DIRIYAH, Saudi Arabia – Edoardo Mortara led home Robin Frijns and his Venturi teammate Lucas di Grassi to claim victory in round two of the Diriyah E-Prix to open the Formula E season.
Through the second round of Attack Mode activations, di Grassi was able to position himself for a move on polesitter and then-leader Nyck de Vries on lap 16. The Brazilian accelerated around the outside of de Vries at turn 18 and held the position, with Mortara also able make it through.
The Swiss then swept by his teammate for the lead a lap later, and there he stayed, fending off Frijns until the race came to an end behind the Safety Car after Alexander Sims found the wall.
“I would rather have been frustrated in qualy then win the race, then the opposite so that’s fully fine,” said Mortara. “What a day – especially after the mistake that I made in qualification yesterday. I am very glad to bring this win for the team. A one-three finish is amazing. It was a very strategic race, very difficult for the nerves because I didn’t have a lot of energy but neither did my colleagues around me. They were playing strategy, trying to attack me and make me consume, so I tried to keep my head cool and it worked.”
André Lotterer made amends after slipping down the order during race one as the German battled to fourth. Lotterer jousted with Jake Dennis and Jean-Éric Vergne throughout and got the better of the pair, who followed the Porsche driver home.
Stoffel Vandoorne stealthily maneuvered from 12th spot into seventh at the flag to claim valuable points from a challenging situation.
Oliver Rowland fired off the line and back from a pre-race three-position grid penalty to finish eighth, with Pascal Wehrlein in ninth.
Round one winner and reigning champion, Nyck de Vries was shuffled down the pack after the Venturis made their way through and following a pass by Vergne which resulted in some close contact. The Dutchman salvaged a point and 10th.