Sette Camara shines & gives ERT its first Formula E points 2024: "I did a good job with the driving"

Sergio Sette Camara was able to set a first highlight of the season for ERT at the Formula E Diriyah E-Prix last weekend. After an exhilarating qualifying session in fourth place on the grid, he secured his team's first points of 2024 on Friday, while team-mate Dan Ticktum had another weekend to forget.

It had already become apparent in the free practice sessions that Sette Camara was very fast in Saudi Arabia. And the Brazilian also delivered when things got serious in qualifying. He initially set the second-fastest time in his group and then even won his quarter-final duel against Max Günther by a clear margin. It was only in the semi-finals that it was over.

In the end, he secured fourth place on the grid - the same result that team-mate Ticktum had achieved last year. "I qualified in the semi-finals and started P4 so that was very good," said a satisfied Sette Camara.

Mission on Friday: energy saving

The first race also went well for him - considering the potential of the inefficient ERT powertrain. Sette Camara even had the opportunity to take the lead at the start, but had to give way in turn 1 and remained in fourth place for quite a while. After that, it was all about maintaining a good race pace and controlling his energy level as well as possible. In the end, he finished ninth and scored two championship points.

"In the race I was able to stay in the top ten and score some points and finish ninth, which we’re all very pleased with," explained the 25-year-old. "We all know how hard it is for our car to stay in the points so the team did a great job strategy-wise and I think I also did a good job with the driving."

After a weaker qualifying session on Saturday, not much went right for Sette Camara in the second race. He finished 18th and last. However, things went even worse for his team-mate...

"Pretty terrible weekend" for Dan Ticktum

Dan Ticktum experienced a Diriyah E-Prix to forget. On Friday, ERT made a mistake with an extreme energy-saving strategy - as it did in Mexico already. But once again, there was to be no safety car, so Ticktum's energy advantage played no role. The Brit finished last, over a minute behind the leaders.

A concertina effect after the start of the second race meant that all hopes were dashed early on Saturday. Ticktum lost his front wing due to contact with the rear of Mitch Evans' Jaguar and had to come into the pits for repairs. "I got caught on the front wing at turn 2 and there was nothing I could have done about that, it was just a racing incident and that was that really." That was also the view of the FIA stewards.

Ticktum spent most of the race more than a lap down and had no chance of finishing in the points. "For me it was a pretty terrible weekend," he said. "Both qualifying sessions we didn't get the tyre in the window so we didn't get the most out of a car which I think could have qualified pretty well, so that's a shame."