World Cup increasingly at risk
Portland’s final weekend, before it gives way to Miami next year for Formula E in the United States, was one of the most positive of the career of Anthony Felix of the Coastwith Porsche’s Portuguese winner in both races of this double header. If in Stuttgart there is therefore enthusiasm for the one-two of its driver, which adds to the 4th place not without some thrills though Pascal Wehrleinin home Jaguar instead, you have to tear your hair out, especially when it comes to Nick Cassidy. After the mistake he made on the last lap on Saturday while he was leading, and the damage he suffered in a contact during this last race, the New Zealander is doing everything he can to lose the championship lead, with his gap on Wehrlein and his teammate Evans, 3rd in this last race, increasingly reduced. A situation that will lead the title contenders to go for broke in the last weekend of the season in London, also with a double header scheduled for 20 and 21 July.
Race report
Da Costa, defeated in the final qualifying by Vergne, managed to take revenge on the Frenchman right from the start, with a first half of the race which, between numerous overtakings on the straight and the attack modes, still saw various drivers competing for the lead. Among these Wehrlein is missing, who on lap 6 risks compromising any comeback on Cassidy in the championship with a contact that damages its front wing. Fortunately for him, however, the wing came off almost immediately, to the point that the German managed to continue the rest of the E-Prix without necessarily having to return to the pits for repairs.
A completely different story from the one that instead sees Cassidy as the protagonist on lap 14, in a phase of the race also marked by numerous contacts on the track. The New Zealander, in fact, fails to avoid a collision in the middle of the group, here too damaging the wing. Contrary to what happened to Wehrlein, in this case Returning to the pits is mandatorywith his hopes of a comeback ruined by his return to the track at 17th place.
Precisely due to the numerous debris scattered on the track, the Race Direction opted for the entry of the Safety Car on lap 19, which brings the group back together and adds a lap to complete to the 26 in total. An episode that does not favor Cassidy, however, which only dates back to 13th place, and therefore outside the points zone. Da Costa took advantage of all this and, after overtaking Frijns, pulled ahead of the Dutchman and took the victory, his second in a row and his third this season. While Wehrlein finished in fourth place, Evans climbed onto the podium, making amends after the penalty suffered in yesterday’s E-Prix which cost him the victory, with the two drivers reducing to 12 points the delay from Cassidy awaiting the final, decisive weekend valid for the assignment of the 2023-2024 world title.
Portland E-Prix 2, arrival order
| POS. | PILOT | TEAM | LAPS/GAP |
| 1 | Anthony Felix of the Coast | TAG Heuer Porsche | 27 laps |
| 2 | Robin Frijns | Envision | +0.332 |
| 3 | Mitch Evans | Jaguar TCS | +3,194 |
| 4 | Pascal Wehrlein | TAG Heuer Porsche | +3,262 |
| 5 | Jean-Eric Vergne | DS Penske | +3.683 |
| 6 | Nico Müller | ABT Cupra | +3.785 |
| 7 | Norman Born | Andretti Global | +4.887 |
| 8 | Maximilian Gunther | Maserati MSG | +5.692 |
| 9 | Sebastien Buemi | Envision | +6.250 |
| 10 | Jake Dennis | Andretti Global | +6,840 |
| 11 | Stoffel Vandoorne | DS Penske | +7,490 |
| 12 | Jehan Daruvala | Maserati MSG | +7,298 |
| 13 | Nick Cassidy | Jaguar TCS | +8.078 |
| 14 | Sergio Sette Camara | ERT Formula E Team | +10.044 |
| 15 | Dan Ticktum | ERT Formula E Team | +10.111 |
| 16 | Caio Collet | Nissan | +11.290 |
| 17 | Lucas DiGrassi | ABT Cupra | +12.575 |
| 18 | Sacha Fenestraz | Nissan | +20,628 |
| 19 | Edoardo Mortara | Mahindra | Withdrawn |
| 20 | Sam Bird | Neom McLaren | Withdrawn |
| 21 | Nyck De Vries | Mahindra | Withdrawn |
| 22 | Jake Hughes | New McLaren | Withdrawn |
#EPrix #Portland #Race #Costa #double #Cassidy #disaster
