Envision Racing secured a hard-earned podium and double points finish in a challenging wet race in Shanghai, as Joel Eriksson charged through the field to take third place and claim his first Formula E podium, while Sebastien Buemi delivered a strong drive to finish fifth in front of the Envision Group home crowd.
After a difficult qualifying session left both drivers outside the Duels, the team executed a smart and well-timed strategy to make the most of changing conditions, Attack Mode phases and energy advantages. Eriksson’s composed drive from the back of the grid on the opening lap was rewarded with a standout result, while Buemi remained in contention throughout to add further points for the team.
QUALIFYING
Qualifying took place on a wet track, though with no rain falling, as Joel Eriksson headed out in Group A. The conditions proved difficult to master and Joel struggled to find the pace needed to challenge at the front of the group, ultimately finishing ninth, 1.1 seconds off the fastest time.
Sebastien Buemi ran in Group B and was initially third fastest, but his session was compromised after becoming caught behind a Mahindra. He attempted to create a gap by backing off but was unable to recover the lost momentum and slipped to fifth in the timings before ending the session eighth, 0.6 seconds from the fastest lap and just two tenths away from progressing.
THE RACE
The race began behind the Safety Car in wet conditions before switching to a standing start after three laps. Both Envision Racing drivers made clean getaways, with Sebastien Buemi running 12th and Joel Eriksson 15th after the opening lap. Buemi was the first of the pair to activate Attack Mode on lap eight, taking four minutes and using it effectively to move up the order while much of the top 10 had already deployed part of their Attack Mode allocation. He passed Taylor Barnard and Jake Dennis to climb into fifth, with António Félix da Costa ahead.
Eriksson began to charge through the field and activated his first four-minute Attack Mode on lap 16, making strong progress as the race developed. Buemi took Attack Mode again on lap 19, with Eriksson following him through as the pair moved into third and fourth. Buemi then had a big moment on lap 20, briefly half-spinning and allowing Eriksson through, before reclaiming the place on the straight. With more usable energy than those around him, Eriksson continued his momentum, moving into second before taking the lead on lap 22 while holding a two-percentage-point energy advantage over the field.
Eriksson took his final Attack Mode on lap 24, before a Full Course Yellow neutralised the race and one lap was added to the distance. Lucas di Grassi then used Attack Mode to move into the lead, while Jean-Éric Vergne also passed Eriksson in the closing stages. Despite the late pressure and disrupted finish, Eriksson converted a superb drive into a podium result in third, with Buemi completing a strong points finish in fifth after an eventful and strategic race for the team.
