FE | Monaco: Jaguar masterpiece, one-two with Evans and Cassidy

Monaco, the event that all drivers dream of winning, for the prestige and the challenge it has always represented. In the last two years Mitch Evans had cherished that dream, obtaining two second places, but without managing to achieve the victory that he had also chased in the categories leading up to Formula 1.

Finally, the New Zealander managed to fulfill one of his dreams, triumphing in the Principality with a sublime race, both from himself and from the team, capable of building a tactical masterpiece that allowed Jaguar to achieve a double. In fact, compatriot Nick Cassidy finished behind Evans, taking home an important second place from a world perspective, closing in on the leader Pascal Wehrlein, fifth today.

There is a lot to celebrate at Jaguar, because the double was born not only with an excellent qualifying, but also with a race read perfectly by the engineers in critical moments.

Wehrlein, starting from pole, was among the first to look for Attack Mode, leaving room for the lead to Stoffel Vandoorne. The introduction of the Safety Car during the fifth lap due to Edoardo Mortara's accident temporarily neutralized the situation, with the Belgian still in the lead just ahead of Evans. The decisive moment, however, arrived during the tenth lap, when the Belgian from DS attempted to activate the extra power period. Although Vandoorne had attempted to pull away in the lead to stay ahead of at least one of the two Jaguars, when he passed the Activation Zone he was surprised by both cars of the Jaguar brand, slipping to third position.

An unexpected double overtaking for DS which, however, completely upset the scenarios, putting Jaguar in an advantageous position over its opponents as it guaranteed greater flexibility on a strategic level. From that moment on, the two riders of the English brand played as a team: Evans immediately attempted to move forward, while behind him Cassidy slowed down the group to give his teammate the chance to create the sufficient margin to activate for Attack Mode twice.

A tactic then also used in reverse. In fact, on the fourteenth lap, Evans returned the favor, letting Cassidy pass who, with the same methods used previously, was able to activate both periods of extra power, but without losing positions towards the DS duo.

Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

In fact, in this way Jaguar overcame both Attack Modes without finding himself in traffic, as happened to Wehrlein in the first part of the race, who went from first to fifth place, without being able to recover. Jaguar's masterpiece, despite taking advantage of DS's mistake on the tenth lap, was precisely to create the conditions to trigger this strategy, which was then put into practice perfectly.

The French brand, which ran its “home” race here, was still able to take home a third and fourth place with Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Eric Vergne. For the Belgian it is also the first podium with DS Penske since he joined the Franco-American team at the start of Gen 3. For Vergne, despite some duels in the first part of the race with Wehrlein and Guenther, it was a waiting race, in which he tried to overtake his teammate, even via radio, but without success.

Pascal Wehrlein closes behind the DS duo, starting from pole and with some regrets about a race from which he potentially could have obtained something more. The choice to go into Attack Mode during the very first laps completely changed his race, because it made him slip back a few positions, involving him in the battles with Vergne and Gunther. A tactic which, given the entry of the Safety Car in the fifth lap, not only put him behind the Jaguars, but also the two DSs. The Porsche German remains at the top of the standings with 102 points, but sees his lead over Cassidy narrow to just seven points.

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche, Porsche 99X Electric Gen3

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

An excellent Oliver Rowland was sixth, author of a good comeback from the back after a less than exciting qualifying. Taking advantage of the various accidents, the Safety Cars and the Attack Mode moments, the Briton was able to limit the damage by finishing just outside the top 5. Another noteworthy comeback is that of Antonio Felix da Costa: although in reality the Portuguese he had started in the top eight, a contact during the opening laps of the race had caused him to slip to the last positions. Da Costa, as well as Sacha Fenestraz behind him in the other Nissan, were protagonists of several overtakings, obtaining a placement in the points.

Closing out the top ten are Max Guenther, author of a fluctuating race with the Maserati, and Norman Nato. The Frenchman from Andretti was actually also forced to return to the pits due to a contact that damaged the front wing. However, also taking advantage of the entry of the Safety Car, Nato then managed to move up to gain a point, snatching it from Lucas di Grassi, eleventh with the Abt Cupra just eight tenths from tenth place. The Brazilian precedes De Vries, Ticktum and Barnand, making his debut in the category after replacing Sam Bird at the last minute, forced to leave the seat due to a broken hand suffered during free practice.

Buemi finished fifteenth, despite having made contact with Sergio Sette Camara in the first laps at the hairpin, for which the Brazilian from ERT was penalized five seconds. Same sanction also for Jake Hughes, who during an overtaking attempt also sent Nico Mueller's other Abt Cupra into the wall. Also out of the points was Jake Dennis, one of the title hopefuls, who was unfortunately involved in a contact which caused him to lose his front wing and thus had to return to the pits for an additional pit stop.