Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport driver Lucas di Grassi stormed to a clear victory at the Long Beach ePrix, after starting the race from second on the grid.
The result brings di Grassi right back into the title fight, after a disastrous race for rival Sebastien Buemi. The Swiss racer collided with Robin Frijns early in the race and was forced to swap cars, finishing three laps down in 16th.
Sam Bird started one pole position after fastest qualifier Antonio Felix da Costa was disqualified for a technical infringement. The British driver led the early stages but dropped to second after being passed by di Grassi on lap 12.
He retained the lead through the pit stops and started to extend his advantage, only for it to be cut in the closing laps after a late safety car caused by Nelson Piquet Jr. crashing at the first chicane.
The race resumed with a final three-lap sprint, with di Grassi finishing first, ahead of Venturi’s Stephane Sarrazin and team-mate Daniel Abt. Nick Heidfeld and Bruno Senna stopped one lap later, kept out of trouble and claimed fourth and fifth.
Bird dropped to sixth after going off and hitting the tyre barrier. His DS Virgin Racing car was undamaged but it cost him several places. Jerome d’Ambrosio, Loic Duval, Simona de Silvestro and Mike Conway claimed the final points.
Nicolas Prost dropped down the order after a drive-through for being below the minimum pit stop time. He was 11th, with Oliver Turvey and Jean-Eric Vergne losing ground late on.
Salvador Duran picked up a drive-through for exceeding the energy limit and was classified 14th, with Frijns 15th after an early change of cars. Buemi was the last finisher, three laps down, with da Costa retiring with an issue and Piquet crashing out.
