Pascal Wehrlein clinches maiden Formula E title as Rowland wins thrilling London E-Prix Finale

Pascal Wehrlein secured his maiden ABB FIA Formula E World Championship title following a dramatic finale at the London E-Prix as Oliver Rowland clinched Round 16 victory.

TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein made history by securing his first ABB FIA Formula E World Championship title during an exhilarating finale at the London E-Prix that saw him overcome Jaguar TCS duo Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy.

The race, held at the ExCeL London, saw Oliver Rowland clinch victory while Wehrlein’s strategic performance allowed him to finish second, sealing the championship by a narrow margin.

The race began with Nick Cassidy starting from pole, aiming to defend his championship title. However, it was Mitch Evans who got the best launch off the line, quickly overtaking Cassidy into Turn 1. Meanwhile, Wehrlein started from fourth with a cautious drive, allowing Maximilian Guenther to slip past him into third.

The first lap was relatively clean, but the action ramped up on the second lap when Edoardo Mortara collided with Jake Dennis at Turn 3, resulting to a wreck which prompted the deployment of the safety car. The incident set the tone for a race filled with tension and strategic decisions.

Racing resumed on lap five, with Cassidy immediately going defensive to maintain his lead. As the race unfolded, Wehrlein began to make his move, overtaking Guenther for third by lap six. Meanwhile, Cassidy and Evans remained close, with Evans looking to capitalize on any mistakes from his teammate.

Cassidy activated his first Attack Mode on lap 10, rejoining the track side-by-side with Evans but managing to retain the lead. Evans was vocal over the radio, expressing his determination to push hard and reclaim the race lead.

However, Cassidy’s fortunes took a turn for the worse on lap 28 when he suffered a puncture after contact with António Félix da Costa. This incident forced Cassidy to pit for a fresh set of tires and rejoined at the back of the field, effectively ending his championship hopes.

With Cassidy out of contention, Wehrlein and Evans were left to battle for the title. Wehrlein took his first Attack Mode on lap 27, emerging in a strong position just behind Evans. The tension mounted as Evans struggled with energy management, and Wehrlein capitalized on this by taking the lead on lap 30.

In a surprising turn of events, Oliver Rowland, who had started ninth, climbed through the field and took the lead after Evans missed his final Attack Mode activation. Rowland’s strategic drive allowed him to maintain his position, ultimately crossing the finish line first to secure his victory.

Wehrlein, recognizing that a second-place finish was enough to clinch the championship, strategically held his position behind Rowland. Evans, who had been battling for the title, finished third which wasn’t enough to secure him the points needed to overtake Wehrlein in the standings.

Sébastien Buemi finished fourth, followed by António Félix da Costa in fifth. Jean Eric Vergne and Nico Müller finished sixth and seventh respectively, showcasing strong performances from their respective teams.

Robin Frijns, Stoffel Vandoorne and Lucas di Grassi rounded out the top ten.

2024 London E-Prix Round 16 Results