Cassidy will start on the front row of the grid alongside the driver closest to him in the standings Dennis, with championship contender Mitch Evans starting in fourth and on the dirty side of the grid. Evans has won his race three times in a row, and will be looking to do the double and win both races over the weekend.
Dennis has never finished lower than second when starting from his previous four pole positions. Round 14 will be crucial in the title battle and it's set up perfectly. Don't miss a minute.
Final
The top two in the championship went up against each other in the Final, with the extra three points for Julius Baer Pole Position being so critical in these last three rounds. In one of the Duels of the season, it was Dennis who took pole after beating his championship rival Cassidy by just five hundredths of a second. It is his second pole of the season, and means that it’s now just two points between Dennis and leader Cassidy.
Semis
It was a Kiwi showdown, as Round 13 winner Mitch Evans took on Cassidy in the first Semi. With both cars being equipped with Jaguar powertrains, it was Cassidy who made it through and guaranteed himself a spot on the front row. Both drivers had laps that were in no means perfect, pushing their GEN3 beasts to the limit, but the Envision came out on top. In his team radio, you could hear the surprise in Cassidy’s voice at learning he’d beaten Evans, the undisputed King of Rome.
The second Semi consisted of Dennis and Nato, with Dennis being the victor and making it through to take on his championship rival Cassidy in the final shootout.
Quarters
First up was the NIO 333 of Dan Ticktum and championship leader Cassidy, with the Envision making it through to the semi finals. He finished yesterday’s E-Prix in second yesterday, as this circuit seems to only suit his driving style but also the Jaguar powertrain in his GEN3 car.
Next up was the Jaguar duo of Evans and Sam Bird. The two lined up on the front row of the grid yesterday, however today history wouldn’t be able to repeat itself. With Evans having won all three times the two faced each other in the Duels, he managed it once again to progress into the Semis.
Envision’s Sebastien Buemi battled the Nissan of Norman Nato in the next Quarter Final, but in a dramatic twist Buemi made a mistake on his lap to put himself in the wall at Turn 7! The gentle tap with his front wing on the barrier was a costly error, and also could have had worrying circumstances with spare parts being very sparse. His contact allowed Nato to make it through to the Semis.
Finally it was the turn of Dennis and Guenther, with championship contender Dennis being the one to secure a place in the next round.
Group A
Jaguar’s Sam Bird had a fantastic turnaround in his newly-rebuilt car, finishing the first group quickest. The huge effort from Jaguar, as well as other teams down the pitlane, meant some cars had to be completely revamped ready for racing today. His teammate, Mitch Evans, also managed to sneak through in fourth to get through to the Duels. The Kiwi is looking for his fourth consecutive victory in the Italian capital.
Championship leader Nick Cassidy finished Group A in second, with NIO 333’s Dan Ticktum making a surprising appearance in third. Ticktum, who finished yesterday’s race in 13th, has made the Duels on a handful of occasions this season, showing his strength in single-lap pace.
Three former Formula E champions were denied access to the duels, with Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa finishing fifth, and DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne ending the group in sixth and ninth.
Nissan’s Sacha Fenesrtraz was unable to set a time due to a battery change, after also missing Free Practice 3 this morning.
Group B
Andretti’s Jake Dennis topped Group B, securing himself a vital space in the Duels. The team is joined this weekend by the big boss, Michael Andretti, as Dennis fights for his first Formula E Drivers’ World Championship title. The Brit, and the NEOM McLaren were also placed under investigation for imeding, but this will be looked at after the session.
Joining Dennis in the Duels was the Envision of Sebastien Buemi, another driver who had his car rebuilt overnight after his involvement in the big Saturday shunt. Nissan’s Norman Nato joined them both, finishing in third and Maximilian Guenther slotted into fourth.
However, the Maserati MSG Racing driver was questioned about completing his lap when under yellow flags. The NEOM McLaren of Jake Hughes went down the escape road at Turn 7, a move we have seen countless times this weekend, bringing out a yellow flag in the final moments of the session, impacting several lap times including Guenther and ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller.
Championship contender Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche) had another shocker, proving qualifying is still not where it needs to be. He finished the session in eighth, and will have a fight on his hands to keep the championship hopes alive over the next three rounds.
