A spectacular crash at the last corner ended leader Nicolas Prost’s race and sent ex-F1 driver Nick Heidfeld flying into the fencing, handing Brazil’s Lucas di Grassi victory in the first ever Formula E electric race in Beijing on Saturday.
The Frenchman, son of four-time F1 champion Alain Prost, led the race until the final moments.
But Heidfeld made contact with the left side of Prost’s e.dams Ren-ault shortly before the finish outside the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing and went barrelling into the air.
The German wriggled out of the wreckage of his vehicle and appeared to confront Prost, who looked to be gesturing his innocence.
Prost later said: “I would not have expected for him to have attempted a suicide move at the end of the race. My victory was stolen. It is really hard.”
Heidfeld had clawed his way up from 17th on the grid to push Prost in the final few laps.
Winner Di Grassi said: “When I realised that they were off, yeah it was like a dream come true,” he said.
“I was very lucky, to be lucky you also need to be in the right place.”
Frenchman Frank Montagny of Andretti finished second, while Briton Sam Bird of Virgin Racing took third.
Bruno Senna – the nephew of Ayrton Senna, a huge rival of Alain Prost’s – suffered a miserable afternoon after the front left side of his axle appeared to give way after he collided with another car on the first lap.
Alejandro Agag, the chief executive of the company behind the ser-ies, said the first race also proved that electric cars are safe.
“We had the big drama at the end on the last corner of the last lap with that horrendous crash,” he said.
“The most important thing today is to say that the safety is always first, that we have proven today that electric cars are safe.
“I don’t think we can get a bigger crash to the one we got today,” he added.
Organisers said some 40 million are believed to have watched the race worldwide on television with 75,000 attending on site and one billion social interactions recorded around the race.
Chinese fans carried children on their shoulders as the futuristic whine of the cars sounded across the track, and techno music added to the atmosphere.
Many were upset that Senna went out early. “It is such a shame to see his car being lifted off the track,” said one female fan.
“Motorsport is not that popular in China yet, but a lot of people have heard of Ayrton Senna,” she added.
The next round of the 10-round series will be held in the Malaysian city of Putrajaya on November 22.