Qualifying report
Formula E Berlin ePrix II
Berlin E-Prix: Abt takes shock front-row lockout as Frijns grabs pole
The Abt Formula E team took a shock front-row lockout with Robin Frijns taking pole from team-mate Nico Muller in a wet qualifying session for the Berlin E-Prix.
Stefan Mackley
Edited: Apr 23, 2023, 2:34 PM
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Both drivers have yet to score points this season but sensationally reached the final part of qualifying for the team’s home event in wet but gradually improving conditions.
Frijns claimed his second Formula E pole having dominated the final duel, setting a quicker time than his German team-mate in all three sectors to finish 0.632s clear, posting a 1m18.748s.
Both Abt drivers had been impressive during a damp FP3 earlier in the day with the race, the second of the weekend to be held at the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, also likely to be held in wet conditions.
Frijns had been fractionally slower than Saturday poleman Sebastien Buemi by the mid-point of their semi-final, but a mighty final sector meant the Abt driver finished 0.328s clear with a 1m18.743s.
Muller had a closer battle in his duel and only beat DS Penske driver Jean-Eric Vergne by 0.060s to make it an Abt final for the team’s home event.
Back-to-back Formula E winner Mitch Evans missed out on a semi-final spot after Frijns beat the Jaguar driver by only 0.069s, the Dutchman posting the fastest time in the quarter-final sessions with a 1m18.423s.
Muller had earlier beaten championship leader Pascal Wehrlein by more than three tenths in the first duel.
In a repeat of their duel from Saturday, the two Envision Racing drivers battled against each other in the quarter finals with a poor final sector costing Buemi against Nick Cassidy.
Nico Muller, ABT CUPRA Formula E Team, M9Electro
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
But the Kiwi was stripped of his lap due to an improper use of the 350kw mode, activating it during the opening sector on his qualifying lap as drivers tried to find better grip in the tricky conditions with lower power settings.
The stewards deemed this activation a breach of the regulations, with the rules stating drivers are only able to activate the 350kw mode in the final sector, although in normal conditions this is done on the sighting lap.
Vergne was in complete control of his quarter-final duel against Jake Dennis, the Frenchman faster in all three sectors to finish 0.429s ahead of the Andretti Autosport driver.
The DS Penske driver claimed the fastest lap in an opening group which tackled the worst of the conditions, posting a 1m19.047s as the final driver to finish a lap. Wehrlein took second from Muller as Dennis completed the top four.
Lucas di Grassi was on the verge of making it through but running wide at the Turn 9 right-hand hairpin on his final effort cost the Mahindra driver and he finished seventh in the session.
Buemi headed the second group, jumping to the top of the times with a 1m18.282s at the end as Frijns, Evans and Cassidy completed the top four.
A throttle problem prevented Sam Bird from making it through on his final attempt and the Jaguar driver will start 11th.
Formula E Berlin E-Prix - Race 2 starting grid
Cla Driver Car / Engine Time Gap 1 Robin Frijns Mahindra 1'18.748 - 2 Nico Müller Mahindra 1'19.380 0.632 3 Sébastien Buemi Jaguar 1'19.071 0.323 4 Jean-Éric Vergne DS 1'19.237 0.489 5 Mitch Evans Jaguar 1'18.492 -0.256 6 Pascal Wehrlein Porsche 1'18.805 0.057 7 Jake Dennis Porsche 1'19.727 0.979 8 Nick Cassidy Jaguar - - 9 S.Vandoorne DS 1'18.974 0.226 10 A.F.da Costa Porsche 1'19.297 0.549 11 Sam Bird Jaguar 1'19.010 0.262 12 Oliver Rowland Mahindra 1'19.459 0.711 13 Lucas di Grassi Mahindra 1'19.600 0.852 14 Jake Hughes Nissan 1'19.257 0.509 15 André Lotterer Porsche 1'19.741 0.993 16 Edoardo Mortara Maserati 1'19.422 0.674 17 René Rast Nissan 1'20.848 2.100 18 Dan Ticktum NIO 1'19.232 0.484 5-place penalty for causing a collision in the previous race
19 S.Sette Câmara NIO 1'19.441 0.693 20 Sacha Fenestraz Nissan 1'21.059 2.311 21 Max Günther Maserati 1'19.961 1.213 22 Norman Nato Nissan 1'21.272 2.524
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