Maximilian Günther in the #28 BMW iFe.20 scored a pair of podium finishes in the last two races of the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge, but a win in the double-points finale on the virtual Berlin Tempelhof circuit by Nissan’s Oliver Rowland demoted Günther to fourth in the final standings for the eight-race season. The championship went to Mercedes’ Stoffel Vandoorne.
In Saturday’s race, run on the virtual Brooklyn circuit, Günther finished fifth on the track, but was later advanced to third because of post-race penalties given to both Rowland and Vandoorne.
Mahindra racer Pascal Wehrlein started the Sunday Tempelhof finale in the points lead, with Vandoorne second and Günther third. But a first-lap incident in the race sent Wehrlein to the back of the pack. He found his way back into the points at the finish, but a penalty dropped him to twelfth. Vandoorne, knowing his title was secure, stayed in second to finish behind Rowland. Wehrlein finished second in points for the season, with Rowland third and Günther fourth.
Günther’ BMW iAndretti teammate Alexander Sims finished thirteenth in both races.
Kevin Siggy won the Challenge Grid race for sim racers in an iFe.20. He had already secured the title for the challenge. His win in the finale secured him a test drive in an actual iFE.20 and a place in the BMW Sim 2020 live event in Munich later this year.
Günther said, “It is great that I was able to round off the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge season with two podiums. I really enjoyed battling for the title from start to finish. Congratulations to Kevin Siggy, who gave some fantastic performances in the virtual BMW iFE.20. Congratulations to Stoffel Vandoorne as well on his overall victory in the Drivers’ Grid. Now I can hardly wait to get back to the real racetrack.”
The schedule for the balance of the actual ABB Formula E season has not yet been announced.—Brian Morgan
[Photo courtesy BMW Motorsport,]
