Buemi criticises FE attack mode zone placements after Paris contact

The Nissan e.dams driver hit out at the location of some attack mode zones following the Paris E-Prix, where contact between Buemi and eventual race winner Robin Frijns as the former swung across to enter the attack mode activation area gave him a slow puncture that forced him to pit.

The location of the attack mode zones has varied from race to race this season, with some tracks having it on the wide outside line of a corner, or near the inside wall on a corner exit - as was the case in Paris.

In the season-opening Ad Diriyah race, the activation area was moved further away from the inside exit of a corner following criticism from the drivers.

"I don't get the attack mode on the inside of a corner like [in Paris]," Buemi told Autosport.

"Of course the guy leading [into the zone] needs to go slower to get over to the attack mode. [But] why we continue to put them on the inside? Just why?

"Put it on the outside. I'm going to brake later - nothing is going to happen.

"Putting it on the inside [means] I need to slow down more than the guy behind because I'm going to have to move out of the ideal line.

"So what should I do? Say 'no the guy is too close to me so I cannot take it?' Or I should put an indicator?

"Santiago was on the outside. So, when you decided to go - clearly one guy goes [outside], the other guy goes [inside]. It's fine.

"The problem [in Paris] is like Mexico in the stadium, on the inside.

"[Jean-Eric Vergne] got pushed from the back there because he needed to keep turning to get it and the guy behind did not expect him to take it. So, he carried the speed and he hits him.

"Hong Kong was also on the inside but because it was so slow and so early it wasn't such a big problem.

"Sanya was good - on the outside. The guy that takes it [on the outside] brakes later, doesn't create any possible accident.

"Of course if the guy behind doesn't take the margin [of a gap to the car in front], which he will not take because the front wing is so strong, he knows the worst case scenario [is] a little hit.

"But for the guy leading it ends up a puncture like Sam [Bird] with Andre [Lotterer, in Hong Kong]."

When asked if he had raised the situation during FE drivers' briefings, Buemi said: "I raised it three times already, but they don't care, they don't listen."

The attack mode zone for this weekend's Monaco E-Prix will be on the straight heading towards the Tabac corner, which is likely to lead to minimal time loss when for drivers entering the zone.