page_title: 2017 Hong Kong ePrix
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: 2017 Hong Kong ePrix / Background
caption_attribution_description: Lung Wo Road Formula Race
context_page_description: The 2017 Hong Kong ePrix was a pair of Formula E electric car races held on 2 and 3 December 2017 at the Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit in Hong Kong before a two-day crowd of 27,000 people. They were the first and second races of the 2017–18 Formula E season and the second running of the event. The 43-lap race on 2 December was won by Virgin driver Sam Bird from second place. Jean-Éric Vergne finished second for the Techeetah team and Mahindra driver Nick Heidfeld was third. The longer 45-lap race held on 3 December was won by Heidfeld's teammate Felix Rosenqvist from pole position. Edoardo Mortara of the Venturi team was the highest-placed rookie in second and Jaguar's Mitch Evans was third.
  Vergne won the pole position for the first race by recording the fastest lap in qualifying and maintained his startline advantage on the first lap. The race saw the first race stoppage in Formula E history on the first lap when rookie André Lotterer was caught out by traffic and hit the turn three and four chicane barrier, forcing three other cars to stop on track. After the running order was sorted, the race restarted half an hour later behind the safety car with Vergne leading Bird.
context_section_description: The Hong Kong ePrix was confirmed as part of Formula E's 2017–18 series schedule in September 2017 by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. They were the first and second of twelve scheduled single-seater electric car races of the 2017–18 season, and the second running of the event, The ePrix was granted double header status for the first time by motor racing's world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Additionally, the event was the first Asian double header round in Formula E history and was held on 2 and 3 December 2017 at the Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit. Organisers expected that 41,000 people would attend the race. Construction of the track started on 23 November, nine days before the first race. After the 2016 race, the turn three and four chicane was tightened in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of accidents there.
  Heading into the new season, some teams opted to keep the same line-up as they had in the previous season; however, some teams switched drivers or changed names. ABT Audi Sport became Audi Sport ABT to reflect the increased manufacturer involvement from Audi. Faraday Future ended their partnership with Dragon Racing and NextEV NIO's name was shortened to become NIO. 2011 Formula Nippon title winner and 2012 World Endurance Champion André Lotterer was employed by Techeetah to replace Stéphane Sarrazin, while 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix champion and 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans co-winner Neel Jani took over Loïc Duval's seat at Dragon.
  Former IndyCar Series podium finisher and Blancpain GT Endurance Series racer Luca Filippi joined Oliver Turvey at NIO, replacing Nelson Piquet Jr. who left the team by enabling a performance clause and went to Jaguar to replace Adam Carroll. José María López's place at Virgin was taken over by 2014 GP3 Series champion and 2017 12 Hours of Sebring co-winner Alex Lynn, while 2010 Formula 3 Euro Series champion and two-time Macau Grand Prix winner Edoardo Mortara entered the series with Venturi. Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters driver Tom Blomqvist was due to replace Robin Frijns at Andretti but his car was driven in Hong Kong by World Endurance Championship and Super Formula competitor Kamui Kobayashi. Defending drivers' champion Lucas di Grassi stayed at Audi after his title winning campaign and was again joined by Daniel Abt.
caption: The Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit (pictured in 2016), where the race was held.
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