Nick Cassidy Triumphs at Southwire Portland E-Prix, Leads Formula E World Championship

Portland, Oregon [USA], June 27: Nick Cassidy of Envision Racing claimed a thrilling victory at the Southwire Portland E-Prix, edging out Jake Dennis of Avalanche Andretti Formula E, who finished in second place. This win propelled both drivers to the top of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship standings, with Dennis leading Cassidy by just one point. TAG Heuer Porsche’s António Félix da Costa secured third place, while a mere seven seconds separated the top 17 cars at the finish line.

Cassidy’s strategy was flawless as he started from P10 and navigated the 32-lap race with precision. The Portland race marked the first-ever Formula E event at the iconic Portland International Raceway, where the series’ unique balance between energy efficiency and outright pace was put to the test.

From the very first lap, the battle for the lead was intense. Positions changed frequently as the race unfolded, with five- and six-car-wide fights for supremacy. The race featured a remarkable 403 overtakes.

Cassidy briefly led the race multiple times and made a decisive pass on Lap 28, overtaking da Costa, who had earlier taken the lead. Cassidy, who first moved to the front on Lap 3, held strong under pressure from da Costa and managed to secure his third win of Season 9.

Dennis, who started in Julius Bär Pole Position, led initially but struggled to time his final push perfectly. He managed to pass da Costa on the final lap, pushing the Portuguese driver to third.

Heading into the race, Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E) led the Drivers’ standings by a narrow margin over Dennis. The German driver narrowly avoided contact and finished in ninth, earning valuable points. Wehrlein now sits in third place with 136 points, trailing the top two drivers, Dennis (154 points) and Cassidy (153 points).

Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing), celebrating his 29th birthday, put on an impressive performance, recovering from 20th on the grid to finish in fourth. Evans also earned the ABB Driver of Progress Award for the most positions gained during the race. With four races left in Season 9, Evans remains in the title fight with 122 points.

Off the track, over 20,000 fans attended the sold-out debut Formula E race in Portland. The crowd was entertained by cheerleaders from the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team, with the team’s forward Jabari Walker also attending the event. Olympic gold medalist skier Lindsey Vonn joined the Jaguar TCS Racing team for a high-speed lap of the circuit.

American artist and designer Jaden Smith unveiled his custom livery for the Formula E GEN3 race car, the fastest, lightest, and most efficient electric race car ever built, in the Allianz Fan Village before the race. Smith expressed his enthusiasm for Formula E, sharing his excitement about the innovative platform it provides for sustainable future creation.

“I’ve had such a strong connection to Formula E,” said Jaden Smith. “I loved coming back for my second E-Prix, and having the opportunity to design my own GEN3 livery was unreal. Formula E shows how we can achieve sustainability in an exciting way with groundbreaking technology and racing.”

Nick Cassidy shared his thoughts on the race: “I’ve had great experiences racing in America. This race was fun and incredibly close. The competition is fierce, with Jake and António pushing hard. Credit to Jaguar and Envision Racing for such strong cars and powertrains.”

Jake Dennis reflected on his performance: “We had a solid day, although I was a bit disappointed after the flag. It was a tough race with many overtakes, but I’m happy with second place. It’s been three second-place finishes in a row, and I’m determined to get a win again soon.”

António Félix da Costa expressed his satisfaction with the podium finish, despite not winning: “The turnout here has been amazing. Formula E’s support is growing, and it’s great to see fans behind us. A podium is always special, and I’m happy with today’s result.”

Looking ahead, the next stop in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is Rome, where a doubleheader will take place on July 15 and 16 for Rounds 13 and 14. The season finale will follow in London two weeks later.

For any inquiries or corrections related to this content, please contact pr.error.rectification@gmail.com. We will address the issue within 24 hours.