Buemi disqualified from ePrix - title bid hits roadblock!

©FormulaE

Reigning Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi has been disqualified from Saturday's round of the Montreal ePrix because of an underweight car.

After a disastrous start to his race, which was the first round of the Montreal double-header programme, Buemi was relieved to salvage fourth place, keeping the Swiss driver in the mix for Sunday's title deciding shootout with Lucas di Grassi.

But post-race scrutineering revealed that Buemi's Renault-e.dams, which had been rebuilt after a massive crash in practice on Saturday, did not comply with the minimum 880kg weight limit as defined by Article 5.1 of the Formula E technical regulations.

Di Grassi wins opening Montreal double-header

The official FIA note also detailed the following:

"That there was insufficient time to weigh the car after the rebuild and before the race, even though the weighing platform schedule had been increased by 30 minutes by the Technical Delegate.

"The team reportedly added 4kg additional ballast to compensate for any weight variation in the rebuilt car."

Unfortunately, the added ballast was insufficient, with the underweight infringement leading to Buemi's immediate disqualification from the event's first round.

The Swiss now finds himself with an 18-point deficit to championship leader di Grassi, putting his title bid in complete jeopardy.

Despite the massive set-back, Renault-e.dams has elected not to appeal the Montreal stewards decision.

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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.