How the first ever Formula E race in Beijing was more talked about for an infamous collision – watch yourself to believe it
The Beijing E-Prix, held in 2014, was the first-ever Formula E race. It didn't just grab attention for being a high-speed electric car event styled like Formula 1 — it became widely talked about due to a mind-numbing collision between Venturi's Nick Heidfeld and e.dams Renault's Nicolas Prost.
Both drivers were chasing the historic opportunity to become the first winner in a fully-electric single-seater race but ended up smashing into each other. Here's everything about what led to that infamous crash — and what saved Heidfeld as his car somersaulted before crashing head-first into the ground. Also, see what the driver had to say after the incident.
Watch the infamous collision of the first ever Formula E race in Beijing
The crash happened at the final corner on the last lap. As Nick Heidfeld made a move to take the lead, Nicholas Prost steered across the track to defend.
When their cars made contact, Heidfeld's front-right suspension broke, sending his car out of control. He wasn't able to slow down and hit a kerb, went airborne, and slammed into the barrier. Miraculously, Heidfeld walked away unharmed and immediately went over to Prost to talk about the incident.
P
rost was given a 10-place grid penalty for the following race, while Lucas Di Grassi went on to win the Beijing E-Prix.
A day before the Shanghai E-Prix, Formula E shared the video of the infamous crash on Instagram, captioned: 'Drama from the very start! Our first-ever race in 2014 ended with a huge incident in Beijing!'
Formula E fans were shocked watching the replay. 'What on earth was that move!!!!' asked one fan. Another commented, 'Did he get charged with attempted murder? Awful move.' One more added, 'It was Epic start of the sport.
I was shocked watching this live. And it was before the Halo.' Several also pointed out the lack of a halo — a safety device introduced years later: 'Wtf, they should have halos on those things that coulda been deadly,' read one comment.
What Nick Heidfeld said after the crash
Nick Heidfeld, however, chose to focus on the positives, though he admitted he was lucky to be unharmed. Speaking to Formula E's YouTube channel after the crash, he said: 'I think more about the chance I had here last year, how good the car worked, and that I could have won, rather than about the crash.
Of course you see it all the time everywhere and people speak about it and for me it was quite easy to cope with because I was simply lucky that nothing happened.
'
He added: 'It's maybe not the perfect reason to have people tuning in but it was still fantastic to get a lot of attention for the championship and I think after that a lot of people kept watching it because it's not only the crash but as the following races did show they were all exciting races you never know who's gonna win and it was good in the end for the championship.'
Also Read:
Countdown to Shanghai E-Prix begins as special trophies and soundtrack unveiled for Formula E double header
What saved Nick Heidfeld
The roll hoop in Heidfeld's Venturi car protected his head when the vehicle landed upside down. This component had been tested to withstand a nine-tonne vertical force before the electric cars hit the track. Later, the halo was mandated by the FIA to further improve driver safety.
Get
IPL 2025
match
schedules
,
squads
,
points table
, and live scores for
CSK
,
MI
,
RCB
,
KKR
,
SRH
,
LSG
,
DC
,
GT
,
PBKS
, and
RR
. Check the latest
IPL Orange Cap
and
Purple Cap
standings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Hungarian Grand Prix: Leclerc targets Ferrari's first F1 win of 2025 from pole
Charles Leclerc will be chasing Ferrari's first win in Formula 1 this year after taking a surprise pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of title contenders Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Pole position is usually a big advantage in Hungary, where it's tough to overtake, but the chance of rain gives the drivers and teams an extra factor to consider. Leclerc surprised the two McLaren drivers — and himself, too — when he took the first pole position for Ferrari since October in qualifying on Saturday. ALSO READ | 'I'm useless, absolutely useless': Dejected Hamilton takes blame for Hungarian GP qualifying mishap Standings leader Piastri starts second and his teammate Norris is third after both were within a tenth of a second of Leclerc's time. Defending champion Max Verstappen said 'nothing has really worked' for him and Red Bull in Hungary after he qualified eighth following complaints his car felt unbalanced. Lewis Hamilton said he felt 'absolutely useless' after he placed 12th in qualifying for Ferrari, a stark contrast to his teammate on pole. Hamilton even suggested the team might 'need to change driver' after his performance.
Business Standard
10 hours ago
- Business Standard
Hamilton says he's 'useless' after teammate's pole, hints at driver swap
Lewis Hamilton called himself absolutely useless and suggested Ferrari should change drivers after he qualified 12th for the Hungarian Grand Prix and teammate Charles Leclerc took pole position. It was a new low in a difficult first season with Ferrari for seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton, who qualified outside the top 10 for the second race in a row. "I'm useless, absolutely useless," Hamilton told British broadcaster Sky Sports. The team have no problem. You've seen the cars on pole. So they probably need to change driver. Hamilton had said every time, every time over the radio after he was eliminated in the second part of qualifying. That signified that it's me every time, he clarified to Sky later. Qualifying problems continue Hamilton had earlier seemed set to qualify 13th, and he was only promoted to 12th after the second part of qualifying had finished. That was because Kimi Antonelli's time was struck out after it was noticed the Mercedes rookie had gone outside the track limits. It was the second week running that Hamilton had been frustrated with his qualifying performance. He qualified 18th for the sprint race in Belgium last week after a spin, and 16th for the Grand Prix when one of his times was struck out. Still, Hamilton delivered one of his best drives of the year, cutting through the field on a wet track, and eventually finished seventh. A long first year at Ferrari After a move from Mercedes which stunned F1 last year, Hamilton has yet to finish on the podium in a Grand Prix race with Ferrari, with a best finish of fourth. He did win a sprint race in China in March, but a double disqualification for technical infringements on Hamilton and Leclerc's cars in the Chinese Grand Prix the next day required a time-consuming rethink of Ferrari's race setups. Leclerc is fifth in the standings, only one position ahead of Hamilton, but has five podium finishes in 2005. In Sunday's race, he'll aim to give Ferrari its first F1 win since October. Last week, Hamilton said it was crunch time and revealed he's been holding a series of meetings with Ferrari executives to discuss improvements and ensure he has more of a say in how the team develops its car for the sweeping regulation changes coming in 2026.
India Today
19 hours ago
- India Today
Charles Leclerc stuns McLaren as he takes unexpected pole at Hungarian GP
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc delivered a stunning surprise on Saturday as he clinched pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, edging out both McLaren drivers in a dramatic qualifying Ferrari driver was visibly thrilled, punching the air in disbelief after learning he had set the fastest time. Leclerc finished just 0.026 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri and 0.041 seconds clear of Lando Norris, snatching pole by the narrowest of was an unexpected result considering that Leclerc had struggled for pace compared to the McLarens for most of the session. But a shift in track conditions during Q3 appeared to benefit the Ferrari, while McLaren's form dipped. Norris and Piastri were half a second slower than their earlier pace, opening the door for Leclerc to pull off a surprise. Leclerc himself seemed stunned by the outcome. Just two days earlier, he had described the Hungaroring as 'by far the worst track of the season for me.'When told over team radio that he had secured pole, Leclerc responded with a disbelieving 'What?'Later, speaking to the media, Leclerc said, 'Honestly, I have no words. It's probably one of the best pole positions I've ever had because it's the most unexpected.'Starting on pole in Hungary offers a significant strategic advantage. The tight and twisty circuit is notorious for limited overtaking opportunities, making track position crucial. However, with overcast conditions forecast for race day, strategy could still play a major role.'I have no idea how it will go, but one thing is for sure — I will do absolutely everything to keep that first place,' said Leclerc, who will be aiming for his ninth Formula 1 win on Fortunes at FerrariWhile Leclerc celebrated at the top of the grid, it was a completely different story for teammate Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion could only manage 12th place in qualifying.'Every time, every time,' Hamilton muttered over the radio, frustrated with yet another disappointing are looking for their first Grand Prix win since Carlos Sainz Jr triumphed in Mexico last October, which also marked their last pole Leclerc and the Scuderia, Sunday presents a golden opportunity to end their winless run and turn around what has been a challenging season.- Ends
