Formula E 2019: Andre Lotterer determined to grab victory at Berlin E-Prix after mixing with Leonardo Di Caprio on red carpet

ABB FIA Formula E Championship driver Andre Lotterer was one of five racers to hit the Cannes red carpet with Leonardo Di Caprio yesterday – but the German insisted the bright lights had not distracted his focus from winning at home this weekend.

The Championship heads to the unique custom-built track within Berlin Tempelhof Airport this weekend with Lotterer one of four German drivers looking to repeat last year’s home triumph of Audi’s Daniel Abt.

The DS Techeetah driver sits second in the Drivers’ Standings just one point behind his teammate and reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne with a potential headache on the cards for Team Principal Mark Preston.

The pair have been good friends since Lotterer joined the Championship and both were at the premiere of the Di Caprio-produced Formula E documentary ‘And We Go Green’ in Cannes yesterday which showcased their bromance on the big screen.

But with a first ever E-Prix win, in front of his home fans, and with it the chance to go top of the Drivers’ Championship Lotterer insisted that while his relationship with Vergne wasn’t going to be affected he was determined to come out on top come Saturday.

“It was a fun experience, it was an honour to be one of the five main characters in this documentary,” said Lotterer who will compete live on BBC Red Button at 12pm Saturday May 25. “It was really nicely filmed, good quality and represents the characters well and shows how intense Formula E is. Being in Cannes was a really fun experience, we cleaned up nice in our tuxedos with Leonardo.

“We realise this year that Formula E is of course very unpredictable, we know a lot of guys behind JEV and I have a lot of points too so everyone is asking us because we are first and second now but after the race it will be different.

“Of course, it is nice to have a home race. My focus is the same – be the best, get through qualifying seamlessly, that will be a challenge here first thing in the morning. If [victory] is there, I will grab it. But if not, I will focus on the points.

“There are opportunities to overtake. Having a good car here means you can control your tyres, this track is very aggressive on the tyres, so the combination of that and the high energy consuming track means it is good to have your team behind you – hopefully we have an advantage with our car. The race should be interesting.”

Formula E heads into Berlin as still one of the most unpredictable motorsports in the world with eight different winners from the first nine races of the season – Vergne breaking the streak last time out in Monaco.

While the top two are separated by just a point it is tight across the board with any of the top nine drivers able to leave Berlin top of the Championship if they score maximum points and other results go their way.

British rookie driver Oliver Rowland has lifted himself into what could be an unlikely title challenge, the 26-year-old being drafted into the Nissan e.dams team last minute following Alexander Albon’s move to Toro Rosso, after a second-placed finish in Monaco.

He sits in eighth place, 28 points from the top, while fellow Brit Sam Bird, who finished third in the Championship last season, sits a further five points back following a horrendous run of luck go pointless for four races since topping the Championship back in March.

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship continues on Saturday with the BMW i Berlin ePrix broadcast on the BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and the BBC website as well as Eurosport 2 at 12pm.