Image: Simon Galloway courtesy of Formula E
Pascal Wehrlein emerged victorious in the second Misano E-Prix, becoming the first driver in Season 10 to secure a second race win.
Starting from third on the grid, the German executed his strategy flawlessly, taking advantage of Oliver Rowland’s energy depletion on the final lap. This handed Wehrlein the win and propelled him to the top of the Drivers’ Championship.
Jake Dennis secured his second podium finish of the weekend, further solidifying his position in the championship. Meanwhile, Nick Cassidy snatched the final podium spot from ABT Cupra on the last straight, denying the German team a significant result after an impressive performance.
Although pole-sitter Jake Hughes couldn’t maintain his lead, he managed to finish in a commendable fifth place. This was a well-deserved reward for his mature and speedy performance throughout the weekend. Nissan found some consolation with Sacha Fenestraz securing his first points of the season in sixth place. Additionally, Sergio Sette Cámara surprised with a seventh-place finish for ERT.
Jean-Eric Vergne couldn’t challenge for the win and settled for eighth. Max Günther finished ninth, while Jehan Daruvala, Maserati MSG Racing’s teammate, secured his first points of the season in tenth place.
After a disappointing Saturday for both Wehrlein and Cassidy, the two title contenders can now breathe a sigh of relief as their championship aspirations get back on track.
THE FIRST DOUBLE WINNER OF SEASON 10!!! 🏁@PWehrlein wins the #MisanoEPrix in DRAMATIC FASHION to become the first driver to secure 2x victories this year! 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/iAJDiJ5idl
HOW THE RACE UNFOLDED
Hughes took the lead from pole position, causing some bunching-up behind him. Müller, starting from fourth, showed early aggression and remained in the mix. Meanwhile, da Costa quickly made up three places, eager to prove himself after his disqualification on Saturday. Günther also stayed in contention in eighth place, while Cassidy held onto fourth until Sam Bird overtook him, seeking redemption after missing an opportunity in the first race.
On the fifth lap, Wehrlein took the lead, with Rowland in tenth and Vergne dropping to sixth. The chaotic nature of the extreme peloton style witnessed on Saturday was toned down, resulting in a more strategically calm race.
However, the middle of the race still provided some drama. The first casualty was Robin Frijns, who got caught between da Costa and Bird in the final sector, sending him skidding into the gravel. The Safety Car was deployed, slowing down the pack more than usual. Fortunately, the Envision Racing car was cleared without the need for additional laps. After a brief period, the Safety Car returned to the pits, and racing resumed.
Both Andretti drivers, Norman Nato and Jake Dennis, showed impressive pace, overtaking Bird in quick succession. Hughes reclaimed the lead and immediately activated Attack Mode, handing the lead to Cassidy. However, on lap 15, Hughes ran wide during a battle, costing him valuable time.
Da Costa’s dreadful weekend continued with a puncture after making contact with Vergne’s Penske at the first corner on lap 12.
Nato experienced a setback, blunting his fantastic progress and leaving the responsibility solely on Dennis’ shoulders.
Evans stopped on track on lap 17 but managed to continue. However, his race was effectively over. Buemi retired on the same lap, completing a miserable day for Envision.
On lap 18, Wehrlein and Rowland battled for position, with the German managing to edge ahead in his Porsche. Three laps later, Rowland regained the lead. In the final stages of the race, both drivers pulled away from Dennis, and it became clear that one of them would emerge victorious. Rowland led with 10 percent battery remaining, but Wehrlein had 14 percent. As Rowland pulled away, it seemed that he had miscalculated his strategy.
And on the final lap, it happened.
Rowland’s battery depleted, causing the Nissan to slow down and allowing Wehrlein to take the lead. With a comfortable buffer over the chasing cars, the German cruised to victory, becoming the first driver in 2024 to win more than one race and reclaiming the championship lead.
All attention quickly turned to Dennis, Müller, and Cassidy, who battled fiercely until the very end. Dennis displayed intelligent defensive driving and secured second place. Cassidy narrowly beat Müller by a mere five thousandths of a second, leaving the ABT garage disappointed.
While Rowland may feel fortunate for his late victory on Saturday night, he will also feel disappointed that a double victory slipped away, potentially strengthening his championship lead.
For Wehrlein, the win brought joy to Porsche after the disbelief caused by da Costa’s disqualification. It also reaffirmed his credentials as a contender for the World Championship.