Lotterer 'even more confident' after heartbreak in Hong Kong
"There's no point in crying over Hong Kong," says DS Techeetah's Andre Lotterer cooly. "I was over it immediately after the race but there's no point in hanging on to it - you have to focus on the next one."
After one of the most dramatic dogfights in the history of Formula E, the German driver was taken out of the running by Envision Virgin Racing's Sam Bird with just minuets to go until the chequered flag. After Bird collided with the back of the DS Techeetah, puncturing the tyre, the German driver limped home, helpless as what would have been a sure victory slipped through his hands.
"What happened in Hong Kong made me even more confident that we can play at the front - we did everything right. We're going in the right direction and we have a good car - we've just got to put it all together," said Lotterer confidently.
SANYA STREET CIRCUIT 'PROMOTES OVERTAKES'
"There's new tarmac as well as some old, some ups and some downs, and some bumps - it's a typical Formula E street track, says championship leader Sam Bird.
After another hectic round in Hong Kong, Formula E moves to the tropical island of Sanya for the final race in Asia. With 11 turns, the 2.3-km street circuit weaves its way around the many tower blocks that make up the city's Haitang Bay.
"There are some changes in tarmac, which give it that street race feel," says BMW i Andretti Motorsport's Alexander Sims.
"It's narrow in places but the straights are wide enough to promote overtakes, while they will also make energy-saving more of a factor in the race.
"There may be some scope for playing around with the energy management strategy - we'll be getting close to the temperature limits for the battery but hopefully not as close as Santiago."
Bird 'one better than the next'
Sitting at the top of the standings - albeit by a single point - is Envision Virgin Racing's Sam Bird. After coming close to clinching the championship title on several occasions in the past, Bird is yet to claim a title in the all-electric series. With just one single point separating him from Mahindra's Jerome d'Ambrosio, our championship leader will be looking to put some space between them here in Sanya. "It's not ideal - but it is what it is and you take what you get," says Bird ahead of race day.
"I'm one better off than the next man but we need to keep going. It's too early to tell who's going to be a threat," he insists.
With just two points separating the top four drivers in the standings, the competition is closer than ever before as we approach the crucial half way point in the season. With all eyes on the race in China, expect a showdown in Sanya.