Formula E: Sam Bird stripped of Hong Kong E-Prix victory after ‘disgusting move’ in crash with Andre Lotterer

A coming together between Bird and Andre Lotterer saw the Briton go on to secure victory in Hong Kong before receiving a five-second time penalty

Sam Bird celebrates his victory in Hong Kong (ABB Formula E)

An enraged Andre Lotterer criticised Sam Bird for making contact with his car in the penultimate lap of the Hong Kong E-Prix, in an incident which seemingly denied the Techeetah driver victory.

Bird appeared to tap the rear of Lotterer’s car while braking into Turn 2, the impact puncturing the German’s tyre and putting the three-times Le Mans 24 Hours winner out of the race.

The Envision Virgin driver was subsequently able to pass his rival, who had been leading at that point, and went on to take the chequered flag and clinch his second win of the season.

But despite lifting the trophy, Bird was placed under investigation and was subsequently stripped of his victory after being handed a five-second time penalty for causing the collision. The punishment handed victory to Venturi's Edoardo Mortara, securing his team's maiden victory in the process, with Lucas di Grassi elevated to second and Robin Frijns third, with Bird dropping behind Daniel Abt and Felipe Massa into sixth.

“I don’t know what I could have done differently,” Lotterer said after the race. “I protected my position in a fair way.

“The race was fair up to that point but it is what you would call a disgusting move because it is not really the way we should race. So I lost it thanks to him. Even if they disqualify him my race is done so honestly it is just sad.”

Bird struck a muted tone as he discussed the race.

“It’s a shame for me, I tried to go down the inside and he (Andre Lotterer) late defended,” he said.

“It’s slippy down the inside, my brakes and locked up – like with Jev in Santiago last year. But it’s a shame it ended that way.”

If the results of the season’s fifth race are confirmed, Bird will have 71 points with an 18-point advantage over Mahindra’s Belgian Jerome d’Ambrosio, who failed to finish.

Lotterer had led from the eighth lap with Bird close behind but unable to get past on a narrow track in slippery conditions after earlier showers, with the race stopped early on and featuring three safety car periods.

The final result remained uncertain even as the podium presentation went ahead with Swiss driver Edoardo Mortara second for Venturi and Brazilian Lucas Di Grassi third for Audi.