French driver Eric Vergne wins inaugural Formula E race, as Hyderabad plays the perfect host

Vergne held off a strong challenge from Envison Racing’s Nick Cassidy to cross the chequered flag in the first place despite having less than 0.5 percent energy left in the car.

“So happy for the team. It’s been a very difficult three races and I couldn’t be more proud of my team because we never gave up. We keep pushing. It doesn’t matter the result and I am very proud of all my guys,” Vergne said after the race.

“We have a good car, maybe not the best at the moment, but we are going to keep on working very hard to be the best and come back in the championship. That is what we do, we never give up,” he added.

That @JeanEricVergne defensive masterclass though 😳🔥@GreenkoIndia #HyderabadEPrix pic.twitter.com/hVWvMtJGZy

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) February 11, 2023

Vergne made it through after thinking he was all done in the quarters when Jaguar’s Sam Bird beat him on-track.

Track limits came into it in a big way, though, and the Brit had his time removed, much to his frustration, as did Rene Rast (McLaren) and Edo Mortara (Maserati MSG Racing) in the fourth quarter-final.

All that meant the Frenchman was promoted to the final, and was ultimately second on the grid — beaten by the smallest deficit this season.

Antonio Felix Da Costa of Porsche gained from a 17-second penalty handed out to Sebastian Buemi for “over power” to secure the final spot on the podium.

Related: Fuming spectators, delayed sessions, dangerous turns on track

Home teams: Mahindra Racing and Jaguar TCS

Oliver Rowland, Mahindra Racing, Mahindra M9Electro during the Hyderabad ePrix at Hyderabad Street Circuit on Friday February 10, 2023, India. (Formula E)

Mahindra Racing, in their first home race, recovered from an ordinary qualifying session earlier in the day to seal a points finish thanks to Oliver Rowland.

Rowland finished sixth from 10th on the grid while di Grassi came 14th from 17th on the grid. Loss of energy in the final moments of the race cost Mahindra a double-points finish.

Jake Hughes’ crash on Lap 23 brought out the safety car, contributing to a thrilling finish.

Mitch Evans of Jaguar Racing bagged the pole position but a collision with his teammate Sam Bird on Lap 13 effectively ended the race for the Tata Group-owned team.

Hyderabad witnessed the race

Guests including cricketer Shikhar Dhawan (Formula E)

The organisers raced against time to get the Hyderadbad Street Circuit ready for Formula E’s debut in India but, in the end, they pulled off the event amid a lot of fanfare.

A sizeable crowd turned up to watch the electric cars vrooming around the heart of the city, covering Hussain Sagar Lake, NTR Gardens and NTR Park.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem made a statement by turning up for the first world championship status race in India in 10 years.

The other special guests included the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Yuzvendra Chahal, and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.

Renewable energy major Greenko organised the event with the support of the Telangana government.

In the qualifying rounds held before the race, Evans saw off Maximilian Guenther (Maserati MSG Racing) and Buemi (Envision Racing), and topped Group A, firing him into the final.

The race of a lifetime for Hyderabadis

Gorre Ashok Kumar, a resident of Madhapur, told South First that people were even climbing the stands to get a better view of the race. He called it a “great moment for Hyderabad” and “a race of a lifetime” for him.

“In the morning we stood in line for hours but it was worth it. It was a hot day and I had to buy water from the stalls. But the race was thrilling. I came for that but also got the chance to see Sachin Tendulkar for the first time. This event was not only about the race but also about how we will present Hyderabad to the world. And I think the organisers did a great job except for the inconvenience to commuters,” Ashok Kumar added.

What a brilliant race!

Was quite thrilled to watch @MahindraRacing at Formula E today along with the master blaster @sachin_rt !

What a proud moment to our country, our state and our Hyderabad city @KTRBRS@GreenkoIndia #HyderabadEPrix #CheerForTeamMahindra pic.twitter.com/wypkJ8WE8x

— Ram Charan (@AlwaysRamCharan) February 11, 2023

Well apart from the race, one real bonus at the #HyderabadEPrix was getting lessons from @AlwaysRamCharan on the basic #NaatuNaatu steps. Thank you and good luck at the Oscars, my friend! pic.twitter.com/YUWTcCvCdw

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 11, 2023

“As I stood in the grandstands, surrounded by the buzz of excitement from the crowd, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. The cars zoomed by at lightning-fast speeds, their high-pitched whirring filling the air. It was amazing to see the drivers expertly navigate the tight turns. It was a thrill to watch the drivers executing daring moves that seemed to defy physics,” Ashish NM, a resident of Hyderabad’s Chikkadpally, told South First.

“When Jaguar’s TCS Mitch Evans started at pole position, I was rooting for him as this is also our home team, Tata. It was hard to see him going into the pit. But the Mahindra Team scored some points, that was a good feeling,” said Ashok Kumar.

Meanwhile, Telangana Minister of IT and MAUD KT Rama Rao said that he was thankful to Hyderabadis for bearing with the inconvenience. “This Global Event of Formula E, held for the first time in our country, is a matter of pride for our city Hyderabad and India. Such events, which are usually held in top cities across the world, shall be welcomed in the future too,” KTR added.