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Welcome Points Return for NIO in Penultimate Round of Season 5
November 22, NIO 333 FE team starts a new era of the team with a Double-Finish in the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship season opening Diriyah ePrix in Saudi Arabia.
The team showed some potential in speed during qualifying which saw Oliver Turvey starting from P10. However, the race was ultimately proven to be difficult and the British driver finished P15 at the chequered flag.
At the start of the race, the experienced British remained in the P10 after a relatively calm opening period of the race. With the effect of the “Attack Mode” and the lack of grip off racing line, the close midfield fight resulted in a shuttle of the positions. Finally, Turvey finished the race in the P15.
Team-mate Qinghua Ma encountered a quiet race as the only Chinese driver on the grid settles himself into the new era of Formula E. After a tough start of the day with only 2 laps in the free practice sessions, the Chinese driver finished P20 after starting from P22 on the grid. As a “rookie” of the Gen 2 Formula E car, Ma’s target was to familiarize the ever-closer battle of Formula E and finishing the race fulfils the goal.
The team won't get much rest after the opening round as the double header opening weekend means the team have another chance to prove its performance in the world’s premier electric motorsport series.
November 23, NIO 333 Formula E team achieved a “Top 10” finish after a superb drive by Oliver Turvey in the second round of the 2019/2020 ABB FIA Formula E championship at the Diriyah ePrix.
After showing promising pace during the opening day of the 2019/2020 season, NIO 333 FE team continued its solid performance in Saturday morning’s qualifying.
British driver Turvey was only seven-tenths off the “super-pole”, shows the progress team made during the race weekend. His teammate Ma Qing Hua continues his familiarization of the Gen 2 car and ranked 21st of 24 drivers in the ultra-tight qualifying session.
Turvey’s stellar performance continued in the race. Starting from 17th, the British star quickly made up a few positions after the first lap. As the race unfolds a number of competitors start to make mistakes, but the experience of Turvey’s kept everything under control and finds himself nearing the Top 10 while the race enters its final chapter. With bold overtake and the strategy choice on the use of “Attack Mode”, Turvey crossed the finish line in 8th place. However, due to energy over-consumption, Turvey’s 8th place finished was disqualified after the race.
Frustratingly for Ma, the story of Saturday could also have been a heroic one. The only Chinese driver on the grid drove an amazing race to be inside the points when the second safety car period was starting. However, due to a car issue in the final stage of the race, Ma could only finish the race in 19th position.
Oliver Turvey, Race Driver, NIO 333 Formula E Team – Quote:
“Yes, I know it is a good race. Obviously, today’s qualifying I thought I did a good lap again, but it’s a super tight competition. Started P17, we had a really clean race managed to overtake some people in the start, saved good energy. Because we had a good changing overnight, thanks our engineers and mechanics. Pace is much better today in the race. We were able to take opportunity in this quite chaotic race. I managed to cross the line P8. Unfortunately, due to some technical issues causing an over-consuming of 0.06kWh and we missed our team’s first points.”
Ma QingHua, Race Driver, NIO Formula E Team – Quote:
“First of all, I am really happy for the team, it is quite a smooth day. The only shame is the problem I encountered towards the end of the race result in the lose of positions towards the end. But it is just a start, we had really good pace from practice to qualifying and later on in the race. I am still trying to settle into the new Formula E car. I think there is still quite some room for improvement in our car.”
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