Berlin E-Prix 2021-22: Mortara and de Vries Get an Airlift
(copyright FIA Formula E)
Several drivers could consider themselves realistic title contenders based on their machinery, but in need of a points boost, going into the Berlin E-Prix. Coming out of the double-header race weekend in Formula E, Edoardo Mortara and Nyck de Vries were the major beneficiaries.
Traditionally, Berlin Tempelhof isn’t a typical Formula E circuit, possessing wide open spaces and sweeping corners which tend to disadvantage teams which have tailored their cars to tighter, slower tracks. In the Gen2 era, Mercedes-powered cars have made gains at the circuit, at the expense of, most conspicuously, Jaguar- and BMW-powered cars. With Mercedes EQ and Venturi claiming the wins, and Jaguar and the BMW-powered Andretti far behind, that trend continued.
Race One: The Conventional Berlin Loop
Everyone got away to a clean start into the first corner, with Antonio Felix da Costa’s DS Techeetah making a diving move for second but eventually yielding to Alexander Sims’ Mahindra. The English driver had found himself on the front row after a late entry into the knockout stages of qualifying, and had taken full advantage of the good fortune, even if the pace was not there for him in race conditions.
Ten minutes into the race, Mortara, who had taken his Venturi into a lead he was holding, got the message that he would be investigated for pit-lane overspeeding, though the worst fears of many were not realised, with the Swiss not being penalised post-race.
After the first Attack Mode shake-ups, Andre Lotterer in the Porsche had managed his energy best of the frontrunners, and was able to swap with his teammate Pascal Wehrlein for second, then take the lead when Mortara took his own Attack Mode allocation. Behind him, Stoffel Vandoorne was making the most of a strong weekend for Mercedes, passing on his way to second and a battle with Lotterer.
With Lotterer’s tyres fading from the initial challenge, Mortara was able to retake the lead with six minutes and a lap to go, followed into second by Vandoorne. Up into third was Jean-Eric Vergne, the DS Techeetah driver having saved his Attack mode allocations until late in the race, happy to take advantage when others were fading.
With only three minutes to go, Vandoorne was warned, “we have to go for it, underconsuming is bad!” by engineer Stephen Lane; while the message gave the Belgian any hurry-up he might have needed, however Vergne, who had by that stage made it past into second, and Mortara were in a race of their own in the latter stages. Vergne attempted a manoeuvre into the long, sweeping left-hander, but Mortara had baited the Frenchman into taking the tighter line, reclaiming the lead at the end of the corner.
Results
Mortara won the race, from Vergne, Vandoorne, Lotterer, Mitch Evans in the Jaguar, Wehrlein, Sam Bird’ Jaguar, da Costa, Sims, and the Andretti of Jake Dennis.
Race Two: The Reverse Nilreb Loop
Since the 2020 six-race Berlin series that closed the Covid-blighted season, there have been positive memories of the reverse Berlin loop, known colloquially to some in Formula E as “Nilreb”. NIO333’s Dan Ticktum told Autosport after the race that reverse loops should be tried more often in motorsport, and the impression was that the drivers enjoyed the challenge of what was, effectively, a whole new circuit.
De Vries jumped Mortara on pole and Robin Frijns behind to lead into the first corner, with one of the best starts in Formula E history, and then set out to control the pace from the front.
Behind the leading trio, Lotterer held off Lucas di Grassi’s Venturi and da Costa. Twelve minutes in, di Grassi used his car’s superior race pace, and Attack Mode, to get past Lotterer into fourth. Mid-race the Venturis were together until Mortara passed da Costa for second, with plenty more energy in his locker than the other leading cars, thanks to a Venturi pit strategy which, as on the previous day, worked perfectly.
On the final lap Frijns, pushing da Costa for second, made contact with the quick-reacting Portuguese, who was only saved from the wall on his way into the final complex by excellent car control at speed. This let Mortara back into second, and Vandoorne and di Grassi behind them. It was de Vries who made his way back into outside contention for a second successive title, having never looked in danger of losing his lead, or any paintwork.
Results
De Vries was the winner, from Mortara, Vandoorne, di Grassi, Frijns,. Da Costa, Rowland, Lotterer, Vergne, and Evans.