The inaugural Sanya E-Prix delivered everything Formula E is known for. On the tight 2.52km street circuit, precision and energy management proved just as important as outright pace.
Constant Lead Changes
Jake Dennis held the lead through the opening laps despite intense pressure from teammate Felipe Drugovich and Jaguar’s Mitch Evans. Behind them, Pascal Wehrlein produced one of the standout drives of the race, climbing from seventh on the grid into podium contention within six laps.
By Lap 8, Wehrlein completed a remarkable charge to the front, overtaking six cars to take the lead for Porsche Formula E Team. The advantage was short-lived, however, as Dennis responded two laps later to reclaim first position before Wehrlein struck back again on Lap 11. With less than half a second separating the leading group, the battle at the front remained finely balanced.
The race took another dramatic turn on Lap 12 when Dan Ticktum surged into the lead, setting the fastest lap in the process. Nick Cassidy soon emerged as a contender through effective ATTACK MODE usage, taking over at the front by Lap 14 before Edoardo Mortara delivered an equally impressive recovery drive from eleventh on the grid to lead a lap later.
Strategies Reshaped The Race
As the race entered its middle phase, ATTACK MODE strategy became increasingly influential. Mortara, Wehrlein, Cassidy, and Jean-Éric Vergne all featured at the front, while Oliver Rowland quietly positioned himself within striking distance.
Dennis returned to the lead on Lap 18 after fighting back from earlier setbacks, but the complexion of the race changed entirely one lap later. A collision between Ticktum and Evans at Turn 6 triggered a red flag, neutralising the race and erasing the gaps that had developed.
The stoppage proved particularly costly for Dennis and Andretti, who had just completed pit activity before the red flag was deployed.
Standing Restart Mixes Up The Grid
Following the restart, Dennis initially retained control, but Rowland’s strategic ATTACK MODE activation quickly transformed the battle. Starting tenth, the Nissan Formula E Team driver surged through the order and seized the lead on Lap 22.
Further drama followed as António Félix da Costa produced an outstanding recovery from twelfth on the grid to lead on Lap 24. However, a late-race yellow flag and subsequent Full Course Yellow neutralised his advantage. Matters became even more complicated when race control handed the Jaguar driver a five-second penalty for an earlier collision.
As green flag racing resumed on Lap 29, Rowland immediately capitalised. Armed with active ATTACK MODE, he swept back into the lead on Lap 30, while penalties for several rivals further reshuffled the order. With the race extended by two additional laps, the Nissan driver entered the closing stages in the strongest position after expertly navigating the track.
Last-Lap Drama Hands Dennis Sensational Victory
Just as Rowland appeared poised to complete a remarkable recovery from tenth on the grid, the Sanya E-Prix delivered one final twist.
Leading the field on Lap 38, Rowland suffered a devastating setback when he made contact with the barriers. After expertly navigating the post-red flag restart and controlling the closing stages through ATTACK MODE deployment, the Nissan driver’s race unravelled in an instant.
The neutralisation froze the order and eliminated any opportunity for rivals to launch a final attack, but Rowland’s incident handed the advantage back to Dennis. Having led multiple phases of the race from pole position and overcome the strategic disruption caused by the red flag, the Andretti driver inherited the lead at the most critical moment.
Dennis crossed the line to secure a dramatic and hard-fought victory. As the chequered flag fell, Dennis emerged victorious from the chaos, converting pole position into a memorable win after one of the most dramatic finales of the championship campaign.