By Alan Baldwin
LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Nine drivers, five of them champions, remain mathematically in the title hunt ahead of Formula E’s season-ending weekend in London and the last two races before the start of a new era for the all-electric series.
After 15 of 17 rounds, the final outcome is still hanging on a knife-edge with Britain’s 2022/23 champion Jake Dennis leading the standings for the Andretti team with 146 points, two more than Jaguar’s Mitch Evans.
Evans will be racing for the team for the last time after 10 years together, with the Kiwi hoping to become New Zealand’s first electric champion before an expected move to Opel.
Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, the 2023-24 champion, is third and a further three points adrift as the racers arrive at the ExCel London convention centre for ePrix on Saturday and Sunday.
Reigning champion Oliver Rowland is another home hero and fourth with 132 points while Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara is fifth on 116.
Jaguar’s Antonio Felix da Costa — the 2019-20 champion — has 113, Citroen’s New Zealander Nick Cassidy 104, Porsche’s Nico Mueller 102 and Mahindra’s Dutch driver Nyck de Vries — the 2020-21 champion — is on 94.
Jaguar and Porsche are separated by 14 points in the teams’ title battle.
The races are also a farewell to the indoor-outdoor ExCel venue in London’s Docklands, with next year’s British round to be held at Brands Hatch south of the capital when the sport will be in its new Gen4 era with a lighter and much quicker car.
Brazilian Lucas di Grassi, Formula E’s first race winner in Beijing in 2014 and the 2016-17 champion, will be bowing out following his final appearance as a professional driver and after 30 years of racing including a 2010 season in Formula One.
“Formula E has a very special place in my motorsport story, having been part of the championship since the very beginning. I watched it go from an idea that many thought would never work, into one of the most competitive and innovative motorsport series in the world,” said the 42-year-old.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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