DS Penske’s Maximilian Guenther took pole position for Race 1 of the Formula E Shanghai E-Prix, edging out NEOM McLaren’s Taylor Barnard.
The German driver, after eliminating the championship leader Oliver Rowland during the quarter-finals, took top spot in the final against the British youngster.
Pascal Wehrlein will line-up in third place, alongside Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy. Nyck de Vries was fifth, with Rowland sixth, Jake Dennis seventh, and Cupra Kiro’s David Beckmann a superb eighth.
Jake Hughes – pole-sitter last year – will start ninth, with Jean-Eric Vergne rounding-up the top 10.
Rowland, Antonio Felix Da Costa, Dennis, Edoardo Mortara, Sebastien Buemi, Gunther, Cassidy, Hughes, Nico Mueller, Norman Nato, and Zane Maloney are the first to hit the track for Race 1 qualifying, being inserted in Group A.
The British Nissan driver, leader of the championship and main character of this Season 11, is the last to leave the pits. Rowland struggled during the twelve minutes available, then snatched the fourth place.
If things look complicated at Nissan, DS Penske box breathes a lighter air. Guenther got the best time in Group A in 1:09.939s, two tenths faster than Dennis in second place. Also Nick Cassidy qualifies for the duels.
Da Costa misses the Top 4. The Portuguese, after securing the first position in both free practice sessions, failed to maximise his result during qualifying.
In Group B: Wehrlein, Barnard, De Vries, Vergne, Stoffel Vandoorne, Dan Ticktum, Lucas Di Grassi, Mitch Evans, Sam Bird, Robin Frijns and Beckmann.
Compared to the times recorded in the first group, Group B gets higher lap times, and at the end of the twelve minutes, Taylor Barnard obtains the first position.
The McLaren driver gets a time of 1:10.045s, one-tenth faster than De Vries, who is in second place. Wehrlein and, unexpectedly, Beckmann, also enter the duels.
Vergne doesn’t qualify for the final part of the session, with Evans’ participation academic, as his previous grid penalties condemn him to the back of the grid, also bring forced to take a 10 second stop and go penalty.
Rowland eliminated, Guenther and Barnard fight for the pole
After the group stage, it’s time for duels. Cassidy challenges Dennis, Rowland gets on the track against Guenther, Wehrlein has to deal with De Vries and Beckmann was placed on the track with Barnard.
The first to hit the track are Cassidy and Dennis. The Jaguar driver wins, despite a good second sector from the rival. Cassidy reaches the semi-finals in 1:08.880s, two-tenths faster than Dennis.
Guenther eliminates Rowland in the second quarter-final. The German takes advantage of some uncertainties of the world championship leader, who, after a good first sector, loses control of his car. 1:08.648 for DS driver Penske, while Rowland finished with a delay of almost three tenths.
Intense fight between Wehrlein and De Vries, with the German coming out on top. The German passes the round in 1:08.683s, the fastest time recorded since the start of qualifying. The Mahindra driver crosses the finish line with a 59-thousandths gap.
There is no battle between Barnard and Beckmann. The McLaren’s talent finishes the lap in 1:08.844s, beating the Cupra Kiro driver by more than four tenths.
The semi-finals see Cassidy challenge Guenther, while Wehrlein will descend on track against Barnard.
Guenther becomes the first finalist of the Shanghai E-Prix qualifying after beating Cassidy. The DS driver Penske crosses the finish line in 1:08.494s, outperforming his rival by almost three tenths.
Barnard wins the second semi-final. The British driver of McLaren wins over Wehrlein, finishing the lap in 1:08.503s, a tenth faster than the Porsche driver.
The qualifying session culminates with the final between Guenther and Barnard. The German driver dominates the duel, crossing the finish line with a time of 1:08.234s, three tenths faster than the McLaren driver. Barnard didn’t find his best lap, and he is forced to settle for second place.
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