FORMULA E IN LONG BEACH (USA): TRIUMPHANT PERFORMANCE BY LUCAS DI GRASSI AND DANIEL ABT

April 7, 2016 by Volkswagen

• Strategic partnership of Volkswagen and Abt Schaeffler team again crowned with success

Wolfsburg /Long Beach (USA), 5 April 2016 – Lucas di Grassi wins the Formula E race in Long Beach (USA). The Brazilian secured a convincing victory in the sixth event of the electric racing series in California, while at the same time taking the lead in the championship table. His team-mate Daniel Abt also achieved a podium finish in third position. With its strategic partner, Volkswagen, the Abt Schaeffler team has thus shown once again that is one of this year's title contenders.

Lucasdi Grassi started the race from second on the grid and had already overtaken Sam Bird, the leader up until that time, before the pit stop – including its obligatory car change. During the thrilling second half of the race, the Brazilian remained unfazed despite a late safety car phase, which bunched up the field again, and then went on to win by a significant margin. His team-mate Daniel Abt started the race from sixth on the grid and completed his successful outing by finishing third.

At the start of the seventh season of Formula E on 23 April, Lucas di Grassi will be travelling to the centre of Paris as leader, one point ahead of Sébastien Buemi. The sole German team in the field is currently second in the team classification.

The Volkswagen brand has been involved in Formula E as a strategic partner of the Abt Schaeffler team for one-and-a-half years. Designed for electric- powered cars, the racing series is held throughout the world on city-centre circuits. The Volkswagen brand has one of the largest product ranges with electrified drive systems, which it aims to extend in the future. In addition to the electric models e-up!1 and e-Golf 2, the range also includes the plug-in hybrids Golf GTE3 and Passat GTE4.

1e-up! electrical energy consumption in kWh/100km: 11.7 (combined), CO2 emissions in g/km: 0 (combined), efficiency class: A+

2e-Golf electrical energy consumption inkWh/100 km: 12.7 (combined), CO2 emissions in g/km: 0 (combined), efficiency class: A+

3Golf GTE fuelconsumption in l/100km: 1.5 (combined), CO2 emissions in g/km: 35 (combined), efficiency class: A

4 Passat GTE fuel consumption in l/100 km: 1.6 (combined); electrical energy consumption in kWh/100 km: 12.2 (combined); CO2 emissions in g/km: 37 (combined), efficiency class: A+