An array of problems affected both Mahindra drivers at the Putrajaya ePrix, yet the team were able to score their first double points finish of the season.
Both drivers were hit with radio problems, leaving the Mahindra team unable to hear Senna in his first car, whilst Heidfeld was unable to hear or communicate with the team in his second car, leading to overheating problems later in the race because the team were unable to warn him about high temperatures.
Nick Heidfeld lost places on the opening following contact with Virgin Racing’s Jean-Eric Vergne and was also hit with a drive-through penalty after his mandatory pit stop was too quick. Despite all these issues, Heidfeld was able to finish ninth.
A software glitch caused Bruno Senna’s car to stop momentarily, but thanks to the chaos that ensued on the final few laps, he was able to climb to fifth position.
Speaking about the race, Senna said: “It was a crazy race for all of us. We followed our plan and took care of our energy use and battery temperatures. The cars around me were struggling with their temperatures and their efficiency so I was able to regain the places quite quickly in the second stint.”
Heidfeld added: “Having no radio means you are limited in what you can do with energy and engine temperatures, so in many ways we were driving blind. We must be grateful for the points we scored, but in the next race we would hope not to leave so many points on the table.”
