix da Costa (DS Techeetah), 16th, Sébastien Buemi (Nissan e-Dams), 21st and Antonio Giovinazzi (Dragon – Penske Autosport), the former driver of F1 making its FE debut, 22nd and last.