Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy won the second half of the SABIC Berlin E-Prix doubleheader on Sunday, delivering an energy management masterclass in a race featuring 172 overtakes.
Jake Dennis placed second while Jean-Eric Verge completed the podium, and moved up into third in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship drivers’ standings
Starting eighth, Cassidy drove superbly to stay there both by setting the pace and mastering Formula E’s tightrope of ultimate pace, racecraft and energy management, the latter again proving crucial on the slipstream-heavy Tempelhof Airport circuit. For Cassidy, the win was confirmation of the form he’d felt building throughout the season.
“I knew I was in the fight. I’ve been in the fight the last five races,” said Cassidy. “Yesterday, we had a great opportunity as well and I made a mistake and I really put my hand up for that. But today we made it count. So, thanks so much to my guys. I’ve had an opportunity to win nearly every weekend and as a driver that’s a dream.
“I’ve had some really good luck and I’m sure some bad luck and bad weekends are coming our way, but until then I’m enjoying the ride — it’s been amazing.”
Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) who is now within four points of the championship’s leader, Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team), was in striking distance to Cassidy, just half a second behind as they crossed the finish line. The frustration was tempered by putting an end to a string of DNFs for the Andretti driver.
“To not see a checkered flag since Saudi is mind-blowing,” admitted Dennis. “We’re still fourth in the championship. Obviously more energy than Nick but the targets were so high at the end, and it was too much of a risk and honestly, I was just happy with the 18 points and bringing it home.”
Vergne (DS Penske) admitted he didn’t have the pace to challenge the Jaguar-powered Envision that ultimately raced to the top step, despite also intermittently leading the race. Nevertheless, he wase pleased to have scored strongly, with an eye on the long game as the season passes its halfway stage.
“It was really chaotic. I’m very glad the race is over,” declared Vergne. “I’ve never really experienced this kind of racing where no one really wants to be leading at the beginning and creating a lot of chaos at the back. I was just trying to manage to stay in the top 4 or 5, every time I was sixth I was pushing to come back because otherwise you’re glued to the back and then you can’t come back. So it’s a bit of a strategy game, but it’s mental — it was a very difficult race so I’m very happy to finish on the podium in third. It could have been very easy to do otherwise today, so I’m going to take those points gladly and move on.”
Buemi has dropped all the way down the order following contact with Dennis, dislodging his front wing ⬇️
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Wehrlein started sixth, in a stronger position than recent races, having complained of poor one-lap pace in qualifying, but found himself shuffled to seventh at the race’s end.
Saturday Berlin winner Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) made up a spot from his grid position to finish fourth, making it a superb weekend’s work for the New Zealander and Jaguar TCS Racing. Despite teammate Sam Bird getting into contact and being forced out of contention, the Jaguar powertrains have driven to victory in three consecutive races for the first time in Formula E history, albeit in the hands of customers Envision Racing this time.
A day after securing the team’s first podium in Round 7, the standout drive was arguably Maserati MSG Racing’s Max Guenther, who climbed 15 positions from 21st position to sixth. Polesitter Robin Frijns of the ABT Cupra team struggled to maintain pace and dropped to 17th at the end, with teammate and fellow front-row starter Nico Mueller faring better with ninth on home soil to score the team’s first points in the GEN3 era.
That left Wehrlein on top of the pile but by a narrow four-point margin to Cassidy, with Vergne third. TAG Heuer Porsche’s advantage in the teams’ table also continues to fade away, with the Jaguar-powered Envision Racing squad now just 15 points back in second.
A capacity crowd estimated at 34,000 took in the weekend’s two races, which featured a total of 362 overtakes.
Next up for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the Monaco E-Prix on Saturday, May 6.
