Pascal Wehrlein has won the second Misano E-Prix, becoming the first man in Season 10 to take a second race win.
The German, starting from third on the grid, played his strategy perfectly, with Nissan’s Oliver Rowland running out of energy on the final lap, handing the Tag Heuer Porsche man the victory, as well as the lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
Jake Dennis claimed his second podium of the weekend, strengthening his title defence, with Nick Cassidy stealing the final podium spot on the final straight from ABT Cupra, denying the German what would have been a huge result for the team after a magnificently calm performance.
Pole-sitter Jake Hughes could not maintain his lead, but still managed to finish a creditable fifth, reward for what was a mature and fast weekend from the NEOM McLaren man. There was some consolation for Nissan, with Sacha Fenestraz taking his first points of the year with sixth place, and another surprise result from ERT, with Sergio Sette Cámara seventh.
Jean-Eric Vergne could not provide a challenge for the win, finishing eighth, with Max Günther ninth and Maserati MSG Racing team-mate Jehan Daruvala 10th – the Indian’s first points of the season.
After what was a dismal Saturday for both Wehrlein and Cassidy, the two title challengers can come away from Italy relieved that their title challenges are back on track.
HOW THE RACE UNFOLDED
Hughes led from pole, with the concertina effect providing some bunching-up immediately. Müller starting from fourth, looked racy early on and was very much in the mix, as da Costa made-up three places quickly, looking to prove his class after his heartbreaking disqualification on Saturday. Günther also kept himself in contention in eighth, as Cassidy held station in fourth before Sam Bird overtook him, a man also looking to bounce back after a missed opportunity in race one.
On lap five, Wehrlein took the lead, with Rowland 10th, and Vergne down to sixth. The reality-bending chaos of the extreme peloton style on Saturday was tempered with racing that, whilst still hectic, provided far more strategic calm.
The middle of the race would provide drama, though, the first casualty of the race being Robin Frijns, who was sandwiched by da Costa and Bird in the final sector, sending him skidding into the gravel. The Safety Car was deployed, which slowed the pack down more than usual, allowing the Envision Racing to be cleared without the need to add more laps to the race. After a brief time on track, the Safety Car did come in and racing would resume.
Both the Andrettis of Norman Nato and Jake Dennis looked considerably strung to race, with the Frenchman and the reigning World Champion overtaking Bird in quick succession. Hughes went back in front and quickly opted for Attack Mode, giving the lead straight to Cassidy, but on lap 15 would run wide in the midst of battle, costing him time.
Da Costa’s dreadful weekend continued with a puncture, sustained after tagging the back of Vergne’s Penske at the first corner on lap 12.
Nato was to then suffer a picture, blunting what was fantastic progress, handing the Andretti responsibility solely on Dennis’ shoulders.
Evans stopped out on track on lap 17, before getting going again, but his interest in the race now finished. Buemi then retired on the same lap, completing a miserable day for Envision.
On lap 18 Wehrlein and Rowland battled for position, the German edging his Porsche ahead, with Rowland retaking the lead three laps later. In the latter stages of the race, both men pulled clear of Dennis, and with the final lap approaching, it was clear one of both men would win. Rowland led with 10 percent, but Wehrlein had 14, and with Rowland pulling away, it seemed that he had miscalculated his strategy.
On the final lap, the inevitable happened.
Rowland’s battery said ‘no more’ and the Nissan slowed, letting Wehrlein through into the lead, and with the buffer over the cars behind, the German had enough of a buffer to comfortably cruise to a victory, the first man in 2024 to win more than one race, and re-taking the lead of the championship.
All eyes quickly switched to Dennis, Müller and Cassidy, the three duelling to the very end, with Dennis claiming second after some intelligent defensive driving. Cassidy pipped Müller by just five thousandths of a second, leaving those in the ABT garage crestfallen.
Whilst Rowland can feel fortunate in the way he was handed victory in race one late on Saturday night, he could feel every right to feel disappointed that a double victory was one lap away, to strengthen a title advantage.
For Wehrlein, the win helped cement some joy for Porsche after what may have been incredulity felt with da Costa’s disqualification, and firmly re-establishes his World Championship credentials.
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