Di Grassi wins opening Montreal double-header

©Formula E

Lucas di Grassi clinched an important win in Montreal's first ePrix on Saturday and one which puts the Brazilian 6 points clear of championship rival Sebastien Buemi.

The Team Abt leader held off a combative Jean-Eric Vergne to triumph in the Canadian event's opening round with the title now his to lose in Sunday's final Formula E shootout.

Renault-e.dams's Buemi faced an uphill battle from the outset after a battery change linked to a practice crash triggered a grid penalty.

The Swiss driver's plight only appeared to get worse when the race got underway as he fell to 17th on a messy opening lap. But Buemi put his head down and progressively moved up through the ranks, reaching P10 when car rotations set in.

A pitlane entry clash with di Grassi's team mate Daniel Abt wound the driver up, with both men locked in a dual from the entry to the exit of their pit stop window.

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As di Grassi controlled his lead ahead, Buemi lucked in, moving all the way up a couple of spots as Adam Carroll dropped out of the points after a strategy error. He then hunted down and passed Oliver Turvey and Mitch Evans to find himself in P6 with 12 laps to go.

Jose Maria Lopez put himself in the barrier before e.dams team mate Nico Prost understandably let Buemi through, but Techeetah's Stéphane Sarrazin put up a huge defense for third place, with Buemi and the Frenchman going all out on the final lap, banging wheels as the two men fought for the last podium position.

Menawhile, up front, di Grassi had Vergne to contend with after a safety car period wiped out the Brazilian's advantage.

His rival shadowed his every move but was ultimately unsuccessful in mounting a challenge to steal the win.

The championship will thus be settled in the season finale on Sunday in Montreal as di Grassi finds himself in contention for the title at the final race of the season for the third consecutive year.

Last year, Buemi edged Di Grassi for the title in the final race. Can he do it again on Sunday?

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.