Mitch Evans conquers the win of the São Paulo E-Prix, while Nick Cassidy falters at the end, finishing outside of the points zone in Jaguars’ first race of Season 11 in Formula E.
Jaguar’s two sides in São Paulo: Evans winning comeback and Cassidy incident
The first round of Formula E Season 11 didn’t begin well for Jaguar. Mitch Evans faced a car issue and couldn’t complete a lap in qualifying, forcing him to start from the back of the grid.
Nick Cassidy fared slightly better, qualifying in P10 but failing to make the duels.
Both drivers were tasked with making a strong recovery during the race.
At the start of the E-Prix, Evans swiftly overtook several rivals, climbing to P12 within two laps. Cassidy moved into P9 and activated Attack Mode, passing three cars in one move.
The Jaguar drivers continued their charge, reaching the top of the standings with six laps remaining. However, an incident between Cassidy and Pascal Wehrlein changed everything.
Cassidy dropped down the order
During the 30th lap of the São Paulo race, Cassidy and Wehrlein collided. The German driver was caught between the Jaguar and the wall. Cassidy appeared to struggle with steering control.
Upon impact, the Porsche was lifted off the ground and overturned. Fortunately, Wehrlein came out unharmed and was taken to the hospital for precautionary checks.
🔴 RED FLAG 🔴
Jake Dennis has stopped out on track. There's an isolation issue with his car#SaoPauloEPrix pic.twitter.com/GavGs9vNVy
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) December 7, 2024
The incident dropped Cassidy to the back of the grid. He had been in second place before the collision but fell to P15. Jaguar ended the race with only one driver scoring points.
It was not the start Cassidy had hoped for in the new season, especially after the tough London E-Prix that closed Season 10.
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Jaguar’s unexpected haul of points in São Paulo
While Cassidy’s race unravelled with just a few laps to go, Mitch Evans claimed an unexpected victory. His success was boosted by a strong Attack Mode, which proved crucial with the Gen3 Evo cars. The chaos during the race also played in Evans’ favour, helping his recovery.
Late in the race, Oliver Rowland of Nissan was penalized for an extra power boost while fighting for the win. This left Evans a clear path to win.
The New Zeelander crossed the finish line first. Porsche’s Antonio Felix Da Costa took second, with Taylor Barnard completing the podium.
Despite a tough start to the weekend, Evans now leads the Drivers’ Standings.
Many teams faced difficulties during the São Paulo E-Prix, with several drivers forced to retire. Jaguar managed to secure solid points, though McLaren outscored them with both drivers finishing in the points.
After the opening round of Season 11, McLaren lead the Teams’ Standings with 27 points. Jaguar sit second with 25, all earned by Evans.
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