Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy took victory in Race 2 of the Formula E Shanghai E-Prix double-header, producing a masterclass in a race thwarted by heavy rainfall.
After taking pole position in the morning – the session being halted after the group stages – Cassidy took the lead and never relinquished it, showing more confidence in the inclement conditions better than anyone else, to take his first win since Berlin last season.
Reigning World Champion Pascal Wehrlein finished second, with Tag Heuer Porsche team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa third.
Jake Hughes took fourth in a morale-boosting result for the Brit, with Jean-Eric Vergne ensuring points in both races with fifth.
Nico Mueller showed flashes of brilliance to take sixth, with the second Maserati of Stoffel Vandoorne seventh.
Robin Frijns was eighth, with Lucas di Grassi scoring more points for Lola-Yamaha-ABT.
Birthday boy Taylor Barnard completed a late surge through the field to prevent a double Lola points finish, taking Zane Maloney late on.
Proceedings were due to start two hours earlier than originally scheduled, in a bid to prevent the rain ruining the events, but the depth of the rainfall caused a number of delays, with the green light eventually flashing at around 14.30 local time.
Cassidy leaves all others floundering
The race started under the Safety Car and it remained that way for seven laps, but race eventually got going, with Cassidy maintaining his lead.
The Jaguar immediately went for Attack Mode, followed by the leading cars except di Grassi who opted for the offet.
Hughes went past the Lola on Lap 2, and the Brazilian responded by taking his first Attack Mode, with Wehrlein working his way past his team-mate for second.
Further back, Nyck de Vries’ Mahindra completed a spectacular spin, but managed to rejoin, his car intact.
Race 1 winner Max Guenther was keen to make up some ground, but Mueller took position off of him, as further at the front, Wehrlein’s progress on catching Cassidy was undone by running wide, but managing to keep the Porsche going.
As others struggled, slipped and slid further behind, Cassidy cruised ahead at the front. Racing did continue further back however, with Vandoorne taking di Grassi for seventh place.
The further down the order, the less Attack Modes were being used, as Cassidy now opened-up a lead of over five seconds on Wehrlein.
It was a weekend of two extremes for Guenther, the DS Penske being forced into retirement due to a technical fault.
Cassidy now opted for his second attack, as Barnard started to begin his progress through the field, moving from 14th up to 12th quickly, taking Jake Dennis in the process.
The Safety Car at the start instigated three extra laps added at the end, as Barnard used the extra time he was afforded by it to move up into the points, a contrast for McLaren as team-mate Sam Bird spun, dropping him down to 15th amid the processional order at the back.
It may have been a slightly hollow result of sorts due to the weather truncating the action, but Cassidy produced a masterclass of wet weather car control to take his first victory of the season.
Amid the speculation as to the Kiwi’s future next season, and the contentious nature of his race-ruining spin on Saturday, his first win in over a year was a welcome sight.
After many have witnessed Cassidy cut such a dejected figure of late, it was a welcome sight for many to see him have reason to smile.
READ MORE – Shanghai E-Prix: Nick Cassidy takes pole in a qualifying without duels
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