The opening race of the third Formula E season in Hong Kong was pretty crazy for everyone – especially for this one totally chill marshal, though he doesn’t seem to have realised it.
After losing part of his front wing in a first corner crash, season 2 runner-up Lucas Di Grassi was given a black-and-orange flag and had to pit for repairs. Keen to make up for lost time he almost wiped out a marshal on his way out of the pits, but the guy’s reaction…actually, can you call it a reaction? He barely even flinches! Even Kimi Raikkonen would probably muster up a ‘bwoah‘, but this guy just goes back to his duties. What a hero.
Nelson Piquet Jr started the race on pole and lead early on, but lost the lead to Same Bird when Bird’s team mate, triple World Touring Car champion and former USF1 (remember them?) hopeful Jose Maria Lopez crashed at the tracks controversial chicane and blocked Piquet. How’s that for irony?! Despite looking good for a win, Bird would later lose the lead after a problem during his pit stop.
Di Grassi had started near the back of the grid but even with the extra stop managed to finish 2nd behind race winner and reigning champion Sébastien Buemi after a well-timed pit stop behind the safety car, which came out after Lopez’s accident. Nick Heidfeld completed the podium behind last season’s title rivals – meaning exactly the same top three as the first race of last season.