Hughes Snatches Pole in Thrilling Formula E Qualifying at Shanghai
In a nail-biting qualifying session at the Shanghai International Circuit, Jake Hughes claimed his second pole position of the 2023 Formula E season, edging out Stoffel Vandoorne by a margin of just 0.001s. The Briton’s lap time of 1m13.665s proved to be the fastest, securing him the top spot on the grid for the Sunday’s E-Prix.
The Qualifying Duel
The truncated grand prix layout of the Shanghai circuit saw Vandoorne initially lead Hughes by a tenth of a second after the opening sector. However, Hughes fought back, overturning the deficit into a gain of nearly half a tenth through the middle sector. Although Vandoorne managed a quicker final sector, Hughes’ consistency throughout the lap ultimately secured him pole position.
Hughes’ Second Pole of the Season
This marks Hughes’ second pole of the season, following his triumph in Misano. The Formula E calendar has witnessed intense competition, and Hughes’ performance has put him in a strong position to challenge for the win.
Other Notable Performances
“Nyck de Vries, who scored his first points of the season in Saturday’s opening Shanghai race, made it through to the duels for the first time on Sunday but was eliminated in the semi-finals.”
The Mahindra driver finished 0.226s behind Vandoorne, while Hughes outpaced Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa by over a tenth to progress to the final.
Current championship leader Nick Cassidy failed to progress beyond the quarter-final stage, ousted by Vandoorne, who overturned a small deficit through the final sector to beat the Jaguar driver by 0.006s. Mitch Evans, the winner of the first Shanghai E-Prix, finished just over a tenth behind da Costa, while Nissan’s Oliver Rowland was another championship contender to miss out, finishing nearly two tenths slower than de Vries.
The Formula E Standings and the Upcoming Shanghai E-Prix
The Formula E standings are heating up, and this weekend’s Shanghai E-Prix has set the stage for an exciting showdown. With the 2023 Formula E schedule reaching its midpoint, every point counts, and the drivers will be giving it their all to come out on top.
Stay tuned for the Shanghai E-Prix, and follow the latest Formula E news and updates on our website.
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