FIA Formula E 2021: 2 races DHL Valencia e-Prix 24./ 25.04.2021, Congratulations Team BMW i Andretti race winner on SUNDAY ! Tumultuous rain-soaked race in Valencia - NAANII GLOBAL Luxury/Quality Family Lifestyle MAGAZINE 'en Vogue' - NAANII GLOBAL Quality & Luxury Family Lifestyle - MAGAZINE 'en Vogue'-

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Races #5 and #6 of the season in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Valencia (ESP) - Racewinner  and points came out of curious circumstances. Issues with calculation of the energy amount saw most cars run out of power on a tumultuous final lap,  on the wet and slippery circuit.  

Besides the challenging conditions, a new circuit, safetycars and energy problems of most Teams, Mercedes and BMW i Andretti however with TOP results.

Race #5, 24.4.2021
Roger Griffiths (BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team Principal, team standings: 11th place 24.4.2021):
“We came to Valencia with high hopes after our good results in testing. That really did start to show with strong performances in practice and qualifying. It started to rain heavily between qualifying and race start and unfortunately, Maximilian Günther struggled to find grip under these conditions and lost the rear of his car during braking into turn 2. His race ended there. Jake Dennis had a trouble-free morning and made good progress throughout the sessions. In the race he was competitive in the beginning. After the last safety car period there was a significant energy reduction by race control that caused trouble for a lot of cars including the BMW iFE.21. That was a bewildering closing stage but we did suspect that there could be some retrospective penalties.”

Maximilian Günther (#28 BMW iFE.21, starting position: 2nd place, race result: DNF, points: 12, driver standings: 16th place):

“A disappointing race obviously. It’s extremely unfortunate not to finish it. We just didn’t have the pace in the wet today. I struggled a lot with the grip from the first lap. I was able to defend quite well for a few laps, but then I dropped back position by position. At that point the goal was to score some points. Then braking into turn 2 the rear locked completely and I wasn’t able to catch it anymore. That was the end of my race. Generally, our pace was very good today in the dry and I was happy with our performance in practice and qualifying. We must analyse what went wrong in the wet but also focus on tomorrow. Hopefully it will be a dry race then.”

Jake Dennis (#27 BMW iFE.21, starting position: 13th place, race result: 8th place, points: 4, driver standings: 22nd place):

“It was quite a challenging race for everyone in the wet conditions. My biggest problem was that I couldn’t see a lot through my wet visor. Due to the confusion with the energy management at the end a lot of drivers have been penalised. We decided to make sure we are completely legal, which cost us a lot of positions. Luckily, we did move up after the race and I have now finally scored my first points in Formula E.”

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Race #6, 25.4.2021

An interview with Jake Dennis, BMWi Andretti, winner 25.4.2021:
“Probably my best day in motorsport so far”

It was a day to remember for Jake Dennis (GBR). The BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver dominated the Sunday at the DHL Valencia E-Prix (ESP) of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

He secured pole position, led the race from start to finish and celebrated his first victory in only his sixth race in this championship. In an interview, the 25-year old speaks about this success, his learning curve in Formula E, the collaboration with team-mate Maximilian Günther (GER) and looks ahead on the remaining season.


What does this win mean to you after the tough start of the season?
Jake Dennis: “Getting your first win in Formula E is always something special, it’s obviously your first goal and dream. And being able to do it so early in the season on race six is a cool feeling. Credit to the team for doing such a good job with the strategy to allow me to deliver the results in qualifying and also later in the race.”


What were the keys to success?
Dennis: “I think having the patience is the key to success. In Formula E it’s very much like a poker game and to trying to understand where to show your car at and where not, I think we managed that perfectly in the race. We pushed where we had to and then we’ve saved energy where we could do and it worked out. That’s why we came from A to B the fastest and that’s why we won the race.”


Where do you rank this win in your career?
Dennis: “It is definitely one of my best, for sure. I think it was more of a challenge to get this race win. In Formula E, it is so difficult to put everything together, but to get pole position and the race win, I’d probably say it has to be my best day in motorsport in terms of the whole package. But yeah, this race win is definitely one of my favorites so far.”


And there was also another reason why that was a special win…
Dennis: “Yes, there is a mechanic in the BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team, Chris, who was already my mechanic ten years ago when I was crowned champion in my first single-seater season in the InterSteps Championship. When our paths crossed again when I came to BMW, I sent him a picture of us celebrating together ten years ago in 2011 – of course he had this picture, too – but I sent it to him and wrote: ‘Let’s try and replicate this this year’. And it’s amazing that we’ve managed the same result ten years later, both in completely different scenarios than in 2011. Back then, we were completely unexperienced, him as a mechanic and me as driver. Now we are both at the top of our game, we’re experienced in motorsport now and it was cool to share this memory and this moment with Chris and replicate what we did ten years later. So it only made sense that we had a photo together – a similar one to that from 2011.”


Were you more nervous in qualifying or at the race start?
Dennis: “I was probably more nervous in qualifying to be honest. It was a big opportunity for me with the drying track conditions and it only takes one small mistake to lose that opportunity. And then going to the start of the race, the pressure was rather low, I didn’t really feel that nervous surprisingly.”


How big was the advantage of knowing the Valencia track?
Dennis: “I don’t think it was any advantage knowing this track already, I just think it wasn’t a disadvantage. Obviously, everybody knows the circuit and obviously so did I, so it more was the one time in Formula E this season, where I wasn’t at a disadvantage because obviously 90 percent of the field aren’t rookies so they know most of the tracks already. It definitely helps the situation to start the weekend on the right foot and it wasn’t required for me to learn the circuit in FP1 and FP2.”


How does the collaboration with Maximilian Günther work?
Dennis: “Maximilian and I have a great relationship, he was super happy for me to get the win and vice versa, when his day will come for sure. We work really well together, Maximilian is super professional and detailed on everything. So yes, we have a good working combination and it definitely drives the team forward in a positive manner. We try to get the best out of our package the whole time.”


How much did you learn in your first six Formula E races?
Dennis: “I’ve learned a hell of a lot in my first six races in Formula E, definitely! We’ve had the full roller coaster experience, we started from the back and came forward, we started from the middle and now literally we started from the front leading every lap and then getting the win. So we’ve had every scenario now and it’s much easier starting from the front, that’s what I have learned, so qualifying is super important. But the whole six races have been a massive learning curve from me and still I have so much to learn in comparison to the other drivers.”


What is the biggest challenge in Formula E for you so far?
Dennis: “The biggest challenge in Formula E has to be putting the whole weekend together perfectly. It’s so easy to make one small mistake in practice or qualifying or the race and then your day is ruined, so just trying to put everything together and having a smooth weekend and that’s definitely the most challenging part in Formula E.”


After you win you said “we’re back in it” – so what are your goals for the races to come?
Dennis: “I think we are all back in the hunt, we’re only 22 points behind the lead after six races so we’re definitely there. Back in group two in qualifying now, eighth in the championship, we’ve made a big step forward in the team championship, so yeah, it’s all eyes on for Monaco in a couple of weeks where we will try to get again another big points before we will have a big break afterwards. It’s again a new circuit for me but I’m sure it will be a cool event and I’m very much looking forward driving in Monaco for the first time.”


Knowing the whole race calendar now, what venues are you looking forward to most?
Dennis: “The two race events I’m looking forward to the most are definitely New York and London. I’m really much looking forward to having my home races as I don’t live too far from London, so it will be for sure something special for me racing there, hopefully with some fans at this point, that would be awesome. And then New York, I always wanted to go to New York in the last ten years but I somehow never made it there and to have the opportunity going there now as a Formula E racing driver racing on the streets of New York is something pretty special to me. I really hope that we get a good result in New York, I think it’s a special race and yeah, just hoping for good weather.”