Marrakech Formula E: Frijns regrets not attacking d'Ambrosio for win
Robin Frijns regrets not attacking race winner Jerome d'Ambrosio on the final lap of ABB FIA Formula E's Marrakech E-Prix, but says guaranteed points were more valuable to Virgin Racing
Frijns ran second behind d'Ambrosio at the start of the final-lap shootout that decided last weekend's race in Morocco, following a collision between long-time leading BMW team-mates Antonio Felix da Costa and Alexander Sims.
The Dutch driver was nine tenths behind at the start of the final lap and just 0.143 seconds short at the flag, but did not mount a move for the lead.
Asked if he regretted not challenging d'Ambrosio, Frijns told Autosport: "Yeah, of course.
"I'm a racer, I'm not travelling the world to finish second - I'm a winner.
"I'm regretting it a bit, for sure, but I just did it [held second] for the team.
"It's valuable points for the team - we needed it and the time will come that we will be on the top step."
Frijns explained that he had been "preparing my car, all the settings to really go for it on the last lap" before ultimately deciding against it.
"He was being very cautious," said Frijns of d'Ambrosio.
"At one point, I was like, 'Shall I go for it at Turn 10?' and then I was like, 'Yeah, but we are P2, Sam [team-mate Sam Bird] is P3 and I'm not going to be a bully that drives over Jerome and doesn't finish at all'.
"I think it's smart to not do it at the beginning of the season - just to score the points.
"See where we are halfway or three-quarters of the way [through] the championship and if the situation is the same, [or] if it's the last race to go and maybe I'm not fighting for the championship anymore, then I will definitely do it."
Frijns and Bird secured Virgin's first points of the year with second and third, having struggled at the season opener in Saudi Arabia after they were thrown out of qualifying for exceeding the maximum power limit.
The double podium vaulted Virgin to fourth in the teams' championship and above the works Audi squad that supplies Virgin its powertrains.
"That I don't regret," Frijns said of finishing ahead of Audi drivers Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt.
"It feels good of course - everybody will say that it's [Audi's] main competitor, which on paper it is, [as] we have the same car.
"We maybe have the upper hand a bit. It's good, hopefully it won't change."
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