The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli bore witness to an electrifying showdown in Round 7 of the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, culminating in a dramatic victory for Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein. The German driver capitalized on an unforeseen energy miscalculation by Saturday’s winner, Oliver Rowland, who heartbreakingly lost his commanding lead on the very last lap of the Misano Eprix, allowing Wehrlein to sweep in and claim his second win of the season.
Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free
A Weekend of High Drama at Misano
The Misano E-Prix weekend proved to be a rollercoaster of emotions, strategy, and unforeseen twists, solidifying its place as a pivotal point in the championship calendar. After a thrilling first race on Saturday that saw Nissan’s Oliver Rowland take a hard-fought victory – only for Antonio Felix da Costa’s initial win to be stripped due to a technical infringement – anticipation was exceptionally high for Sunday’s second encounter. Drivers and teams alike arrived with refined strategies, eager to capitalize on track knowledge gained and rectify any missteps. The unique challenge of Misano, a high-energy circuit demanding meticulous management, set the stage for another captivating display of electric motorsport.
Oliver Rowland, having triumphed the previous day, looked poised to replicate his success, leading the pack with formidable pace and seemingly perfect energy conservation. However, the unforgiving nature of Formula E energy management delivered a cruel blow. In a devastating turn of events, Rowland’s Nissan suddenly slowed out of Turn 5 on the final lap, his battery depleted, watching his assured double victory vanish in an instant. His team principal, Tommaso Volpe, later confirmed the team suspected an error in their car’s data mapping, highlighting the razor-thin margins and immense complexities of balancing speed with sustainability in electric racing.
The Battle for the Podium: Wehrlein, Dennis, and Cassidy Shine
As Rowland’s misfortune unfolded, Pascal Wehrlein, who had been diligently stalking the leader with a calculated energy advantage, smoothly swept into the lead. The Porsche driver completed the final lap unchallenged, crossing the chequered flag to secure a momentous victory – his second of the season. This triumph not only marked him as the first driver to achieve multiple wins in the 2024 campaign but also thrust him into a commanding position in the overall championship standings.
Behind the victorious Wehrlein, Andretti’s Jake Dennis delivered a stellar performance, securing a commendable second place. The reigning champion showcased his consistent pace and expert energy management throughout the race, finishing just under two seconds adrift of the Porsche. The battle for the final podium spot was nothing short of breathtaking, with Jaguar’s Nick Cassidy snatching third place by an astonishingly narrow margin of just five-thousandths of a second from Abt Cupra’s Nico Mueller. This incredibly tight finish underscored the intense competition and the sheer skill required to extract every ounce of performance from the Formula E machinery.
Strategic Energy Management: The Heart of Formula E Racing
Much like Saturday’s thrilling opener, the bulk of Sunday’s Misano Eprix unfolded at a highly strategic and measured pace. Drivers were acutely focused on preserving their usable energy, a crucial element that dictates success in Formula E. The entire field operated in a tightly knit pack for a significant portion of the race, with minimal gaps emerging between the 22 cars, from the front-runners to the tail-enders. This “peloton” style racing, characteristic of Formula E on circuits like Misano, demands supreme concentration, precise driving, and shrewd energy calculations from both the drivers and their engineering teams. Overtaking opportunities were scarce in the initial phases, as any aggressive move could compromise precious energy reserves that would be vital in the closing stages.
As the race progressed past the halfway mark, the strategic dynamic began to shift. The pace intensified significantly, with the leading drivers gradually picking up their speed to create a decisive advantage. Oliver Rowland and Pascal Wehrlein, demonstrating exceptional car control and energy optimization, started to edge ahead, establishing a slight buffer over Jake Dennis in third place. This critical phase saw teams making tactical calls, pushing their drivers to manage the fine line between conserving power and building a lead, knowing that the final laps would demand maximum attack.
Incidents and Setbacks: A Race ofAttrition
The increased aggression inevitably led to several notable incidents that reshaped the field. Antonio Felix da Costa, who had started the race aiming to recover from his Saturday disqualification, unfortunately fell to the back of the pack after sustaining a broken front wing due to contact with Sam Bird. His Porsche teammate, Norman Nato, suffered a similar fate on the subsequent lap, adding to the team’s woes and highlighting the perilous nature of close-quarters racing.
Further down the order, Robin Frijns became the first retirement of the race following an entanglement between Sam Bird and Antonio Felix da Costa at Turn 7. The incident left Frijns’ steering damaged, sending his Envision car into the gravel and necessitating a brief but impactful Safety Car period. This safety car offered some drivers a reprieve in energy consumption but disrupted the rhythm of others. Frijns’ Envision teammate, Sebastien Buemi, also pulled into the pits shortly after, retiring from the race due to damage suffered to the front of his car following earlier contact, compounding the challenges faced by the Envision team.
The misfortunes continued for several other prominent drivers. Stoffel Vandoorne found himself a lap down after being forced into an unscheduled pit stop, severely hampering his chances. Mitch Evans, another championship contender, also experienced a momentary halt on the circuit due to an unspecified problem. While Evans managed to restart his Jaguar, the incident cost him significant time and relegated him well out of contention for points. Post-race, Lucas di Grassi received a five-second penalty for causing a collision, though he had already finished outside the points-scoring positions, mitigating the impact of the penalty on the overall standings.
The Dramatic Climax and Final Lap Heartbreak
As the Misano Eprix thundered towards its conclusion, Oliver Rowland maintained a seemingly comfortable lead, navigating the circuit with the precision of a driver destined for a double victory. However, Pascal Wehrlein remained a menacing presence in his rearview mirror, meticulously stalking the Nissan driver, keenly aware that he possessed a crucial energy advantage. Heading into the final lap, Rowland held a seemingly robust 1.4-second lead over the Porsche. The tension was palpable, as every fan anticipated a thrilling dash to the finish line.
Then, the impossible happened. Just moments after exiting Turn 5, Rowland’s Nissan, once a beacon of speed, abruptly slowed to a crawl. The harsh reality of energy depletion struck, instantly dissolving his chances of a fairytale double victory. The collective gasp from the pit lane and the television audience was almost audible as Rowland’s car limped around the remainder of the circuit, his dreams shattered. Wehrlein, seizing the opportunity with clinical efficiency, took over the lead without hesitation. He calmly completed the final lap, crossing the chequered flag to claim a momentous and somewhat astonishing victory, his second of the season. This crucial win established him as a serious contender for the championship title, marking him as the only driver to achieve multiple victories in what has been a fiercely competitive season so far.
Post-Race Penalties and Top Ten Reshuffle
While Wehrlein celebrated, the final classification saw some adjustments. Pole-sitter Jake Hughes, who had initially finished a strong fifth, was demoted to eighth place after receiving a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an unfair advantage. This penalty consequently promoted Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz, ERT’s Sergio Sette Camara, and DS Penske’s Jean-Eric Vergne into higher positions, reshaping the top six. Maximilian Guenther for Maserati MSG Racing and Jehan Daruvala, also for Maserati, rounded out the top ten, securing valuable points for their respective teams. Adding to his accolades, race winner Pascal Wehrlein also claimed the bonus point for setting the fastest lap, further solidifying his dominant performance.
Championship Implications: Wehrlein and Dennis Tied at the Top
The dramatic outcome of the second Misano Eprix profoundly impacted the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship standings. Pascal Wehrlein’s sensational victory propelled him to the very top of the drivers’ championship, now tied on points with Jake Dennis, both accumulating 89 points. However, Wehrlein currently holds the lead by virtue of the tie-breaker rule, having secured multiple victories this season compared to Dennis’s single win. Oliver Rowland’s heartbreaking failure to score points in Sunday’s race saw him drop to third in the standings, a testament to the brutal consequences of even a minor miscalculation in Formula E.
The championship battle is now incredibly tight, promising an exhilarating second half of the season. The next round, eagerly anticipated by fans and teams alike, is set to take place in the iconic streets of Monaco in two weeks’ time. The unique challenges of the Monte Carlo circuit, combined with the incredibly close competition witnessed at Misano, guarantee another unforgettable spectacle of electric street racing.
Formula E 2024 Round 7 Misano Eprix – Race Results:
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 94 | Pascal Wehrlein | Porsche | Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 |
| 2 | 1 | Jake Dennis | Andretti | Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 |
| 3 | 37 | Nick Cassidy | Jaguar | Jaguar I-Type 6 |
| 4 | 51 | Nico Mueller | Abt Cupra | Mahindra M10Electro |
| 5 | 23 | Sacha Fenestraz | Nissan | Nissan e-4ORCE 04 |
| 6 | 3 | Sergio Sette Camara | ERT | ERT X24 |
| 7 | 25 | Jean-Eric Vergne | DS Penske | DS E-TENSE FE23 |
| 8 | 5 | Jake Hughes | McLaren | Nissan e-4ORCE 04 |
| 9 | 7 | Maximilian Guenther | Maserati | Maserati Tipo Folgore |
| 10 | 18 | Jehan Daruvala | Maserati | Maserati Tipo Folgore |
| 11 | 8 | Sam Bird | McLaren | Nissan e-4ORCE 04 |
| 12 | 11 | Lucas di Grassi | Abt Cupra | Mahindra M9Electro |
| 13 | 48 | Edoardo Mortara | Mahindra | Mahindra M10Electro |
| 14 | 33 | Dan Ticktum | ERT | ERT X24 |
| 15 | 21 | Nyck de Vries | Mahindra | Mahindra M10Electro |
| 16 | 9 | Mitch Evans | Jaguar | Jaguar I-Type 6 |
| 17 | 22 | Oliver Rowland | Nissan | Nissan e-4ORCE 04 |
| 18 | 17 | Norman Nato | Andretti | Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 |
| 19 | 13 | Antonio Felix da Costa | Porsche | Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 |
| Ret | 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | DS Penske | DS E-TENSE FE23 |
| Ret | 16 | Sebastien Buemi | Envision | Jaguar I-Type 6 |
| Ret | 4 | Robin Frijns | Envision | Jaguar I-Type 6 |
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter andgo ad-free
More Formula E Coverage:
- McLaren to quit Formula E at end of season
- Wehrlein beats Jaguar pair to title in dramatic Formula E finale
- Wehrlein’s London win sets up thrilling three-way title showdown in finale
- Da Costa takes hat-trick of wins in chaotic second Portland race
- Da Costa inherits Portland win from Evans after Cassidy spins lead away
Browse all Formula E articles