Formula E: takeaways from 7th Monaco E-Prix
The Jaguar team and its two drivers on the 7th Monaco E-Prix podium © Communication Department / Frédéric Nebinger
The 7th edition of the Monaco E-Prix took place on Saturday 27 April. The race is part of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar. Here are some of the highlights.
In rather mild but gusty weather, the drivers and their 100% electric GEN3 single-seaters battled it out on the iconic Principality circuit, from 7.30 am to 4 pm on Saturday. There were no Monegasques competing, but three French drivers were among the 22 starters: Sacha Fenestraz, Jean-Éric Vergne and Norman Nato, a close acquaintance of Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc. They were all out to succeed the previous winner, the New Zealander Nick Cassidy, currently second in the 2024 Championship.
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Qualifications
7.30 am. First free practice session, first corner: the British driver Sam Bird (McLaren) came off the track at Sainte-Dévote and injured his hand. A hospital visit to check out the extent of the injury forced him to pull out of the Monaco race. Taylor Barnard, a reserve driver who is racing in Formula 2 this season, came in as a last-minute replacement. The Monaco E-Prix was his first official race in Formula E.
After several very tight qualifying legs and a final qualifier between Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) and Stoffel Vandoorne (DS Penske), it was the German driver, Wehrlein, who took pole position for the race.
The race
First on the starting grid, Pascal Wehrlein was quickly overtaken by Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy, the two Jaguar TCS Racing team mates. After a number of collisions, like the one involving Jake Dennis (Andretti), who had to change a wing, and the Swiss driver Edoardo Mortara (Maserati) in a Tecpro having an accident in the fast chicane at the Stade Nautique, the Jaguar drivers played a team game and widened the gap ahead of the pack, closely followed by Stoffel Vandoorne.
At the end of the race, Mitch Evans put his last «attack mode» to good use, overtaking his teammate to take the chequered flag on the legendary 3.337 kilometre circuit. A 1-2 at this 8th leg of the season consolidated Jaguar’s lead in the Constructors’ Championship.
The podium
Behind the two New Zealanders, Stoffel Vandoorne claimed the third step on the podium, ahead of Jean-Éric Vergne and Pascal Wehrlein who made up the top 5 at the Monaco E-Prix.
The three French drivers were all in the top 10 with Jean-Éric Vergne 4th, Sacha Fenestraz 8th and Norman Nato 10th.
As we write, Wehrlein is leading the Drivers’ Championship, followed by Cassidy, then Dennis.
