Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans showed flashes of promise for Jaguar TCS Racing in the opening race of the Monaco E-Prix double-header overnight, but both Kiwis were left frustrated after a dramatic and ultimately disappointing outing in Round 6 of the FIA Formula E World Championship.
Cassidy, who started 19th after a disrupted qualifying session, delivered one of the standout drives of the day.
The 2023 Monaco winner surged through the field with an aggressive early strategy, opting to take Attack Mode and the new Pit Boost charge early — the latter introduced in Monaco as a mandatory 5-second stop offering extra energy for the race. His bold approach saw him climb into the top six by the midpoint of the race, with some sharp overtakes and clever energy use.
The Kiwi also set the fastest lap of the race and appeared poised for a remarkable recovery drive. But a poorly timed full-course yellow was deployed just 40 seconds after his second Attack Mode, neutralising his gains. To make matters worse, a misjudged energy target forced Cassidy to push too hard too early, leaving him short in the closing laps. He eventually dropped to 18th.
“Today was a hard day,” Cassidy said. “A technical issue in FP1 put us on the back foot through qualifying, so we decided on an aggressive strategy for the race. It worked well early, but the Full Course Yellow ruined our race. Fastest lap is little consolation — but we go again tomorrow.”
Evans, who qualified eighth, looked on track for a solid result and had yet to use either of his Attack Modes or Pit Boost when a suspected powertrain cut brought his car to a halt on track. A full reset was required to get going again, costing him significant time and dropping him to the back of the field. He recovered to finish 20th.
“We started the race solidly in the points with two Attack Mode deployments still to take when I had a powertrain cut,” said Evans. “When I got the Jaguar I‑TYPE 7 going again we were well down the field and so couldn’t compete for points — but the potential in the car is there, so we’re looking to bounce back strongly tomorrow.”
At the front, it was Oliver Rowland (Nissan) who emerged victorious after a tightly fought and strategic race. Nyck de Vries and Jake Dennis completed the podium in a field shaken by late cautions, energy saving gambles, and last-lap position changes.
It’s been a challenging start to the season for Jaguar’s Kiwi duo. Evans sits 11th in the Drivers’ standings, with Cassidy down in 18th, and both have recorded just one points finish from the opening six races.
It’s a stark contrast to this time last year, when the pair left Monaco sitting second (Cassidy) and fifth (Evans) in the championship.
With the second leg of the Monaco double-header taking place tomorrow (Monday NZT), they’ll be looking to bounce back and get their campaigns back on track.
Round 6 – Monaco ePrix Results:
| Pos. | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oliver Rowland | Nissan |
| 2 | Nyck de Vries | Mahindra |
| 3 | Jake Dennis | Andretti |
| 4 | Edoardo Mortara | Mahindra |
| 5 | Nico Müller | Andretti |
| 6 | Pascal Wehrlein | Porsche |
| 7 | Dan Ticktum | Cupra Kiro |
| 8 | Robin Frijns | Envision |
| 9 | Stoffel Vandoorne | Maserati |
| 10 | Maximilian Günther | DS Penske |
| 11 | Sam Bird | McLaren |
| 12 | Jean-Eric Vergne | DS Penske |
| 13 | Lucas di Grassi | Lola Yamaha ABT |
| 14 | Norman Nato | Nissan |
| 15 | David Beckmann | Cupra Kiro |
| 16 | Taylor Barnard | McLaren |
| 17 | Jake Hughes | Maserati |
| 18 | Nick Cassidy | Jaguar |
| 19 | Sebastian Buemi | Envision |
| 20 | Mitch Evans | Jaguar |
| 21 | Zane Maloney | Lola Yamaha ABT |
| DNF | Antonio Felix da Costa | Porsche |
Header Image: Jaguar TCS Racing
