Jake Dennis has put himself in pole position to claim the 2023 Formula E crown at the London season finale, after winning race two at the Rome E-Prix.
Dennis heads to his home E-Prix next weekend with a huge 24-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship over Nick Cassidy, following one of the most dramatic double-headers in the sport’s history. The Avalanche Andretti Formula E driver kept his nose clean in the Eternal City, whilst he also broke the record for most podiums in a single Formula E season.
His second victory of the season on Sunday marked his ninth trip to the podium this season, eclipsing the previous record of eight. With just two races in the British capital remaining and a maximum of 58 points up for grabs, it’s difficult not to view Dennis as the clear favourite for the title.
The 28-year-old entered the Italian capital with a miniscule one-point lead over Cassidy, which he lost following a frustrating opening race. Dennis started race one in seventh and did briefly lead mid-race, after making his way to the front following a 42-minute stoppage because of a huge six-car crash.
However, a miscalculation on how long the race would last by Andretti saw Dennis tumble down to fourth, with the Briton having been forced to preserve energy. “You guys have f***ed me again, like last year,” shouted Dennis on the team radio, with a similar error having been made at the Circuito Cittadino dell’EUR last season.
He just about held on for fourth but lost the championship lead, due to Cassidy having finished second behind fellow title rival Mitch Evans. As a result, Dennis slipped five points behind the Envision Racing driver in the standings.
Dennis clearly meant business on Sunday and was blisteringly quick in qualifying ahead of the 14th round of the season, as he progressed all the way to the final. To add to the excitement of the title fight, he met Cassidy in the fight for pole. It was the Briton who narrowly came out on top, to put himself in the best position in pursuit of victory.
He made an excellent start to the race and led from Cassidy and Evans, meaning the top three in the standings occupied the top three places on track. Drama struck on the second lap though, as Evans launched over the top of his fellow Kiwi at Turn 7, taking the pair off the circuit.
Dennis presumably couldn’t believe his luck, as Evans retired from the race, whilst Cassidy rejoined at the back of the pack. With his two rivals nowhere to be seen, Dennis controlled the remainder of the race ahead of Norman Nato and Sam Bird, to claim a potentially title-defining victory. Cassidy could only recover to 14th, following a late collision with Dennis’ team-mate André Lotterer.
The mammoth win has put Dennis on the cusp of the title, which he can claim in the first race in London. He was “lost for words” after the race, with him viewing his win as “redemption” for what happened in race one.
“I am honestly lost for words how we have just won that race”, Dennis said in his post-race interview.
“It was so tactical inside the cockpit, trying to keep Bird within a certain distance because obviously he is going to try and help Mitch. I really needed Norman as my wingman that race, and we worked together really well.
“I gave him space to help him defend when Bird went on ATTACK MODE and then when I needed the same he did just that. Wow, what a race, what a team for giving me this incredible car. I have said it a million times, but after yesterday’s mistake we turned it around. Full redemption. I can’t wait to celebrate with them.”
The Nuneaton-born driver now heads home where he can seal his first ever World Championship, with his most recent title success having come in the 2012 Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup. Dennis has urged the British fans to “all come out” to the ExCeL Centre next weekend, where he aims to “do the business”.
“Now we have a home race in London, we are big there,” said Dennis, who’s won two of the last four races at the London E-Prix.
“I expect to see a lot of British fans – make sure you all come out guys! We are going to try and do the business there, but I am going to enjoy this for now. I need an ice bath!”
