A stunning display saw Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy claim his third win of the season at the inaugural Portland E-Prix as both championships are up for grabs.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship did its thing in the Pacific Northwest for the first time on Saturday for the Portland E-Prix, and Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy did his thing, winning for the third time in 2023 to reignite his, and Envision Racing’s, championship challenge.
Cassidy began his afternoon in Oregon sitting in third place in the Drivers’ Championship standings, six points adrift of Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein. Despite starting the first ever Portland E-Prix in 10th, Cassidy judged his race to perfection, overtaking left, right and centre, mixing speed and strategy, to end up at the front when it mattered in a frantic E-Prix.
The Portland International Raceway is no stranger to dramatic motorsport battles. The fast and flowing circuit offered a different challenge from the more familiar street-circuit layouts, but proved a welcome home for the GEN3 Formula E machinery.
Amid the chaotic, sometimes three-wide pack racing in Portland, Cassidy’s team-mate Sébastien Buemi enjoyed a rewarding afternoon. The Swiss driver started back in 16th, but kept out of trouble and saved energy well to cap his best result since April’s Berlin E-Prix, claiming fifth in North America.
Great racing team 💚 pic.twitter.com/PGVULaWps1
— Envision Racing (@Envision_Racing) June 25, 2023
THE RACE
Cassidy started the inaugural Portland E-Prix in 10th place, for the third race in a row. The Envision Racing Driver made immediate progress, and as up front polesitter Jake Dennis held the lead, Cassidy found himself in fifth by the beginning of lap two of 28.
From the opening laps it quickly became clear patience, and a strict energy saving strategy would be key to success in Portland. By lap three, Cassidy tentatively cycled to the lead, relegating Dennis to second, with Rene Rast holding third. On lap four, Cassidy became the first of the frontrunners to take an Attack Mode phase, dropping to fourth.
It's a clean start for everyone here but it's Nick Cassidy who's made the biggest impact early on!
He's made up FIVE places on the first lap and moves into P5.@Southwire #PortlandEPrix pic.twitter.com/DpWoBGe5x5
— ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (@FIAFormulaE) June 25, 2023
One lap later the first safety car was triggered by the stricken Mahindra of Roberto Merhi, with the restart coming on lap seven and Norman Nato heading the pack. As several of the leading drivers including Cassidy took Attack Mode, further back, Envision Racing’s Buemi managed to make ground, moving up to 12th.
Back at the front it was a calculated tussle, with drivers giving themselves plenty of racing room as the positions swapped in anticipation of a late-race squabble for the win. As Cassidy took the lead on lap 10, a sizeable crash for Nico Müller brought out another safety car phase.
With the heavily damaged Abt removed from the circuit, racing resumed on lap 16 with Nato heading the field to the green flag, and Cassidy fending off Maximilian Günther, before somewhat reluctantly retaking the lead on lap 18. Cassidy managed to artfully lead whilst also saving energy, putting him in a strong position for the closing laps.
By lap 20, the whole pack was playing a waiting game and saving energy, with Cassidy somehow remaining at the head of the field, finally being passed by António Félix da Costa two laps later.
For the first time the pack racing formation was broken, as da Costa pulled away from Cassidy, with Günther holding third, as it was announced that due to the earlier safety car phases, four laps would be added to the initial 28-lap race duration.
Cassidy retook the lead at the beginning of lap 27, passing da Costa at the final turn as Dennis moved into third. Third became second for Dennis as the race entered its final four laps and the battle for victory was well and truly on with Cassidy up front.
Da Costa passed Cassidy at the end of lap 29, only to be repassed by the Envision Racing man a few hundred metres later as incredibly, Buemi found himself in fourth and in with a shot for a podium.
The final lap started with Cassidy up front. Could the Envision Racing driver hold on for a third win of the year? The answer was yes, as the Berlin and Monaco winner resisted a resurgent Dennis to take the chequered flag and end up just one point off the lead of the Drivers’ Championship.
Behind Cassidy, Buemi sealed a superb fifth place to bag vital points for the Teams’ Championship, putting Envision Racing just four points adrift of Porsche as the team heads back to Europe for the final four races of the season.
“We’ve had a good run in America over the last couple of years, and I love racing here,” said Cassidy.
“That race was fun, it was so close and the battle with both da Costa and Jake was pretty intense. Credit to Envision Racing, what a car, what a powertrain, it allowed us to move up the field and fight at the front and get the win.”
Season 8: @NickCassidy_ wins in the USA 🇺🇸
Season 9: @NickCassidy_ wins in the USA 🇺🇸@Southwire #PortlandEPrix pic.twitter.com/vZhzsgJERo— ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (@FIAFormulaE) June 25, 2023
Drivers’ standings (after Rd 12):
1. Jake Dennis, 154pts
2. Nick Cassidy, 153pts
3. Pascal Wehrlein, 136pts
4. Mitch Evans, 122pts
5. Jean-Éric Vergne, 97pts
8. Sébastien Buemi, 72pts
Teams’ standings (after Rd 12):
1. Porsche Formula E Team, 229pts
2. Envision Racing, 225pts
3. Jaguar Racing, 190pts
4. Avalanche Andretti, 177pts
5. DS Penske, 139pts