Berlin E-Prix: Cassidy wins after superb under-the-radar performance

The Kiwi romped to a 4.6s win having only taken the lead of the 46-lap race – extended by six laps due to two safety car periods – for the first time just four laps from the end having started down in ninth.

Cassidy immediately went into energy conservation mode at the Tempelhof Airport circuit, which was using a new layout this year, and dropped towards the back of the field where he remained for much of the race.

Only in the final laps did he move to the front to claim his second win of the season as he headed home Jean-Eric Vergne and Oliver Rowland after a typically frenetic Formula E race.

Having covered off the inside into the opening turn, polesitter Edoardo Mortara maintained his advantage from pole for the opening two laps before conceding the position at the start of lap three after taking his first Attack Mode activation at the earliest opportunity.

Across the opening 10 laps several drivers took turns to lead the field including the DS Penskes of Stoffel Vandoorne and Vergne, as well as Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein before cycling back into the pack as they too took their first Attack Modes.

A full course yellow and safety car was called on lap 10 after Joel Eriksson, substituting for Robin Frijns in Berlin, came to a halt on track aboard his Envision.

With the stranded machine recovered the safety car period was extended further as race control called for changes of position to be made under the caution, the close pack racing having caused the wrong order to be formed when the yellow was first deployed.

Once racing finally resumed on lap 17, Vergne headed the pack from Wehrlein, Vandoorne, Mortara and the second Porsche of Antonio Felix da Costa, who along with Mitch Evans had yet to take either Attack Mode at this stage.

As before the manic racing continued, with drivers running three-wide at points, with Monaco winner Evans moving to the front for the first time on lap 19 before pulling a small gap to go offline for Attack Mode on the following tour.

But the Kiwi failed to activate which would have ramifications later in proceedings as the rest of the field had completed both Attack Modes approaching the halfway point of the race.

Maserati MSG’s Maximilian Guenther had started to challenge towards the front but was shuffled back in the pack which ultimately left him in the wall on the exit of Turn 9 and the second full caution.

Prior to the second safety car, which was called after the field had already passed Guenther’s stranded machine at racing speeds, Evans had hit the front again in an effort to build a gap to take his second Attack Mode.

When racing resumed on lap 34, Evans was immediately swamped by the chasing cars headed by Wehrlein and Rowland, the Nissan driver having been one of the first to take both Attack Modes having started down in 15th.

Having dropped down several places but now armed with extra power, Evans moved back to the front and held the position for three laps.

Vergne then moved back to the front and looked to be in prime position for his first win this year, but the extra energy saved by Cassidy allowed him to easily swoop into the lead at the Turn 6/7 hairpin and disappear.

Over the final three laps Vergne just held on from Rowland, as Evans finished ahead of Wehrlein and da Costa.

Like Cassidy, reigning champion Jake Dennis had conserved energy in the opening stages and was challenging towards the front, but a puncture dropped him out of contention.

Vandoorne claimed seventh ahead of polesitter Mortara and the second Nissan of Sacha Fenestraz, who finished minus his front wing.

Completing the top 10 was McLaren's Taylor Barnard, who took his first Formula E points on his second start having had to pit for a new front wing earlier in the race. 

Formula E Berlin E-Prix - Race results

Main Information Additional Data Additional Data Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Driver	#		Laps	Time	Interval	km/h	Points	Retirement
1	N. Cassidy Jaguar Racing	37		46	1:01'54.939			26
2	J. Vergne DS Penske	25		46	+4.651 1:01'59.590	4.651		18
3	O. Rowland Nissan e.dams	22		46	+4.915 1:01'59.854	0.264		15
4	M. Evans Jaguar Racing	9		46	+5.340 1:02'00.279	0.425		12
5	P. Wehrlein Porsche Team	94		46	+5.631 1:02'00.570	0.291		10
6	A. Felix da Costa Porsche Team	13		46	+5.760 1:02'00.699	0.129		8
7	S. Vandoorne DS Penske	2		46	+6.363 1:02'01.302	0.603		6
8	E. Mortara Mahindra Racing	48		46	+7.221 1:02'02.160	0.858		7
9	S. Fenestraz Nissan e.dams	23		46	+9.592 1:02'04.531	2.371		2
10	T. Barnard McLaren	8		46	+9.644 1:02'04.583	0.052		1
11	K. van der Linde Team Abt	51		46	+10.133 1:02'05.072	0.489
12	J. King Mahindra Racing	21		46	+10.427 1:02'05.366	0.294
13	P. Aron Envision Racing	16		46	+11.598 1:02'06.537	1.171
14	D. Ticktum ERT Formula E Team	33		46	+18.270 1:02'13.209	6.672
15	J. Hughes McLaren	5		46	+55.538 1:02'50.477	37.268
16	S. Sette Camara ERT Formula E Team	3		45	+1 Lap 1:01'56.396	1 Lap
17	J. Daruvala Maserati Racing	18		45	+1 Lap 1:02'08.199	11.803
18	N. Nato Andretti Formula E	17		45	+1 Lap 1:02'13.884	5.685
dnf	J. Dennis Andretti Formula E	1		38	+8 Laps 54'14.068	7 Laps			Retirement
dnf	M. Gunther Maserati Racing	7		28	+18 Laps 37'11.011	10 Laps			Retirement
dnf	L. di Grassi Team Abt	11		20	+26 Laps 28'16.106	8 Laps			Retirement
dnf	J. Eriksson Envision Racing	4		9	+37 Laps 10'11.354	11 Laps			Retirement
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