Sebastien Buemi Shines in Dramatic Sao Paulo Season Opener

Sebastien Buemi showcased his skill and resilience in Sao Paulo, securing vital points for Envision Racing in a chaotic opening race of Season 11 in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Starting P12, the Swiss driver navigated multiple safety car periods, a red flag, and an intensely competitive field to finish P8 on track — later promoted to P7 after a post-race penalty was applied.
 
While his teammate, Robin Frijns, faced disappointment due to a brake system issue that prevented him from starting, Buemi’s determined performance ensured the team left Brazil with points and invaluable data to take forward into the next round in Mexico City.
 
Buemi demonstrated promising pace during the first qualifying session of the season. Competing in Group A, he narrowly missed out on advancing to the duels by just one-tenth of a second, securing P6 in his group and P12 on the starting grid. Despite handling challenges with the rear tyres in the final sector, Buemi’s performance underscored his ability to adapt quickly to the GEN3 Evo car’s new dynamics.
 
The race itself was packed with drama from the outset. After a brake alert forced Frijns’ retirement before the start, Buemi carried the team’s hopes in a turbulent E-Prix. Despite being shuffled down to P16 early on, Buemi strategically used Attack Mode to carve his way through the pack, surging to P5 at one stage.
 
However, incidents on track and red flag interruptions repeatedly disrupted the race. A mid-race collision forced Buemi to replace his front wing, dropping him to P17. Undeterred, he made a stunning recovery in the closing laps, using his remaining Attack Mode power to climb back to P8 before penalties promoted him to P7.
 
Buemi’s performance in Sao Paulo highlighted his determination and adaptability, setting a solid foundation for the season ahead. While the weekend didn’t yield the double-points finish the team had hoped for, the data gathered and Buemi’s fighting spirit leave Envision Racing optimistic for Round 2 in Mexico City.
 
“A very eventful day and an eventful race – one of the most eventful I’ve been involved in. We finished P7 in the end.
I am a bit disappointed still as I think we made a few silly mistakes. We could have got a bit more out of it but in the end I am still happy to score points. We move on to Mexico but there are things we need to work on and optimise. But, at the end of the day, we got some points in the bag.” Sébastien Buemi