Nick Cassidy became an unlikely winner at the Berlin E-Prix, while Oliver Rowland secured his maiden Formula E title.
With Oliver Rowland standing on the brink of winning his maiden Formula E title, all eyes were on the Briton and Pascal Wehrlein.
Title rival and reigning world champion Pascal Wehrlein started the race from pole position, with Rowland back in eighth place. If Rowland harboured serious ambitions of wrapping up the title at the Berlin E-Prix, he would need to move up the order quickly.
The rain that plagued Friday and Saturday’s running had evaporated, setting up a fascinating duel for the title at Berlin Tempelhof circuit.
Lights out leads to immediate energy saving at the Berlin E-Prix
At lights out, polesitter Wehrlein Got a good start off the line at the Berlin E-Prix, holding the lead into the first corner. The field was well-behaved, with no dramatic moves or incidents.
Taylor was on the move, starting from seventh, he moved into third at the end of the first lap. Rowland opted to be conservative, only moving up one place.
David Beckmann took four minutes of Attack Mode on lap 3, the rest of the grid choosing not to. He passed Rowland, as Barnard began to slip back, moving down to eighth.
Ticktum took the lead on lap 5 from Wehrlein, Rowland remaining in seventh. Beckmann utilised his Attack Mode to move into second behind his team-mate, moving into the lead shortly afterwards.
Antonio Felix Da Costa and Wehrlein moved past Beckmann to give Porsche second and third. Beckmann then began to slip back, dropping to fifth by lap 9.
The top three continued their tussle, as Wehrlein, Ticktum and Da Costa swapped positions over the next few laps, all taking turns leading.
Robin Frijns became a wild card, moving into second place from further back in the top six, before moving backwards. Ticktum was now third, before taking the lead again on lap 12. The lead would change over the next few laps.
Barnard went on a charge on lap 17, moving from fifth to second, three cars went into the tight turn six, all surviving the encounter. Another lunge from the Briton later in the lap gave him the lead.
Two Safety Car triggers Attack Mode flurries and ruins strategies
Sebastien Buemi crawled to a halt, bringing out the Safety Car while the stricken Envision was recovered. Mortara became only the second driver to take Attack Mode on lap 19 just before, ruining his strategy.
After one lap behind the Safety car, the Berlin E-Prix resumed. Barnard led into the first corner, opting to take his Attack Mode immediatley. Slotting back into third, retook the lead two corners later. Pulling over 1.8 seconds clear, his bild strategy looked to have worked, until a Safety Car due to team-mate Sam Bird colliding with Nico Mueller.
The race resumed again on lap 26. Wehrlein, Frijns, and Rowland all dived for Attack Mode, while Barnard continued to lead for the moment. Da Costa and Mitch Evans took theirs on the next lap.
Wehrlein took back the lead on lap 28, as Barnard started to slip back, dropping to seventh in one corner as he saved energy.
Rowland was not making the progress he needed, now in fourth place. He made dive down the inside on Evans and Da Costa to take the lead on lap 30. Wehrlein meanwhile was now 13th and out of championship contention.
Rowland dropped to fourth, but was still in prime position to take the title.
Closing laps of the Berlin E-Prix
The Briton dropped from fourth to ninth, taking his final Attack Mode on lap 33. Moving back into second on the next lap, he had three minutes of Attack Mode remaining, he retook the lead and began to create a gap to those behind him.
Wehrlein, was now upto 11th having taken his second Attack Mode, but remained firmly out of contention.
It was Nick Cassidy who looked set to become the wildcard option to win, as he took the lead on lap 37. Lapping 1.4 seconds faster, he went for broke to try and win. Jake Dennis moved into second.
Rowland was demoted to fourth, but this would still be enough to secure the title. Evans, now with this Attack Mode, was hunting Rowland. He and Barnard battled hard, allowing Rowland to extend his lead, and secure the title.
Robin Frijns and Zane Maloney brought out a full-course yellow that effectively ended the race, stopping any further challenges.
Cassidy took the win, from Dennis and Jean-Eric Vergne, Rowland fourth, Evans fifth, Barnard sixth, Drugovich seventh, Muller eighth, Da Costa ninth, and Sérgio Sette Câmara completed the top ten.
Session Classification
- Nick Cassidy
- Jake Dennis
- Jean-Eric Vergne
- Oliver Rowland
- Mitch Evans
- Taylor Barnard
- Felipe Drugovich
- Nico Muller
- Antonio Felix Da Costa
- Sérgio Sette Câmara
- Jake Hughes
- Edo Mortara
- Lucas Di Grassi
- Stoffel Vandoorne
- Dan Ticktum
- Pascal Wehrlein
- David Beckmann
Not Classified
Zane Maloney
Robin Frijns
Maximillian Gunther
Sam Bird
Sebastien Buemi
