Felix Rosenqvist has provisionally won the second round of the 2017 FIA Formula E Championship in Hong Kong after on-track winner Daniel Abt was disqualified after the race for a technical infringement.

It was found that the FIA security stickers (barcodes) on the inverter and MGU units did not correspond with those declared on the Technical Passport provided by the competitor Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler for the event. The race results remain provisional subject to an appeal to the FIA International Court of Appeal by Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler against the Stewards´ Decision.

It was a thrilling climax to the E-Prix as race-long leader and rookie driver Edoardo Mortara spun out with just three laps to go as he was trying to set the fastest lap in the Venturi Formula E Team machine.

Mortara took the lead after pole-sitter Rosenqvist spun in his Mahindra Formula E Team car at the first corner on the opening lap. The race had started under safety car conditions because of fault with the start lights, but the mistake meant that Rosenqvist had to spend the 45 laps fighting his way through the pack.

Mortara, famed for his prowess on the fierce street circuit in Macau where two weeks ago he won the FIA GT World Cup, looked at home in his first ever Formula E weekend, and steadily opened out a gap to the chasing Abt.

Behind the Audi driver, Mitch Evans and Alex Lynn were pushing each in fourth and fifth in the opening laps, but while Evans maintained fourth place to the flag, Lynn dropped down to ultimately finish ninth.

Evan’s post-race promotion hands Panasonic Jaguar Racing its first podium in the FIA Formula E Championship.

Yesterday’s runner-up Jean-Eric Vergne fought his way from eighth on the grid to finish fourth ahead of yesterday’s winner Sam Bird. It was a hard charge for the DS Virgin Racing driver to come through from 14^th on the grid to finish fifth.

Oliver Turvey, Maro Engel and Nico Prost finished in close quarters in sixth, seventh and eighth for NIO Formula E Team, Venturi and Renault e.dams respectively, with Prost’s team-mate Sebastien Buemi rounding out the top ten behind Lynn.

From facing backwards in the first corner, Rosenqvist ended up taking maximum points from the round having taken pole position, the win and the fastest lap.

Round three of the 2017/18 FIA Formula E Championship takes place in Marrakesh on 13 January.

2017 HKT Hong Kong E-Prix (Rd 2) - Race results

1 - Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Racing, 50:05.084s (29)
2 - Edoardo Mortara, Venturi Formula E Team, +7.031s (18)
3 - Mitch Evans, Panasonic Jaguar Racing, +10.619s (15)
4 - Jean-Eric Vergne, TECHEETAH, +12.593s (12)
5 - Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing, +12.879s (10)
6 - Oliver Turvey, NIO Formula E Team, +14.199s (8)
7 - Maro Engel, Venturi Formula E Team, 15.676s (6)
8 - Nico Prost, Renault e.dams, +18.905s (4)
9 - Alex Lynn, DS Virgin Racing, +19.025s (2)
10 - Sebastien Buemi, Renault e.dams, +22.139s (1)
11 - Antonio Felix da Costa, Andretti Formula E, +23.359s
12 - Nelson Piquet Jr, Panasonic Jaguar Racing, +27.904s
13 - Andre Lotterer, TECHEETAH, +28.591s
14 - Lucas di Grassi, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, +39.137s15 - Jerome D'Ambrosio, DRAGON, +55.189s
16 - Nick Heidfeld, Mahindra Racing, +1 Lap
17 - Kamui Kobayashi, Andretti Formula E, +1 Lap
18 - Neel Jani, DRAGON, +1 Lap

DNF - Luca Filippi, NIO Formula E Team, 36 Laps
DSQ - Daniel Abt, Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, 45 Laps

Driver standings

Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing – 35
Jean-Eric Vergne, TECHEETAH – 33
Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Racing – 29
Edoardo Mortara, Venturi Formula E – 24
Nick Heidfeld, Mahindra Racing - 15

Team standings

Mahindra Racing – 44
DS Virgin Racing – 41
TECHEETAH – 33
Venturi Formula E Team – 30
Panasonic Jaguar Racing – 27
Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler – 11
NIO Formula E Team – 9
Andretti Formula E – 8
Renault e.dams – 7
DRAGON - 0

Michelin has renewed its partnership as Official Tyre Supplier of the FIA Formula E Championship, continuing to provide innovative high-performance all-weather tyres as part of a multi-year agreement until the end of 2021.

As one of the founding partners of the electric street racing series, Michelin has supplied tyres to the teams and competitors since the inaugural season in 2014.

Michelin were tasked with creating bespoke treaded tyres unique to the world of motorsport - for use in both wet and dry conditions and using 18-inch rims. The partnership will continue through to at least the end of the 2020/21 season, with Michelin already working on tyres for the new-look next generation car, which will make its debut in season five.

Jean Todt, FIA President, said: “Season five will mark the start of the exciting next generation of the FIA Formula E Championship, and I’m pleased to see that Michelin will continue to be a part of this journey as the Official Tyre Supplier."

"Since the championship began, Michelin has shown a commitment to technical innovation, developing racing tyres with a clear focus on sustainability, efficiency and road relevance as well as performance. I look forward to continuing this collaboration over the coming years in the competitive environment of the FIA Formula E Championship.”

Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said: “I’m so pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Michelin as the first partner to commit to the series."

"Michelin believed in the concept of the championship since before day one, sharing our vision as an innovative platform to test and develop technology for future road vehicles."

"Formula E is about forward-thinking and Michelin has built a tyre specific to our needs, but also relevant to the everyday cars we drive at home. I’m looking forward to working closely with Michelin until the end of season seven and beyond.”

Pascal Couasnon, Michelin Motorsport Director, said: “Michelin believed in the FIA Formula E Championship from the beginning and joined this new discipline as a founding partner. Today, after only three seasons, Formula E has become a platform of innovation and communication chosen by the most important brands of the world."

"The contribution of Formula E to the evolution of the automobile is obvious and Michelin wants to move forward with the FIA, Alejandro Agag and his teams, as well as with all manufacturers, on the path of sustainable mobility. Michelin is therefore delighted to continue its collaboration with Formula E beyond season five, until 2021."

"Thus, after having developed innovations such as the first highly energy efficient 18-inch competition tyres for single-seaters, Michelin will continue its research and technology transfer work during the coming seasons.”

The pre-event press conference for rounds one and two of the 2017/18 FIA Formula E Championship in Hong Kong featured all three former champions as well as three of this year’s star rookies.

Find out what they had to say below.

Champions:

Lucas di Grassi - Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler (Season Three Champion)

For me it was a long summer break!

We've [Audi Sport Abt Shaeffler] been working hard to ensure the transition to Audi Sport [as a full manufacturer team] was as smooth as possible.

We expect at least five or six teams will be fighting for wins in the season.

It is inherently different to have a full factory team. We have a lot more resources to work on the team, different engineers...more responsibility, more pressure. Everything has stepped up. But like Formula E is stepping up, it's not only us - everybody is stepping up.

I've worked with Audi for five years now...and now it's a matter of getting used to Formula E - it's very different from all the other types of motor sport.

Sebastien Buemi - Renault e.dams (Season Two Champion)

Of course you need to learn from your mistakes [from last season], that's the first thing.

First, you need to compete in all the races, that will help a little bit!

Then we want to do better. Last season we had six wins but the other races were zero points. We got disqualified twice and I missed to races, so that doesn't help much but we're trying to focus on small details. We've tried to optimise everything we have...hopefully that's going to be enough to fight again, for wins and a good position at the end.

With the win last year [in Hong Kong], I was a bit lucky because Sam [Bird] had an issue with the pit stop. I don't think the win last year was because we were competitive, I think that was a race where we were the least competitive.

We are happy to be back and we've worked very hard in trying to prepare ourselves as much as possible and we will see tomorrow.

Clearly, you have Audi who has increased its resources a lot and there are other teams that have stepped up a lot - realistically we're not considering ourselves the favourite but more like outsiders. We just want to do well.

Nelson Piquet Jr - Panasonic Jaguar Racing (Season One Champion)

It's been a very good first year and then a frustrating two years, let's say. For various reasons a change needed to happen.

With so many big manufacturers coming on board to Formula E, you need to be well positioned.

You need to have the right resources to fight in the future for the wins. We're going to reach a point in Formula E where you're going to have to build most of the car in-house. You're going to have to have the resources, the people - you're going to have to have a big, strong factory and group of people to be able to compete and to develop at the rate that [Formula E] is going to end up going in the next couple of years. That's one of the big reasons why I wanted to join Panasonic Jaguar Racing.

This is going to be the big first test for us.

I've been racing all kinds of different race cars from Formula One, to Nascar and Rally Cross - it taught me a lot. So, I am pretty involved in making sure the team is making the right decision.

Rookie Drivers:

Andre Lotterer – TECHEETAH

[Formula E] is completely different to what I was used to. Quite difficult and challenging to drive these cars. One corner can easily turn into two or three corners.

I had no idea what to expect [coming to Formula E]. You give me a fast car and I'll drive it on the limit. Here, even at lower speeds, it's actually even more challenging because there are so many unprecise factors about the tyres and the brakes - it's kind of harder, you cannot push 100 per cent - you need to keep a bit of margin, compared to downforce cars.

It's a steep learning curve for me in the beginning and obviously I don't know what to expect. I'll go on track and do my best - I don't really set targets - we all want to win and it's very competitive.

Luca Filippi - NIO Formula Team

The last four years have been driving Indycar. In the meantime, I've done a lot of things behind-the-scenes that people maybe don't know about. I've done a lot of developments for manufacturers. I've done a lot of mileage and learnt a lot from a technical point of view.

NIO were looking for a driver and they said the technical side was a key factor, so my name came up. I got to test the car and I had a good feel from the very beginning. This is a great opportunity for me.

We've done a lot of work to prepare. Of course the race is going to be a different animal, shall we say but I feel very fired up and I can't wait.

Kamui Kobayashi - MS&AD Andretti Formula E

The preparation from myself was not brilliant but I've tried to do as much as I can do without having a proper test. I know what I need to do on the track but we will see tomorrow.

[Formula E] looks brilliant. There are so many manufacturers coming in... which means the championship is growing.

I don't really have a target [for the weekend] but I think I need to optimise what I can do in the short time. It's a new car and a different type of driving... so I think it will be very tricky.

After hosting a thrilling opening to the third FIA Formula E Championship season 12 months ago, Hong Kong will this weekend (2-3 December) once again provide the perfect backdrop to the curtain-raiser, this time with a double-header of action.

The streets of the global metropolis will see two all-electric races as the 20 drivers competing in the coming season battle it out to try to gain an early advantage. 15 of last year’s competitors return to the action joined by five new faces making their Formula E debuts this weekend.

Lucas di Grassi is back to defend his title in the now full manufacturer Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler team with Daniel Abt on the other side of the garage. Many are expecting a repeat of the epic battle between the Audi drivers and the returning Renault e.dams pairing of Sebastien Buemi and Nicolas Prost. After narrowly missing out on a second title last season, Buemi will be more fired up than ever to grab the initiative at this first event, and having taken the win in Hong Kong last year will surely be hoping to repeat his performance.

Pole-sitter at the 2016 race Nelson Piquet Jr has switched teams over the off-season to join Panasonic Jaguar Racing, and the inaugural FIA Formula E Champion will be hoping to convert his pace into another title challenge in season four.

A last-minute driver change for Andretti Formula E will see former FIA Formula One and World Endurance Championship star Kamui Kobayashi behind the wheel this weekend along with four fellow talented rookies: Edoardo Mortara (Veturi Formula E Team), Neel Jani (DRAGON), Andre Lotterer (TECHEETAH) and Luca Filippi (NIO Formula E Team).

Track guide –HKT Hong Kong E-Prix

Number of turns – 10

Track length – 1.15miles

Past winners – Sebastien Buemi

Qualifying record – 1m03.099s - Nelson Piquet Jr

Lap record – 1m02.947s - Felix Rosenqvist

The 1.15mile circuit races around the streets of the Hong Kong's Central Harbourfront, with landmarks such as the International Finance Centre, Hong Kong Observation Wheel and Hong Kong City Hall providing a spectacular backdrop.

Event Timetable

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

07:00 - 07:45: PRACTICE 1

09:30 - 10:00: PRACTICE 2

11:00 - 11:06: QUALIFYING GROUP 1

11:10 - 11:16: QUALIFYING GROUP 2

11:20 - 11:26: QUALIFYING GROUP 3

11:30 - 11:36: QUALIFYING GROUP 4

11:45 - 12:00: SUPER POLE

12:45 - 13:00: E-Race, Gaming Zone

13:00 - 13:30: Autograph session, Gaming Zone

14:00 - 14:10: Driver parade

15:00: Hong Kong E-Prix (43 laps)

16:05: Podium ceremony, Podium

SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER

08:00 - 09:15: PRACTICE

11:00 - 11:06: QUALIFYING GROUP 1

11:10 - 11:16: QUALIFYING GROUP 2

11:20 - 11:26: QUALIFYING GROUP 3

11:30 - 11:36: QUALIFYING GROUP 4

11:45 - 12:00: SUPER POLE

12:45 - 13:00: E-Race, Gaming Zone

13:00 - 13:30: Autograph session, Gaming Zone

14:00 - 14:10: Driver parade

15:00: Hong Kong E-Prix (45 laps)

16:05: Podium ceremony, Podium