Nelson Piquet Jr beat Sebastien Buemi to the inaugural Formula E championship by a single point after a thrilling finish at London's Battersea Park.
Piquet Jr, whose F1 career is remembered chiefly for his role in the Crashgate scandal at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, had to do it the hard way in London, battling back from 16th on the grid to finish seventh in the second race of the final weekend. The championship hung in the balance until the final corner of that race, with ex-Toro Rosso driver Buemi unable to pass Bruno Senna for the position he needed to take the championship.
Buemi had been perfectly placed to win the title but spun while on cold tyres after his first stop, crucially relegating him behind Senna. He and the Brazilian nearly ended up in the wall on the final lap as they tussled for position, with Buemi gesticulating angrily at the former HRT, Renault and Williams driver once they had crossed the line.
Stephane Sarrazin crossed the line first but was immediately demoted to 15th for using up too much battery power in the second stint, allowing Virgin Racing team-mate Sam Bird to inherit the win. The penalty did not have any impact on the title battle because the points swing remained the same. Jerome d'Ambrosio and Loic Duval took the final places on the podium, ahead of Senna, Buemi and third title contender Lucas di Grassi, whose challenge faded after a poor race on Saturday.
Seventh meant NEXTEV TCR's Piquet Jr, who came into the weekend with the championship lead, finished on 144 points, one ahead of Buemi and ten ahead of Lucas di Grassi, whose title challenge faded after a poor race on Saturday.
Buemi was an outsider coming into the weekend but put himself in a perfect position in Saturday's race, claiming pole and recording a comfortable victory ahead of d'Ambrosio and Jean-Eric Vergne. That, plus a mixed qualifying session in the wet on Sunday morning which saw Piquet Jr qualify near the back, put him in a perfect position but he was unable to capitalise on Sunday from sixth on the grid.