Mitch Evans Claims Maiden Monaco E-Prix Victory

Kerry Violet

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With the tenth season of Formula E well underway, the championship returned to the iconic home of motorsport: Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Jaguar TCS Racing secured a one-two from Monaco after Mitch Evans topped the podium for the first time around the iconic circuit.

Teammate Nick Cassidy furthered his championship hopes by taking second place, bringing his campaign within seven points of current leader Pascal Wehrlein.

How Did Race Day Unfold?

“any hopes of a win were thwarted when the safety car was deployed”

The first practice of the day (FP1) gives teams and drivers their first opportunity to test the car and track conditions. This is followed by a second practice, during which they can tweak the car’s settings and trial strategies based on the data from FP1.

Unsurprisingly, Evans came out on top after practice, leading into qualifying with useful experience under his belt. 

However, it was Wehrlein who ended the run-up to the race in pole position. The German-Mauritian driver was followed by Vandoorne, then the Jaguars of Cassidy and Evans.

Wehrlein’s Porsche started in pole position before conceding the lead after choosing to take the attack mode line on the third lap. His tactics backfired, however, after any hopes of a win were thwarted when the safety car was deployed. The fourth lap saw contact between Sébastien Buemi and António Félix da Costa. Shortly after, Edoardo Mortara’s bizarre move straight into the wall after Tabac brought out the safety car.

Evans led the pack from the tenth lap, swapping with his teammate for the second half of the race to save energy. Jaguar demonstrated ideal team tactics to the rest of the grid, deciding to allow Evans to maintain his lead and pull away from the pack.

Monaco Controversies

Evans’ teammate Cassidy seemed on board with the game plan, bringing home second place. This was not quite as impressive as his 2023 performance here, starting in ninth and going on to win, which is unheard of in modern Formula 1.

Evans thanked his team after the win and said: “I’ve been waiting so long for this, even before Formula E,” said Evans immediately after taking victory. “It’s been a great bit of teamwork with Nick [Cassidy]. This one is for the team.”

“the Monaco E-Prix continues to provide some of the best racing motorsports in Formula E”

F1 fans have long criticised Monaco for its lack of overtaking opportunities, whereas due to the size of the cars in Formula E, more action is likely to occur.

This argument was demonstrated by newbie Taylor Barnard, who became the youngest Formula E driver ever at 19 years old. Barnard finished in 14th place, having progressed significantly from the back of the grid in the NEOM McLaren of Sam Bird. The British driver broke his wrist before his visit to the principality, allowing Barnard to drive.

Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne completed the podium, unable to challenge the Jaguar leaders, with DS Penske teammate Jean-Eric Vergne in fourth. Wehrlein fell from pole position to finish fifth.

British driver Oliver Rowland rose from 15th place to sixth in the first ten laps, earning the Driver of Progress award.

Reigning champion and fellow Brit Jake Dennis had a less-than-ideal race around the iconic Monaco circuit, finishing without points. His goal of winning consecutive championships now looks even further out of reach.

Despite the controversy surrounding its place in the calendar of other racing series, the Monaco E-Prix continues to provide some of the best racing motorsports in Formula E.

Formula E returns on June 29 when the drivers take to the track for a double-header in Portland, USA.

READ NEXT:

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• FORMULA 1: MONACO GRAND PRIX RECAP 2024

• YOUNGEST DRIVER EVER: MAX VERSTAPPEN’S FORMULA 1 DEBUT

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Featured image courtesy of Matt Forfar via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.