Nelson Piquet Jnr crowned first Formula E champion
Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jnr became the first Formula E champion on Sunday as the new electric series wrapped up its debut season with a race that had the crowd making more noise than the cars.
Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jnr became the first Formula E champion on Sunday as the new electric series wrapped up its debut season with a race that had the crowd making more noise than the cars.
Piquet, whose father and namesake was a triple Formula One world champion, finished seventh in the final race in London’s Battersea Park to beat Switzerland’s Sebastien Buemi by one point overall.
I only knew I had won the championship when the commentator went onto the radio and said, ‘Can we interview the champion'
The final race winner was Britain’s Sam Bird, a former Mercedes F1 test driver, for Virgin Racing after Frenchman Stephane Sarrazin took the chequered flag first but was then demoted to 15th for excessive energy use.
Three drivers, all of whom have competed in Formula One, were in title contention going into the finale on a wet Sunday before Team China Racing’s Piquet prevailed.
“I only knew I had won the championship when the commentator went onto the radio and said, ‘Can we interview the champion?” said Piquet after the uncertain ending. “The team didn’t tell me.
