McLaren sensation denied as Maximilian Günther soars to Shanghai Formula E pole

Maximilian Günther set a staggering 1m 08.234 to secure pole position for the opening race of Formula E's Shanghai E-Prix, defeating Taylor Barnard in the final. 

The DS Penske driver set the quickest lap time of the event so far, ending Nissan powertrain's five-race pole position streak.

McLaren's Barnard had the responsibility of trying to extend the Japanese manufacturer's run after championship leader Oliver Rowland was eliminated in the quarter-finals and starts in sixth.

Reigning world champion Pascal Wehrlein did enough to secure third on the grid, with Nick Cassidy completing the top four after his first duels appearance of the season.

Click here for full qualifying results - article continues below!

Duels

In the final at the Shanghai International Circuit, it was Günther with a near two-tenths advantage over Barnard through the first sector. 

Günther's advantage increased throughout the lap, securing the German in the end a comfortable pole position by almost four-tenths.

To reach the final duel in Shanghai, Barnard first defeated David Beckmann in the quarter-finals, before going quicker than Wehrlein in the semi-finals. In the semi-final, Barnard posted a 1m 08.503.

As for Günther, he knocked out Rowland in the quarter-finals, and then dismantled Cassidy in the semi-finals. Interestingly, the semi-finals consisted of four different powertrains.

In the other two quarter-finals, Cassidy defeated Jake Dennis and Wehrlein went faster than Nyck de Vries.

Group stage

The group stage saw some big surprises in a hot and humid Shanghai, with da Costa having been eliminated in the first group. 

Da Costa had been the favourite for pole position after topping both first and second practice, yet had to settle for ninth in the first group and will start at best the ninth row.

Günther topped the Group A timesheets, ahead of Dennis, Cassidy and championship leader Rowland, who had endured a frustrating start in China.

Grip was a real problem for several drivers, as many drifted through some corners due to a lack of rear stability. One driver with no issues was Barnard, who went quickest in Group B.

The young McLaren driver was joined in the top four by de Vries, Wehrlein and Kiro's Beckmann, following a great performance by the German driver.

Beckmann's team-mate, star of the moment Dan Ticktum, had a disastrous qualifying and was slowest in the second group. Mitch Evans was ninth, but has an 80-place grid penalty.