Jake Dennis has retaken the Formula E Championship lead by winning this morning’s Rome E-Prix after closest rivals Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans were involved in a Lap 2 collision that sent Evans airborne while battling for the lead.
Evans would fail to finish, while Cassidy rejoined at the rear of the field and moved forward but failed to challenge the top 10.
Norman Nato was the second driver home, while Sam Bird overcame yesterday’s huge impact to reward his team with a podium. Miraculously, all 22 cars would take to the grid following yesterday’s multi-car pileup.
The race narrative was set in qualifying, with Dennis reducing Cassidy’s championship lead to just two points by taking pole. The two championship front-runners progressed through the group stages, quarter-finals and semi-finals, setting up a blockbuster showdown for top spot honours.
Cassidy would overcome Evans in the semi-finals, while Dennis got the better of Norman Nato, meaning the championship top three were all present across the front two rows.
Dennis would lead off the start while Cassidy, Evans and Nato battled it out behind, swapping places before the Envision driver slotted into second and Evans took third by the end of Lap 1.
They would all come unstuck on Lap 2, with Evans locking up into Turn 7 and collecting the rear of Cassidy, who was attempting a move for the lead on the outside. Evans was launched airborne onto the top of his compatriot before falling hard to sustain significant damage, while Cassidy was forced down the escape road.
Cassidy could resume from the rear of the field without stopping for repairs while Evans limped to the lane and briefly retook to the track before retiring on Lap 6.
A Safety Car was Cassidy’s saving grace, with the Kiwi restarting in 19th and making quick progress as others utilised their attack modes. By Lap 11 he was challenging for the top ten, while Dennis was holding off Bird in a fierce battle for the lead.
Cassidy would drop to 15th after activating both attack modes as Dennis continued to lead Nato, who had taken front-wing damage but remained out.
Dennis would pull a gap over the final laps, as Nato held off Bird for second, taking the race win and retaking the championship lead.
Cassidy’s miserable day would continue on the final lap as the Kiwi attempted a lunge on Andre Lotterer, which saw the two come together with the latter in the wall.
Cassidy now sits second in the standings but has 23 points to overturn in the final race weekend, a double-header at Dennis’s home London E-Prix.
Evans remains third in the standings but is 43 points behind the championship leader, with only a maximum of 58 points up for grabs in London.
The London E-Prix double-header takes place on July 29 and 30.
