- Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy was awarded the Formula E win after a red flag stopped the first race in the New York City E-Prix doubleheader.
- With 10 minutes plus a lap to go, a torrential rain storm soaked the street circuit in Brooklyn, and several cars hydroplaned into the wall before the race was red-flagged.
- Envision Racing finished first and third as Robin Frijns finished behind runner-up Lucas di Grassi.
Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) scored his first career Formula E race win in the New York City E-Prix, heading home ahead of Lucas di Grassi (ROKiT Venturi Racing) and teammate Robin Frijns as torrential rain deluged the track late in the race, creating the most dramatic finish of the Formula E season so far.
The win came in the first race of a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader that make up Rounds 11 and 12 on the season championship for the all-electric open-wheel series.
In the final 10 minutes of the scheduled 45-minute-plus-one-lap race, a storm engulfed the Brooklyn street circuit, leaving pools of standing water in the braking zone to Turn 6.
A full-course yellow was called, but Cassidy, Lucas di Grassi and Stoffel Vandoorne, as well as Edoardo Mortara, aquaplaned straight into the wall. The conditions proved to be impossible for racing, and the race was brought to an early conclusion with a red flag.
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“It is such a rollercoaster of emotions, I was pretty calm after everything happened (but) obviously very disappointed initially," Cassidy said. "It felt like I did everything right today, felt like it was in the bag with 10 to go, then it started raining. I was initially very disappointed considering that, but, and I know I'm biased, I think it is the right decision."
Before the rain came, Cassidy had started from the pole for the first time this season and led from the front through both Attack Mode (power boost) activations. Di Grassi and Frijns applied pressure from behind before the rains came.
Formula E Drivers’ World Championship leader Mortara worked his way up to fifth after starting the race ninth.
The red flag meant that finishing positions were decided based on the last completed lap before 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 rounding out the podium.
"The crash was the strongest Formula E crash of my career, one of the strongest crashes I have had in motorsport," Di Grassi said. "It was well over 15-g. I am fully bruised, my neck, my hands, my legs, but I'm okay.
"I am happy they gave a Red Flag and reversed the result of the race, that was the first thing to do. I am happy with the points, but unhappy the car is in complete pieces and that the mechanics will have to work hard to put the car together tomorrow.”
It’s a busy night ahead for engineers in most of the team garages to prepare for Round 12 and the second race in the New York City E-Prix doubleheader on Sunday.
