Oliver Rowland took pole position during a fast and frantic Qualifying session for Sunday’s Monaco E-Prix.
The weather dramatically changed in Monaco with just minutes to go until the start of the Qualifying for Sunday’s Monaco E-Prix.
Gone was the blazing Mediterranean sunshine of Friday and Saturday, replaced with persistent and large showers. Soaking the Monaco circuit, the drivers would see their skill and guile tested around Monaco’s unforgiving barriers.
With Mitch Evans leading the final Free Practice session, eyes were on Jaguar to see if the reigning team’s champions could return to the front of the grid. Oliver Rowland meanwhile, was awarded a suspended three-place grid penalty for the rest of the season after practice, following exiting the pits under a red light.
Dan Ticktum’s fortunes, like the weather, had also reversed. His stoppage threatened to prevent him from taking part in Qualifying. but his team were able to fix the issues plaguing his car. Qualifying in Monaco would end in controversy for Oliver Rowland and the DS Penske drivers.
Group A
The first group headed out on the track, the pit lane soaked from the deluge, with standing water a real issue. The drivers cautiously completed their first laps, getting a feel for the conditions.
With no temperatures in the tyres, Oliver Rowland struggled in the conditions, running wide in sector 1, and almost put the car into the barrier on the pit straight.
The rest of the field fared no better, with all drivers wrestling for control of their cars. With less than five minutes to go, only Nyck de Vries had managed a lap time under two minutes.
An opportunity for those who had a difficult Saturday, both Lola’s looked to capitalise. Lucas Di Grassi and Zane Maloney moved into the top four, as the track began to dry up.
As the clock clicked down, Antonio Felix Da Costa saw his last lap compromised by Evans. But it was Evans who was eliminated. De Vries shot to the top of the times, Da Costa in second, with Oliver Rowland and Dan Ticktum progressing to the duels.
Eliminated: Zane Maloney, Lucas di Grassi, Jake Hughes, Norman Nato, Mitch Evans, Robin Frijns, Edoardo Mortara
Group B
At the green flag, all of Group B quickly took to the track for Qualifying. Like Group A, grip was in short demand. But no one had a dramatic incident in the opening laps that rivalled Rowland. Nick Cassidy’s first lap could not break under two minutes, with the rest of the group following suit.
The pace ramped up on the second runs, Cassidy extending his advantage, with Pascal Wehrlein moving into second for Porsche.
The next laps saw a flurry of different leaders as the track continued to evolve. However,Sam Bird found the barrier at Saint Devote, suffering a heavy impact. Crashing on the pit straight, he was a passenger as he hit the wall.
Bringing out the red flag, the session was suspended for a brief delay. Bird walked away, but now faced a compromised race.
When the session resumed, all remaining cars took the circuit, with just 2 minutes 46 seconds remaining. The rain now easing, drivers had just one lap to secure a place in the duels. Everyone found time in the conditions.
It became a case of becoming the last driver to cross the line to maximise lap pace. Sebastien Buemi nailed his lap using his experience to jump to the top of the times, despite vocal displeasure at other drivers for backing off as the clock counted down.
Jean Eric Vergne was second, Stoffel Vandoorne third, and Maximillian Gunther took the final duel’s spot.
Title contenders Wehrlein and Taylor Barnard were also eliminated and would need to work hard in the race to secure a result.
Eliminated: Pascal Wehrlein, Jake Dennis, Nick Cassidy, Taylor Barnard, David Beckmann, Nico Muller Sam Bird.
Quarter Finals
Oliver Rowland vs Antonio Felix Da Costa
Rowland was first to start his lap, pulling out a tenth of a second over Da Costa after the first sector. Pulling out over half a second before the final sector, Rowland comfortably beat the Porsche driver to progress to the semi-finals of the Monaco E-Prix, beating the Porsche by 1.4 seconds.
Dan Ticktum vs Nyck de Vries
Ticktum began his lap first, lacking grip, and falling to 1.3 seconds behind after the first sector. Running wide at the chicane, his lap was all but over. He angrily radioed his team, but completed his lap. De Vries finished 2.8 seconds ahead of the Cupra Kiro.
Stoffel Vandoorne vs Jean Eric Vergne
Vandoorne crossed the timing line, lacking grip into Saint Devote. Vergne had a more stable entry, Vergne ahead by almost a second at the end of the first sector, clouting the barrier later in the lap. Vandoorne attempted to pull back time in the second sector, but still ended the lap over half a second behind the DS Penske.
Max Gunther vs Sebastien Buemi
Gunther ran wide into Casino Square, compromising his lap up the hill. Buemi meanwhile, struggled in the hairpin but continued. Gunther ran wide over the kerbs in the second sector, with Buemi performing the same. Gunther progressed into the semi finals, with Buemi having his lap-time deleted.
Monaco E-Prix Qualifying Semi Finals for Rowland and DS Penske
Nyck de Vries vs Oliver Rowland
De Vries crossed the timing line and proceeded to run wide into Saint Devote. Rowland, as if following a script, followed suit. The race was now on to see who could claw back the most time. Rowland held a two second advantage all through his lap, Rowland progressed to the final by 2.5 seconds.
Maxmillian Gunther vs Jean Eric Vergne
The two DS Penske’s were next to go head to head. Vergne held the advantage by the first corner, pulling out a tenth of a second by the end of the first sector. Both drivers then ran wide in sector, two, with Gunther’s lap deleted for running wide at the chicane. DS Penske saw their duel descend into farce as both drivers had their lap times deleted, leaving Rowland on pole position.
