# 2016 London ePrix

The 2016 London ePrix (formally the 2016 FIA Formula E Visa London ePrix) were two Formula E motor races that took place on the 2–3 July 2016 on the Battersea Park Street Circuit in Battersea Park, London. They were the ninth and tenth rounds of the 2015–16 Formula E season, the last of the second season of Formula E. They were also the 20th and 21st Formula E races overall and this was the second edition of the London ePrix. Prior to the race it was announced by Formula E that the races would not take place in Battersea Park in future years and that a street circuit location would be sought. This followed a High Court challenge to the race taking place in a public park and the way that Wandsworth Council had acted to continue the races despite opposition from park users. The court case against the Council was withdrawn after an agreement was reached between the claimant and Formula E that the 2016 race would be the last. For the 2019–20 season, the race was due to return, but at ExCeL London, however the race was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It eventually returned on the 2020–21 season.

## Background

Lucas di Grassi and Sébastien Buemi entered the finale of the season as title contenders with only one point splitting the two. With 60 points to grasp in the final two rounds, Sam Bird was also mathematically in contention of the title.

## Race One
### Qualifying results

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | GS | SP | Grid |
| 1 | 8 | Nico Prost | Renault e.Dams | 1:23.247 | 1:27.192 | 1 |
| 2 | 88 | Bruno Senna | Mahindra Racing | 1:24.279 | 1:27.758 | 2 |
| 3 | 21 | Oliver Turvey | NextEV TCR | 1:23.969 | 1:28.284 | 3 |
| 4 | 27 | Robin Frijns | Amlin Andretti | 1:24.363 | 1:29.500 | 4 |
| 5 | 25 | Jean-Éric Vergne | DS Virgin Racing | 1:26.799 | — | 5 |
| 6 | 66 | Daniel Abt | ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | 1:29.814 | — | 6 |
| 7 | 2 | Sam Bird | DS Virgin Racing | 1:30.453 | — | 7 |
| 8 | 23 | Nick Heidfeld | Mahindra Racing | 1:32.367 | — | 8 |
| 9 | 4 | Stéphane Sarrazin | Venturi Formula E Team | 1:33.660 | — | 15 |
| 10 | 6 | Loïc Duval | Dragon Racing | 1:35.315 | — | 9 |
| 11 | 11 | Lucas di Grassi | ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | 1:35.711 | — | 10 |
| 12 | 7 | Jérôme d'Ambrosio | Dragon Racing | 1:35.727 | — | 11 |
| 13 | 77 | Ma Qing Hua | Team Aguri | 1:36.748 | — | 16 |
| 14 | 9 | Sébastien Buemi | Renault e.Dams | 1:36.771 | — | 12 |
| 15 | 12 | Mike Conway | Venturi Formula E Team | 1:37.562 | — | 13 |
| 16 | 55 | António Félix da Costa | Team Aguri | 1:38.501 | — | 14 |
| 17 | 1 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | NextEV TCR | 1:38.922 | — | 18 |
| 18 | 28 | Simona de Silvestro | Amlin Andretti | 1:50.455 | — | 17 |
| Source: |||||||
Notes
^1 - Stéphane Sarrazin, Ma Qing Hua and Nelson Piquet Jr. were handed grid penalties due to mechanical changes.
^2 - Simona de Silvestro did not set a full power lap.

### Race results

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| 1 | 8 | Nico Prost | Renault e.dams | 33 | 53:56.683 | 1 | 25+3 |
| 2 | 21 | Bruno Senna | Mahindra Racing | 33 | +5.244 | 2 | 18 |
| 3 | 25 | Jean-Éric Vergne | DS Virgin Racing | 33 | +8.195 | 5 | 15 |
| 4 | 11 | Lucas di Grassi | Audi Sport ABT | 33 | +8.914 | 11 | 12 |
| 5 | 9 | Sébastien Buemi | Renault e.dams | 33 | +10.052 | 14 | 10 |
| 6 | 55 | António Félix da Costa | Team Aguri | 33 | +10.908 | 16 | 8 |
| 7 | 2 | Sam Bird | DS Virgin Racing | 33 | +10.986 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | 7 | Jérôme d'Ambrosio | Dragon Racing | 33 | +12.106 | 12 | 4 |
| 9 | 12 | Mike Conway | Venturi | 33 | +12.456 | 15 | 2 |
| 10 | 4 | Stéphane Sarrazin | Venturi | 33 | +15.918 | 9 | 1 |
| 11 | 77 | Ma Qing Hua | Team Aguri | 33 | +38.400 | 13 | |
| 12 | 1 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | NextEV TCR | 33 | +52.028 | 17 | 2 |
| 13 | 23 | Nick Heidfeld | Mahindra Racing | 33 | +1:01.264 | 8 | |
| 14 | 28 | Simona de Silvestro | Amlin Andretti | 33 | +1:03.079 | 18 | |
| 15 | 88 | Oliver Turvey | NextEV TCR | 30 | Accident | 3 | |
| Ret | 6 | Loïc Duval | Dragon Racing | 23 | Electronics | 10 | |
| Ret | 27 | Robin Frijns | Amlin Andretti | 19 | Accident | 4 | |
| Ret | 66 | Daniel Abt | Audi Sport ABT | 19 | Accident | 6 | |
| Source: ||||||||
Notes
* ^3 – Three points for pole position.
* ^4 – Two points for fastest lap.
* ^5 - Nick Heidfeld received a drive through penalty converted into a 50-seconds time penalty for using the fanboost twice.
* ^6 - Simona de Silvestro received a drive through penalty converted into a 50-seconds time penalty for exceeding the maximum energy.

### Standings after the race

| +/– | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Lucas di Grassi | 153 |
| | 2 | Sébastien Buemi | 150 |
| 2 | 3 | Nicolas Prost | 90 |
| 1 | 4 | Sam Bird | 88 |
| 1 | 5 | Jérôme d'Ambrosio | 68 |
| Pos | Constructor | Points |
| 1 | e.Dams-Renault | 240 |
| 2 | Audi Sport ABT | 203 |
| 3 | Virgin | 140 |
| 4 | Dragon | 114 |
| 5 | Mahindra | 95 |
* Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

## Race Two
### Qualifying results

Buemi took the pole position for race two. He was level-headed with di Grassi, who would start in third, ahead of the race in terms of the championship points.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | GS | SP | Grid |
| 1 | 9 | Sébastien Buemi | Renault e.Dams | 1:22.106 | 1:22.033 | 1 |
| 2 | 8 | Nico Prost | Renault e.Dams | 1:22.878 | 1:22.948 | 2 |
| 3 | 11 | Lucas di Grassi | ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | 1:23.245 | 1:22.975 | 3 |
| 4 | 88 | Oliver Turvey | NextEV TCR | 1:23.183 | 1:23.685 | 4 |
| 5 | 23 | Nick Heidfeld | Mahindra Racing | 1:23.343 | 1:24.827 | 5 |
| 6 | 66 | Daniel Abt | ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | 1:23.494 | — | 6 |
| 7 | 25 | Jean-Éric Vergne | DS Virgin Racing | 1:23.783 | — | 7 |
| 8 | 2 | Sam Bird | DS Virgin Racing | 1:23.930 | — | 8 |
| 9 | 1 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | NextEV TCR | 1:23.937 | — | 9 |
| 10 | 6 | Loïc Duval | Dragon Racing | 1:23.938 | — | 10 |
| 11 | 7 | Jérôme d'Ambrosio | Dragon Racing | 1:23.952 | — | 11 |
| 12 | 12 | Mike Conway | Venturi Formula E Team | 1:24.054 | — | 12 |
| 13 | 21 | Bruno Senna | Mahindra Racing | 1:24.171 | — | 13 |
| 14 | 55 | António Félix da Costa | Team Aguri | 1:24.273 | — | 14 |
| 15 | 4 | Stephane Sarrazin | Venturi Formula E Team | 1:24.311 | — | 15 |
| 16 | 27 | Robin Frijns | Amlin Andretti | 1:24.655 | — | 16 |
| 17 | 28 | Simona de Silvestro | Amlin Andretti | 1:24.823 | — | 17 |
| 18 | 77 | Ma Qing Hua | Team Aguri | 1:26.259 | — | 18 |
| Source: |||||||

### Race results

The race start saw a controversial move by di Grassi on Buemi. The ABT collided with the Renault as di Grassi tried to out-brake the Renaults. Both cars were out of the race in turn 2. If neither of the two drivers scored points, di Grassi would secure the drivers' championship by an extra 3rd place finish. However, as the second cars were still available, both drivers returned to the race trying to get the fastest lap, which would award an extra 2 points. It was impossible to finish the full distance of the race. Buemi has run a faster fastest lap than di Grassi and thus secured the championship.
The race was won by Buemi's teammate Nico Prost. It was Prost's third and final race victory in Formula E. The race win also helped secure the Team's title for Renault e.dams.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| 1 | 8 | Nico Prost | Renault e.dams | 33 | 56:32.649 | 2 | 25 |
| 2 | 66 | Daniel Abt | Audi Sport ABT | 33 | +7.633 | 6 | 18 |
| 3 | 7 | Jérôme d'Ambrosio | Dragon Racing | 33 | +22.524 | 11 | 15 |
| 4 | 6 | Loïc Duval | Dragon Racing | 33 | +23.290 | 10 | 12 |
| 5 | 4 | Stéphane Sarrazin | Venturi | 33 | +24.984 | 15 | 10 |
| 6 | 21 | Bruno Senna | Mahindra Racing | 33 | +27.174 | 13 | 8 |
| 7 | 23 | Nick Heidfeld | Mahindra Racing | 33 | +1:07.544 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | 25 | Jean-Éric Vergne | DS Virgin Racing | 33 | +1:08.002 | 7 | 4 |
| 9 | 1 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | NextEV TCR | 33 | +1:14.270 | 9 | 2 |
| 10 | 88 | Oliver Turvey | NextEV TCR | 33 | +1:22.216 | 4 | 1 |
| 11 | 55 | António Félix da Costa | Team Aguri | 33 | +1:58.324 | 14 | |
| 12 | 77 | Ma Qing Hua | Team Aguri | 32 | +1 Lap | 18 | |
| 13 | 12 | Mike Conway | Venturi | 32 | +1 Lap | 12 | |
| Ret | 11 | Lucas di Grassi | Audi Sport ABT | 18 | Retired | 3 | |
| Ret | 9 | Sébastien Buemi | Renault e.dams | 16 | Retired | 1 | 2+3 |
| Ret | 27 | Robin Frijns | Amlin Andretti | 11 | Accident | 16 | |
| Ret | 28 | Simona de Silvestro | Amlin Andretti | 9 | Accident | 17 | |
| Ret | 2 | Sam Bird | DS Virgin Racing | 6 | Throttle | 8 | |
| Source: ||||||||
Notes
* ^7 – Three points for pole position.
* ^8 – Two points for fastest lap.
* ^9 - Nick Heidfeld, Jean-Éric Vergne and António Félix da Costa received a drive through penalty converted into a 50-seconds time penalty for exceeding the maximum energy.
* ^10 - Jean-Éric Vergne received a 1-second time penalty for an unsafe release.
* ^11 - António Félix da Costa received a drive through penalty converted into a 50-seconds time penalty for driving off the track.

### Standings after the race

| +/– | Pos | Driver | Points |
| 1 | 1 | Sébastien Buemi | 155 |
| 1 | 2 | Lucas di Grassi | 153 |
| | 3 | Nicolas Prost | 115 |
| | 4 | Sam Bird | 88 |
| | 5 | Jérôme d'Ambrosio | 83 |
| Pos | Constructor | Points |
| 1 | e.Dams-Renault | 270 |
| 2 | Audi Sport ABT | 221 |
| 3 | Virgin | 144 |
| 4 | Dragon | 143 |
| 5 | Mahindra | 105 |
* Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.