Nick Cassidy claims first Formula E victory in rainswept New York City E-Prix opener

RIYADH: Nick Cassidy of Envision Racing claimed a maiden Formula E race win in the New York City E-Prix, ahead of Lucas di Grassi of ROKiT Venturi Racing and teammate Robin Frijns.

Torrential rain deluged the track late in the race, creating one of the most dramatic finishes of the season so far.

In the final 10 minutes of the scheduled 45-minute plus on-lap race — the first of a double-header in New York — a storm swept in with heavy rain buffeting the Brooklyn Street Circuit and leaving pools of standing water in the braking zone to Turn 6.

A “full-course yellow” was called (where cars slow down to 50 mph, line up and maintain the distance to each other without the use of a safety car) but Cassidy, di Grassi and Stoffel Vandoorne — as well as Edoardo Mortara (ROKiT Venturi Racing) — couldn’t help but aquaplane straight on and into the wall. More drivers fell foul in impossible conditions as the race was brought to an early conclusion with a red flag.

Before the rain came, Cassidy had started from Julius Bar Pole Position for the first time and led from the front, with Di Grassi and Frijns applying pressure from behind as the race headed toward its conclusion with the pair having deposed Vandoorne from second on Lap 27.

Drivers’ World Championship leader Mortara had also worked his way up to fifth with a late second Attack Mode, the Venturi driver having missed out on the Duels in qualifying, starting ninth.

The red flag meant the race result was decided on countback with finishing positions defined based on the lap prior to the one in which the stoppage was called, as per article 41.9 of the FIA sporting regulations. The ruling meant the race win went the way of an elated Cassidy, with di Grassi and Frijns