Formula E: Andretti’s Jake Dennis wins Rome e-Prix 2

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Andretti driver Jake Dennis retook the lead of the Formula E championship after taking victory in the Rome E-Prix 2 Formula E race Sunday.

Dennis managed his energy perfectly to hold off Nissan’s Norman Nato and Jaguar’s Sam Bird who completed the podium.

Jake Dennis will be the heavy favorite for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship title heading into the season finale in London.

Dennis’ title rivals Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing), Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) and Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche) all floundered to give Dennis a 24-point in the standings he looks to become the first Brit to win the all-electric World Championship.

On lap 2 of the race Mitch Evans ran out of talent, missed his braking point and ran over Nick Cassidy while battling for 2nd right behind Dennis.

With the lights to flag win, Dennis moves back into the point lead with one race remaining. Once again, Michael Andretti’s customer Porsche team spanked the works Porsche effort.

The Maserati’s of Edoardo Mortara and Maximilian Gunther claimed fourth and sixth respectively, sandwiching Envision’s Sebastien Buemi in 5th.

Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein took seventh having started down in 15th, as Stoffel Vandoorne (DS Penske), Dan Ticktum (NIO 333) and Nico Muller (Abt Cupra) completed the top 10.

In spite of securing fourth-place in yesterday’s race, a one-two by Evans and Cassidy put the pressure on the Nuneaton driver going into the second race of the double-header.

But Dennis kept his cool in the searing heat to deliver when it mattered most and, speaking after the race, called on British fans to show their support for him and the team in London as he targets a coronation on home soil.

“I am honestly lost for words how we have just won that race”, he said. “It was so tactical inside the cockpit, trying to keep Bird within a certain distance because obviously he is going to try and help Mitch. I really needed Norman as my wingman that race, and we worked together really well. I gave him space to help him defend when Bird went on ATTACK MODE and then when I needed the same he did just that. Wow, what a race, what a team for giving me this incredible car. I have said it a million times, but after yesterday’s mistake we turned it around. Full redemption. I can’t wait to celebrate with them.

“Now we have a home race in London, we are big there. I expect to see a lot of British fans – make sure you all come out guys! We are going to try and do the business there, but I am going to enjoy this for now. I need an ice bath!”

Dennis led away from pole and just about kept himself out of the absolute disaster that struck his closest title rivals Cassidy and Evans behind on just the second lap of the race.

As the former took a look at Dennis for the lead into the braking zone at the infamous Turn 7, Evans lost the rear of his Jaguar in the compression, clipped the leader’s Andretti and spectacularly launched over the top of Cassidy’s Envision Racing Jaguar I-TYPE 6. Another huge moment in the battle for the Drivers’ title and one Dennis took full advantage of. Evans’ damage proved terminal, while Cassidy could only recover to 14th come the end of the race.

From there, the Brit looked assured and scampered away to the tune of three seconds at the checkered flag – helped by Nissan’s Norman Nato managing to hold off Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing) for the duration despite suffering early damage to his front wing. Nato finished in second place, while Bird rounded off the podium places.

Dennis takes a 24-point advantage over Cassidy into the season finale double-header in London, with Evans 44 points back in third, while Wehrlein retains a slim mathematical hope, 49 points shy of top spot with 58 points available. Envision Racing head the way in the Teams’ table by 14 points over TAG Heuer Porsche.

Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will reach its climax in London, with two races on 29 & 30 July.

Podium Quotes

Jake Dennis, No. 27, Avalanche Andretti Formula E team:

“I am honestly lost for words how we have just won that race. It was so tactical inside the cockpit, trying to keep Bird within a certain distance because obviously he is going to try and help Mitch. I really needed Norman as my wingman that race, and we worked together really well. I gave him space to help him defend when Bird went on ATTACK MODE and then when I needed the same he did just that. Wow, what a race, what a team for giving me this incredible car. I have said it a million times, but after yesterday’s mistake we turned it around. Full redemption. I can’t wait to celebrate with them.

“Now we have a home race in London, we are big there. I expect to see a lot of British fans – make sure you all come out guys! We are going to try and do the business there, but I am going to enjoy this for now. I need an ice bath!”

Norman Nato, No. 17, Nissan Formula E Team:

“I feel speechless at the moment. In qualifying we delivered a really strong performance, but I thought we could do what we can, but I didn’t think we can fight this guy (Dennis) because in races we are still missing a bit of efficiency. But honestly, I felt really good since the beginning of the race, I knew I was down on energy so I tried to manage, and honestly did a superb race as well. That’s the kind of race we like because we fight hard but in the end it was clean. I am really happy for the team but also for myself. After such a difficult beginning to the season, to beat the teams as we are doing right now, it shows all the progress we have made is starting to pay off.

“I had damage, I think from Mitch in turn four, when we were side by side, and he went on throttle and got a bit of oversteer and touched my front wing, so I had a bit of damage. I was a bit worried it was going on the tire or inside of the car. It could have been bad, but I was feeling so good and I had a go on Jake. It was maybe a bit too ambitious, and I think at this time he was managing, and he saw I was closing in. At the end, I had even more damage on my front wing, for two or three laps I saw the thing flying, but at least it came when everything was going well, so it’s our day!”

Sam Bird, No. 10, Jaguar TCS Racing:

“That was the most I’ve needed a podium in a long time. I wouldn’t say it is necessarily happy, it is more relief. I am happy to bring home valuable points for Jaguar in our quest to try and win the teams’ title, it is going to be an extremely hard fight when we get to London, we need to make sure we do our homework, try and improve a little bit, but what a heck of a fight it is going to be.

“I really didn’t know what to expect from myself, that is something that in all honesty I have struggled with recently, I don’t know what I am going to be doing once I get in the car. I have actually been really quick most of the year, I have just made too many errors, too much luck has gone wrong, or not gone my way. But I have made too many mistakes and I have paid the price for that. But nice and relieved to get a result today.”

Rome e-Prix 2 Results