ighter ▁approach ▁to ▁the ▁turn ▁nine ▁hair pin ▁and ▁to ▁provide ▁more ▁over t aking ▁opportun ities . ▁The ▁last ▁change ▁saw ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁straight ▁increase ▁by ▁. ▁These ▁alter ations ▁increased ▁the ▁track ' s ▁overall ▁length ▁by ▁. ▁ ▁Enter ing ▁the ▁race , ▁Te che et ah ▁driver ▁Jean - É ric ▁Ver g ne ▁was ▁leading ▁the ▁D ri vers ' ▁Championship ▁with ▁ 1 4 7 ▁points . ▁His ▁nearest ▁rival ▁Sam ▁Bird ▁of ▁Virgin ▁was ▁thirty - one ▁points ▁behind ▁in ▁second ▁place ▁and ▁third - pla ced ▁Felix ▁Rosen q v ist ▁for ▁Mah ind ra ▁was ▁another ▁thirty ▁points ▁ad rift . ▁e . D ams - R en ault ' s ▁S éb ast ien ▁Bu emi ▁was ▁fourth ▁with ▁ 7 0 ▁points ▁and ▁Lucas ▁di ▁Gr ass i ▁of ▁A udi ▁completed ▁the ▁top ▁five ▁with ▁ 5 8 ▁points . ▁In ▁the ▁Teams ' ▁Championship , ▁Te che et ah ▁led ▁the ▁stand ings ▁with ▁ 1 8 6 ▁points ▁acc ru ed ▁throughout ▁the ▁season ; ▁Virgin ▁were ▁ 4 2 ▁points ▁behind ▁in ▁second ▁and ▁A udi ▁were ▁a ▁further ▁ 2 1 ▁points ▁in ▁ar re ars ▁in ▁third ▁place . ▁Mah ind ra ▁placed ▁fourth ▁with ▁ 1 0 7 ▁points ▁and ▁J agu ar ▁stood ▁in ▁fifth ▁position ▁with ▁ 8 8 ▁points . ▁ ▁After ▁winning ▁the ▁Paris ▁e P rix ▁three ▁weeks ▁ago , ▁Ver g ne ▁focused ▁on ▁trying ▁to ▁finish