Lotterer takes first Formula E pole at Rome E-Prix

Andre Lotterer claimed his first FIA Formula E pole position during a dramatic qualifying session for the Rome E-Prix.

Following a brief rain shower prior to the start of Super Pole, the Techeetah driver was the last to set his qualifying effort and made the most of ever-improving track conditions to bag his maiden Formula E pole.

Lotterer takes first Formula E pole at Rome E-Prix

Andre Lotterer claimed his first FIA Formula E pole position during a dramatic qualifying session for the Rome E-Prix.

Following a brief rain shower prior to the start of Super Pole, the Techeetah driver was the last to set his qualifying effort and made the most of ever-improving track conditions to bag his maiden Formula E pole.

Despite running deep into the hairpin and appearing to throw away his chances of pole, Lotterer recovered to set a blistering final sector and outpace Jaguar’s Mitch Evans by 0.360s in the mixed conditions.

Jose Maria Lopez was the only other driver to get within a second of Lotterer’s time as he sealed a second-row starting position in third, in what marked an encouraging session for the Dragon squad as both its cars made it into the top six.

Ex-Formula 1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne once again impressed in qualifying and at one stage was the quickest driver in the pole shootout, before others were able to find improvements on the drying track.

The HWA racer will start fourth on the grid in Rome, ahead of the returning Maximilian Gunther and Nissan e.dams driver Sebastien Buemi.

Hong Kong winner Edoardo Mortara was once again the fastest Venturi driver as he took seventh, having narrowly missed out on a spot in Super Pole.

Fractionally slower than Mortara was Robin Frijns, who finished eighth-quickest, a tenth clear of Formula E returnee Alex Lynn who impressed for Jaguar to claim ninth on the grid, while Mahindra’s Pascal Wehrlein rounded out the top ten.

None of the championship’s frontrunners could make it into the pole position shootout after they struggled with the track conditions early on.

Points leader Antonio Felix da Costa was the highest-placed of the top five drivers in 13th, ahead of Virgin’s Sam Bird and the leading Audi of Lucas di Grassi, while reigning drivers’ champion and Sanya winner Jean-Eric Vergne could only manage the 17th-best time.

Alexander Sims was the only driver who failed to set a representative laptime as his BMW-Andretti machine ground to a halt after a sudden loss of power during his 250kW lap, causing a brief red flag stoppage.

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