Oliver Rowland prolonged his lead within the Components E drivers’ title race after profitable the second race of the Jeddah E-Prix double-header.
British historical past was made within the race, as the highest 4 positions had been taken by drivers from the UK.
Taylor Barnard continued his gorgeous rookie season and transformed pole into second, while Jake Hughes accomplished the rostrum.
Jake Dennis and Nick Cassidy each recovered from a poor qualifying, to safe fourth and fifth at a venue which produced distinctive racing within the all-electric sequence.
Da Costa agony
Taylor Barnard began from pole place because the youngest driver in Components E historical past to have ever executed so, while Stoffel Vandoorne began from final after being disqualified from qualifying.
Because the lights went out on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit – following the most important firework show in Jeddah historical past – it was Barnard who made a wonderful begin from pole.
Behind the 20-year-old, it was agony for former championship chief forward of the weekend Antonio Felix da Costa, who spun at Flip 4 after being struck by Friday night time’s winner Maximilian Günther.
Each drivers sustained harm, ensuing within the duo retiring. Within the opening laps, Barnard had his elbows out to take care of the lead, while Lucas di Grassi fought via to second after being the primary driver to activate Assault Mode.
Crucially, Saturday’s race adopted FE’s traditional format, with Pit Enhance having not been in use. Dan Ticktum was one other driver making early progress, transferring to fourth by Lap 6.
The normal peloton-style took impact rapidly, ensuing within the lead locations – together with P1 – altering a number of occasions.
In the direction of the again, McLaren’s Sam Chook obtained a five-second time penalty for not failing the race director’s directions after sustaining entrance wing harm.
Lap 16 and all of the lead drivers had activated their first Assault Modes. Once more, it was Rowland who gained an enormous benefit and led by over two seconds forward of Barnard.
Jean-Eric Vergne held third, with Robin Frijns and Jake Hughes having accomplished the highest 5. Crucially, Barnard took his Assault Mode a lap after Rowland, permitting him and Vergne to catch the Nissan driver.
The technique labored a deal with, as Barnard rapidly caught Rowland and swept previous his former mentor into the primary nook on Lap 17. Nevertheless, Rowland returned into the lead a lap later.
Rowland magic
A driver on the transfer was Jaguar’s Nick Cassidy, who regardless of beginning in direction of the again discovered himself in third on Lap 22 after being the primary to take each Assault Modes.
The identical couldn’t be mentioned for Cassidy’s team-mate Mitch Evans, who was compelled to pit for repairs on the finish of the next lap however, finally, retired.
Again on the entrance and Jake Dennis took the lead, additionally due to taking each assault modes earlier than the leaders. The Andretti driver additionally had a wholesome quantity of power remaining.
Behind, Rowland sat in second, Vergne in third with Barnard in fourth, all as soon as that they had taken their very own second assault modes.
Dennis got here below assault from Rowland, Vergne, Barnard and Hughes, shuffling the Season 9 world champion all the way down to fifth. Barnard additionally received previous Vergne on the identical time, transferring him to second.
While Dennis was being overtaken by the lead pack, Rowland constructed a one-second hole the these behind.
Rowland was in cruise management, while Vergne dropped behind Hughes for third place because the Briton’s assault mode continued as soon as the Frenchman’s had completed.
As soon as Vergne was dismantled by Hughes, the Maserati driver tried his utmost to overhaul Barnard, who defended in Max Verstappen-esque trend.
Flip 1 on the penultimate lap was paying homage to Verstappen in opposition to Lewis Hamilton in 2021, with Hughes taking to the within of the nook while Barnard defended aggressively.
Barnard saved second, while Hughes instantly discovered himself below stress from behind as Dennis had a late cost into fourth.
On the entrance, there was no stopping Rowland, who claimed his second victory of the season by six seconds. Barnard, Hughes, Dennis and Cassidy accomplished the highest 5.
