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After three months of waiting, the FIA Formula E Championship is back; with Argentina hosting the 2017 Buenos Aires ePrix this weekend. The Buenos Aires ePrix circuit is the only location to feature in all three seasons of the FIA Formula E Championship.
With the drivers and teams alike will be itching to get going after a three-month break, as defending champion Sebastien Buemi looks to extend his lead at the top of the championship, whilst the rest of the field try to hunt him down.
The Swiss driver's team, Renault e.dams find themselves sailing out in front in the teams standings, with both Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport and Mahindra Racing 38 points adrift of the French team.
I should point out that the Renault e.dams Formula E is the only team on the grid to have scored a point at every single Formula E race. The 37 points scored in Marrakesh increased its record tally to 576.
But this weekend, we have to focus on DS Virgin Racing driver Jose Maria Lopez who will be participating in his first home race during his Formula E career and will want to achieve the best result possible at his home event. However, his team mate Sam Bird does hold an excellent record in Buenos Aires, having set fastest lap on his way to seventh in Season 1, while he was the lights-to-flag winner following an excellent race in Season 2.
But there are other drivers to have two top 10 finishes in Argentina are Nico Prost, Stephane Sarrazin, Nick Heidfeld and ex driver Bruno Senna; so the pressure will be on Lopez to ensure that he adds to this tally this weekend. But one thing Lopez should take note of his Antonio Felix Da Costa's win from seventh on the grid in the Season 1 Buenos Aires ePrix remains the lowest starting position from which a Formula E race has been won.
With an average speed of 114.5kmh, the Buenos Aires ePrix was the third fastest race on the Season 2 calendar. Buemi's unofficial lap record, set in second practice last year, was recorded at an average of 129.8kmh, second only to the high speeds attained at Long Beach.
Facts and Figures
• Length: 2.480km
• Turns: 12 – 8 left, 4 right
• Direction: Anticlockwise
• Surface: Asphalt and concrete
• Past winners – Antonio Felix Da Costa (2015), Sam Bird, Virgin Racing (2016)
• Outright lap record: 1:08.771 (129.822km/h) Sebastien Buemi, Renault e.dams, 2016
• Official lap record: 1:10.285 (127.205km/h) Jerome D'Ambrosio, Dragon Racing, 2016
To watch the coverage of the Buenos Aires ePrix this weekend, Spike will be covering the Qualifying session ahead of the ePrix on Saturday 18th February at 2.45pm. Channel 5 will then cover the ePrix live the same day at 6.30pm.
The Buenos Aires ePrix will also be streamed live online in the UK via YouTube, Dailymotion and through the official Formula E App and website – http://www.fiaformuale.com
Keep checking Driving for Pleasure for our coverage of the 2017 Buenos Aires ePrix with our reports of each session.
Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa
