> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.the-race.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Mercedes gets another Formula E pole with Vandoorne - URL: https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/vandoorne-puts-mercedes-on-formula-e-pole-again-at-valencia/ - Published: 2021-04-24T10:57:36.000Z - Updated: 2023-09-16T16:50:45.000Z - Description: Stoffel Vandoorne gave Mercedes its third pole position of the 2021 Formula E World Championship season in qualifying for the Valencia opener - Author: Matt Beer - Tags: Formula E, #image-top-left Stoffel Vandoorne gave Mercedes its third pole position of the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season in qualifying for the Valencia opener. Despite brushing the wall at the chicane as he completed his out-lap, Vandoorne gathered himself to produce a 1m26.494s effort. **UPDATE:**[ **Vandoorne loses pole over tyre infringement**](https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/vandoorne-loses-valencia-formula-e-pole-over-tyre-infringement/) That deposed reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa’s DS Techeetah by 0.028s, and gave Vandoorne his fourth FE pole. The second Mercedes of Nyck de Vries was third fastest, but will drop to eighth thanks to the penalty he incurred for [triggering a multi-car crash](https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/de-vries-gets-valencia-penalty-after-last-lap-bird-collision/) in Rome a fortnight ago. [![](https://storage.googleapis.com/the-race-com.appspot.com/1/2021/04/Spacesuit-Media-Shiv-Gohil-221060-300x200.jpg)](https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/how-valencia-formula-e-races-will-be-unlike-any-so-far/) How Valencia Formula E races will be unlike any so far [Read more](https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/how-valencia-formula-e-races-will-be-unlike-any-so-far/) De Vries’ demotion will move practice pacesetter Maximilian Guenther’s BMW and group qualifying pacesetter Alex Lynn’s Mahindra up to the second row. Sebastien Buemi may well have been ahead of both in his Nissan, but for a chicane lock-up that left him slowest in superpole. With 23 of the 24 cars covered by just 0.845s in the extraordinarily close group qualifying stages, it didn’t take much of a deficit to put some big names well down the order. Championship leader Sam Bird ending up only 21st on the grid was the headline among them, with his Jaguar team-mate Mitch Evans not much better off in 18th. [![](https://storage.googleapis.com/the-race-com.appspot.com/1/2021/04/54I6585-300x200.jpg)](https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/five-permanent-tracks-we-want-to-see-formula-e-race-at/) Five permanent tracks we want to see Formula E race at [Read more](https://www.the-race.com/formula-e/five-permanent-tracks-we-want-to-see-formula-e-race-at/) The Audis struggled too – Rene Rast and Lucas di Grassi down in 15th and 22nd respectively, while customer team Envision Virgin took 11th with Nick Cassidy and 16th with title contender Robin Frijns. Double champion Jean-Eric Vergne could only manage 13th in the second DS Techeetah. Porsche’s Andre Lotterer – who has still scored zero points this year – and unrewarded Rome hero Norman Nato (Venturi) came agonisingly close to reaching superpole. They’re elevated to sixth and seventh by de Vries’ penalty. Lotterer’s team-mate Pascal Wehrlein starts 10th behind Oliver Rowland’s Nissan. ## Qualifying Results | Pos | Name | Team | Car | Group 1 | Group 2 | | --- | ---------------------- | --------------------------- | --------------------------- | --------- | --------- | | 1 | António Félix da Costa | DS Techeetah | DS E-Tense FE21 | 1m26.87s | 1m26.522s | | 2 | Nyck de Vries | Mercedes-Benz EQ | Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 | 1m26.914s | 1m26.73s | | 3 | Maximilian Günther | BMW i Andretti Motorsport | BMW iFE.21 | 1m26.868s | 1m26.943s | | 4 | Alex Lynn | Mahinda Racing | Mahindra M7Electro | 1m26.799s | 1m27.022s | | 5 | Sébastien Buemi | Nissan e.DAMS | Nissan IM02 | 1m26.876s | 1m27.053s | | 6 | André Lotterer | TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E | Porsche 99X Electric | 1m26.933s | | | 7 | Norman Nato | RokIT Venturi Racing | Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 | 1m26.979s | | | 8 | Oliver Rowland | Nissan e.DAMS | Nissan IM02 | 1m27.002s | | | 9 | Pascal Wehrlein | TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E | Porsche 99X Electric | 1m27.008s | | | 10 | Nick Cassidy | Envision Virgin Racing | Audi e-tron FE07 | 1m27.072s | | | 11 | Alexander Sims | Mahinda Racing | Mahindra M7Electro | 1m27.109s | | | 12 | Jean-Eric Vergne | DS Techeetah | DS E-Tense FE21 | 1m27.157s | | | 13 | Jake Dennis | BMW i Andretti Motorsport | BMW iFE.21 | 1m27.177s | | | 14 | René Rast | Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler | Audi e-tron FE07 | 1m27.29s | | | 15 | Robin Frijns | Envision Virgin Racing | Audi e-tron FE07 | 1m27.317s | | | 16 | Edoardo Mortara | RokIT Venturi Racing | Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 | 1m27.338s | | | 17 | Mitch Evans | Jaguar Racing | Jaguar I-Type 5 | 1m27.442s | | | 18 | Sérgio Sette Câmara | Dragon / Penske Autosport | Penske EV-4 | 1m27.456s | | | 19 | Tom Blomqvist | NIO 333 Formula E Team | NIO 333 001 | 1m27.481s | | | 20 | Sam Bird | Jaguar Racing | Jaguar I-Type 5 | 1m27.619s | | | 21 | Lucas Di Grassi | Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler | Audi e-tron FE07 | 1m27.634s | | | 22 | Nico Müller | Dragon / Penske Autosport | Penske EV-4 | 1m27.644s | | | 23 | Oliver Turvey | NIO 333 Formula E Team | NIO 333 001 | 1m28.524s | | | 24 | Stoffel Vandoorne | Mercedes-Benz EQ | Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 | | |