Stoffel Vandoorne took pole position for the Mercedes EQ team for the Diriyah ePrix, the first race of the 2022 Formula E World Championship, with a 1:08.626.
This was the first race using Formula E’s new ‘duel’ qualifying format, where drivers go through quarter and semi finals, with the fastest two progressing to the final head-to-head.
Jake Dennis, racing for the Andretti Avalanche squad, will start alongside Vandoorne. He set the quickest time of the session in his semi final against Andre Lotterer, a 1:08.379, but couldn’t replicate it in the final against Vandoorne, making crucial mistake costing a few tenths.
Vandoorne’s teammate Nyck de Vries, the reigning Formula E world champion, will start third, with Lotterer fourth. Sam Bird will start sixth, with Nick Cassidy alongside in sixth for the Envision Racing team.
His teammate Robin Frijns will start seventh, with Mahindra’s Oliver Rowland in eighth. Lucas di Grassi, his first Formula E race for Venturi after seven seasons with Audi, will start ninth, with Maximillian Gunther behind him in 10th.
Pascal Wehrlein will start 11th on the grid. Edo Mortara will start 12th for Venturi, ouqualified by his new teammate, although the Swiss driver did put it in the wall in his initial group stage lap, causing a brief delay to proceedings.
Two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne will start 13th, with Mitch Evans 14th for Jaguar. Sergio Sette Cåmara could only manage 15th, while Vergne’s teammate Antonio Felix da Costa, himself a Formula E champion, will start 16th, a disappointing showing for Techeetah.
Former Indycar driver Oliver Askew was the best of the rookies, and will start 17th for Andretti. Alexander Sims will be 18th on the grid, a long way from his teammate Rowland. Nio 333 teammates Oliver Rowland will start 19th, outqualifying his rookie teammate Dan Ticktum, who has switched from Formula 2. On the back row of the grid will be Sebastien Buemi, the second Formula E champion, and former Alfa Romeo F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi.
The race will start at 5pm GMT.
