LONDON: Brazilian Nelson Piquet junior became the first Formula E champion on Sunday as the new electric series wrapped up its debut season with a race that had the crowd making more noise than the cars.

Piquet, whose father and namesake was a triple Formula One world champion, finished seventh in the final race in London’s Battersea Park to beat Switzerland’s Sebastien Buemi by one point overall.

The race was won by Britain’s Sam Bird, the former Mercedes F1 test driver, for Virgin Racing after Frenchman Stephane Sarrazin took the chequered flag in the lead but was then demoted to 15th for excessive energy use.

Three drivers, all of whom have competed in Formula One, were in contention for the title going into the final race before Team China Racing’s Piquet prevailed.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play