Buemi was attempting to pass Audi driver Daniel Abt as they ran through the Uruguayan circuit’s high-speed Turn 13 right-hander when he went off line and touched the barriers, breaking the rear suspension on his first car.

“It was a bad day for me and I’m feeling very sorry for the team,” Buemi said.

“By clipping the wall I ruined our chances of a podium finish. We had a good enough car to achieve such a result as I was in front of [Sam] Bird who finished third.”

Buemi rejoined in his second machine but retired early when no safety car appeared to close the gaps in the pack.

“At the end I had no more energy,” he told Motorsport.com. “I could have done three or four laps more, but we would have needed a safety car.

“I’m disappointed for the team – they deserve better.”

The 2015/16 series champion is now 57 points adrift of Punta del Este race winner Jean-Eric Vergne in the championship standings.

But Buemi was encouraged by the speed he delivered in Uruguay, which he felt was more impressive than he had shown at the two previous events in Santiago and Mexico – despite finishing third in both of those events.

“I felt like I had a car that could have done better in quali than sixth, and I didn’t do [it],” he said.

“I felt like I’ve done a better job in Santiago and Mexico, but clearly today I felt like I had the pace – in Mexico and Santiago I did well because things went well, but not necessarily because I had the pace – today I had the speed.

“It’s a bit strange because in Mexico I didn’t have the pace but I had a good result, like in Santiago.

“But then today I had the pace – so that gives me some hope for the rest of the season because today we made a few adjustments and we were quick.

“We couldn’t show it, other than FP1. But my lap in FP2 on 180kW was really good. I had the pace for one of the first times of the year.”