Buemi Slams "Convoy" Pack Racing After Chaotic Berlin E-Prix

Formula E veteran Sebastien Buemi has voiced strong criticism regarding the extreme pack racing witnessed during the Berlin E-Prix, describing the early stages of the race as driving in a "convoy."

The Rise of the Peloton in Berlin

While peloton-style racing has become a hallmark of modern Formula E, the unique characteristics of the Tempelhof Airport circuit exacerbated the situation. The combination of the track layout and the severe energy-saving requirements pushed the tactical gameplay to its absolute limits.

On Saturday, Nico Muller executed this energy-saving strategy to perfection to claim his maiden Formula E win. The success of this approach prompted the rest of the grid to follow suit during Sunday's race, leading to an unprecedented level of strategic management.

Strategic Sacrifices and Qualifying Games

The tactical extreme was perhaps best illustrated by eventual Sunday race winner Mitch Evans. The driver admitted to intentionally driving slowly during qualifying to ensure he started further back on the grid. This calculated sacrifice allowed him to save crucial energy in the slipstream during the opening stages of the race before launching a late attack. Evans ultimately executed a tactical masterclass to secure the victory.

As a result of these extreme conservation tactics, the entire field remained heavily compressed for the first third of the race. It was only when drivers began deploying Attack Mode that the true battle for the front commenced.

Frustrations Boil Over Amid Collisions

The dense pack inevitably led to chaos. Buemi found himself caught in a four-way incident early in the race and later had a separate run-in with Nick Cassidy, which left Cassidy with front-wing damage.

The 2015-16 Formula E champion did not hold back when discussing the nature of the racing.

"I don't like it," Buemi stated. "That's the way it is. I need to get better at it. I'm getting less bad now, I would say."

When asked if the pack-style racing had reached an extreme in Berlin, the Envision Racing driver was unequivocal.

"It’s too much. But the nature of the track makes it bad - the [energy] saving and the nature," Buemi explained. "It's bad because you drive in a convoy for like 20 minutes and of course, contact will happen."

Buemi was not alone in his distaste for the extreme peloton dynamics. Cupra Kiro driver Dan Ticktum offered a more guarded, yet telling, assessment: "Look, we've got to stay political, so probably no comment. It's not my favourite though."

Mahindra's Nyck de Vries, who was involved in the early multi-car collision alongside Buemi, Cassidy, and his own team-mate Edoardo Mortara, echoed the sentiment, describing the event as "very tricky racing."

"I don't have an answer. Certainly, the top 10 was very close in that first ten to twelve laps," de Vries noted.

When questioned on whether he could find enjoyment in such chaotic conditions, the Dutchman offered a pragmatic view: "As long as you prevail, then yes [I can enjoy it]. I think on our side, we've had quite a lot of difficulties so far, but we just have to keep on going, focus on ourselves."