De Vries can't believe his own eyes: 'Surprised to see Vandoorne on the podium'

In a race in which half of the field came to a standstill due to a lack of energy, Nyck de Vries has done excellent business. The 26-year old driver won his second race of the year and moved into the lead of the world championship in Formula E. De Vries is surprised and relieved.

"To be honest I'm happier than in Diriyah. This one was quite unexpected, especially after the difficult weekend we had in Rome and the five-second penalty", De Vries was honest in a first reaction to Formula E's official channels. The previous two ePrixs didn't go as hoped for the Dutchman and because of a mistake in Rome he even had to accept a five-place grid penalty this weekend in Valencia.

Vandoorne surprised

With a third place in qualifying the loss was limited. Due to a penalty from Stoffel Vandoorne, who had to start last, De Vries could start the race from P7. "The team did a perfect job. I'm a bit surprised to see the number five car of my teammate Stoffel here on the podium. It's a great day for us."

De Vries now leads the championship with 57 points. Stoffel Vandoorne follows nine points behind his teammate. Robin Frijns climbs to P4 in the battle for the title with 43 points thanks to his sixth place in Valencia. At this moment five races have been driven. The sixth race is scheduled for Sunday, again at Valencia.