LONDON — Nick Cassidy led all the way in a rain-soaked final race of the Formula E season in London to claim the Teams’ World Championship title for Envision Racing, edging out Mitch Evans and Jaguar TCS Racing who finished second in the race and the teams’ title fight.
Torrential rain in the hours leading up to Round 16, the second race in the Hankook London E-Prix, created treacherous conditions on the outdoor sections of the unique outdoor and indoor 2.09 km track at the ExCeL London events arena.
While the outcome of cricket’s Ashes was impacted by the classic downpours of a British summer, the 22 drivers were eventually able to get underway and complete the full 38-lap race which would decide the outcome of the teams’ championship.
“It’s mixed emotions but ultimately I’m very happy because today was a difficult day for me mostly because I didn’t sleep well last night, I arrived late – but I did the business so I’m proud,” Cassidy said. “The team have been absolutely incredible. They’re an incredible bunch of people and they work so hard.
“Of course every team does but these guys have been close on so many occasions and I think that just shows how strong they have been in this championship, and to finally get it done for them I am super super happy.”
Both Jaguar TCS Racing and their Jaguar-powered customer team Envision Racing were on 268 points going into the final round, creating a compelling final chapter for fans despite Jake Dennis winning the Drivers’ World Championship title in Round 15 the day before.
Cassidy composed himself after multiple red flags and returned to the garage to claim a comfortable race win, leading home fellow New Zealander Mitch Evans and rookie champion Jake Dennis in third to win a maiden title for Envision Racing.
Ultimately, it was an emphatic win for the Kiwi. He started in Julius Bär Pole Position, led from lights-to-flag and set the TAG Heuer Fastest Lap of the race. He kept Evans at arm’s length throughout while the lead pair also extended a 10 second advantage over next-best Dennis with track conditions and visibility as tough as they can be in motorsport.
Cassidy’s conclusive victory in the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 earned him runner-up in the Drivers’ World Championship.
The final round of Season 9 ended with Envision Racing extending beyond their previous best of third place to top the table ahead of their factory Jaguar TCS Racing team by 12 points.
The Porsche-powered Avalanche Andretti Formula E Team was also able to edge their factory supplier TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team to third by 10 points. Dennis finished 30 points clear of Cassidy with Evans third and Wehrlein fourth.