Following on from a nail-biter of a race in Buenos Aires, the fourth round of the FIA Formula E Championship, we caught up with Senior Team Managers Alain Prost and Jean-Paul Driot to analyse the race and look ahead to the first ever Mexico ePrix (March 12).
Alain Prost: We had another strong performance in Buenos Aires last weekend with both Sebastien and Nico finishing in the top five once again. We earned more points for the team to secure our position as championship leaders in the Teams’ standings.
Jean-Paul Driot: We had a real challenge on our hands in this race with Sebastien starting at the back of the grid. I think the fact that he was able to fight his way through the pack to finish in second was testament to him as a quality driver, as well as the strength of the team, car and strategy. It really was a great achievement for us and we are very pleased with the result.
AP: Yes, absolutely. What’s more, the race was quite a show for all of the Formula E fans around the world.
J-PD: It is a shame that Nico lost a few positions over the course of the race but fifth place still brings home 10 points, which has helped us increase our lead in the Teams’ standings. And we will look at all the data to try and find the reason why he slowed down in pit lane.
AP: Indeed, looking ahead to the next round in Mexico, it’s important to remember that this is a completely new challenge for us. It will be the first time we have raced at an existing circuit so there are things to consider: the asphalt, width of the track and the fact that it will feel very different to drive. These elements mean that we take a unique approach to each race in order to meet the demands of every location. However, we do expect to be competitive.
J-PD: The cars have gone straight on to Mexico now so for the team, we return to the workshop and spend time preparing. The drivers will be in the simulator and we will analyse the data from Buenos Aires to see where we can make further improvements to areas like the software, set-up and suspension. The difficulty of course is that this is all theoretical work and we won’t be able to test any small changes we make until we get to the first session in Mexico.
The team head to Mexico City for the first ever Mexico ePrix on March 12, which will, in part, follow the Autodromo Hermano Rodriguez circuit.