Motor racing-Venturi's Mortara takes Formula E lead with victory in Diriyah

The reigning Formula E champion, who had started from pole and appeared to be heading for a second successive win, saw his fortunes deteriorate as he dropped from the lead all the way down to 10th, banging wheels with Di Grassi and DS Techeetah's Jean-Eric Verge along the way. Venturi's double podium also allowed the Monaco-based team to seize a slim, one-point lead in the teams' standings over Mercedes, their powertrain suppliers, who scored a one-two in Friday's season-opener.

Swiss racer Edoardo Mortara vaulted into the overall championship lead with victory in the second Formula E race at Saudi Arabia's Diriyah E-Prix on Saturday. The 35-year-old, who started second on the grid in his Venturi, crossed the line 0.451 seconds ahead of Envision Racing's Robin Frijns, with the race ending under safety car conditions.

Mortara's team mate Lucas di Grassi handed the Monaco-based team a double-podium in third. "What a day, especially after the mistake I had in the qualification yesterday," said Mortara, who had finished Friday's season-opener, also at Diriyah, only sixth after a qualifying mistake compromised him.

"It was a very, very strategic race, very difficult for the nerves because I didn't have a lot of energy... "I tried to keep my head cool and it worked," he added.

Saturday's win was Mortara's third in Formula E and handed him a four-point lead in the standings over Friday's Mercedes race winner Nyck de Vries, with 14 of the season's 16 races to go. The reigning Formula E champion, who had started from pole and appeared to be heading for a second successive win, saw his fortunes deteriorate as he dropped from the lead all the way down to 10th, banging wheels with Di Grassi and DS Techeetah's Jean-Eric Verge along the way.

Venturi's double podium also allowed the Monaco-based team to seize a slim, one-point lead in the teams' standings over Mercedes, their powertrain suppliers, who scored a one-two in Friday's season-opener. Alexander Sims was the only driver to not finish after he smacked into the barriers and ground to a halt.

The Briton's stranded Mahindra triggered the late-race safety car. Formula E now heads to Mexico City for the third race of the season on Feb. 12.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)