P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Nick Cassidy claimed victory in the opening race of the 2024 Berlin E-Prix to move to the top of the drivers’ championship.
Nick Cassidy became the new championship leader following his remarkable victory in the opening race of the Berlin E-Prix, showcasing exceptional strategic skills. Despite starting in ninth place, Cassidy strategically dropped to the back of the grid to conserve energy, leading to a significant advantage in the final laps and a smooth cruise to the front. The race saw Jean-Eric Vergne finishing nearly five seconds behind Cassidy in second place, with Oliver Rowland securing third. Mitch Evans, the winner from Monaco, took fourth place, while former leader Pascal Wehrlein finished fifth. Antonio Felix da Costa claimed the sixth spot, followed by Stoffel Vandoorne, Edoardo Mortara, Sacha Fenestraz, and the impressive 19-year-old Taylor Barnard in the top 10.
In a thrilling start, Edoardo Mortara, starting from pole for the first time since Berlin Season 8, secured Mahindra’s first points of the season by outdoing Vandoorne in the final. The raced showcased intense competition and multiple position changes, including Jake Dennis’s notable progress from 20th to eighth. Following a safety car period due to an incident involving Joel Eriksson, Vergne led a DS Penske one-two, with Wehrlein and Da Costa in pursuit, setting the stage for a dynamic mid-race phase.
A prolonged safety car interval, lasting six laps, led to significant reshuffling of positions, with multiple overtakes occurring unintentionally during the caution period. The race resumed on Lap 17, with Wehrlein overtaking Vergne, while Mortara climbed to third and Evans to fourth. Energy management and strategic activation of attack mode played a crucial role as the race progressed, with drivers like Lucas di Grassi encountering setbacks due to aggressive racing incidents. Heading into the final laps, a fierce battle ensued among the leading drivers, with Wehrlein, Da Costa, Mortara, and Rowland emerging as strong contenders in the closing stages of the challenging Berlin E-Prix.
