Oliver Rowland Dominates the Jeddah E-Prix Double-Header
As Britons locked out the podium for the first time in Formula E history last weekend, Oliver Rowland emerged as the standout driver, reinforcing his position as the in-form contender in the all-electric championship. The Nissan driver’s victory in Mexico City a month ago was somewhat fortuitous, benefiting from a late safety car and remaining in Attack Mode, which gave him an edge over his Porsche rivals. However, during the Jeddah E-Prix double-header, Rowland’s dominance was undeniable. Over the combined 62 laps from both races, he led for a total of 35 laps. Despite a thrilling final-lap overtake from Maximilian Guenther in the first race, Rowland still managed to secure a victory and a runner-up finish, moving him to the top of the drivers’ standings with a 17-point lead over his nearest rival, Taylor Barnard.
A New Venue and New Technology
The Jeddah E-Prix was highly anticipated, not only because it was a new venue using a shorter configuration of the full grand prix layout but also because it introduced four chicanes to aid the energy recovery of Formula E’s Gen3 Evo machines. An even bigger focus was on the debut of the Pit Boost technology, which required each driver to make a mandatory pit stop during the first 31-lap race to receive a 10% battery recharge. This was expected to add a new tactical element to the races. The opening race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit saw a two-lap safety car intervention to clear debris from numerous incidents behind the leaders. Rowland, starting from third, got the jump on front-row starter Pascal Wehrlein and shadowed polesitter Guenther for the opening laps. On lap 10, Rowland moved into the lead, with Guenther ceding the position to save energy in the slipstream.
Strategic Pit Stops and Daring Overtakes
Rowland’s strategy of making a later pit stop to avoid potential issues with the new technology paid off. Rejoining in the lead, he pulled a gap of over 3.5 seconds by lap 25. However, Guenther, who had pitted earlier and benefited from the clean air and Attack Mode, began to close in. By lap 26, Guenther was back in second and quickly closed the gap to Rowland. In a dramatic final lap, with Rowland defending his position, Guenther made a stunning outside move around the final chicane to snatch victory. “He [Rowland] did everything right, made himself very wide but I knew if he had to lift early [for the last corner] then I’ve got a chance and I took it,” said Guenther, celebrating his first win for DS Penske and his first since Tokyo last season.
Rowland’s Revenge in the Sequel
Rowland didn’t let the disappointment of the first race deter him. In the second race, he fell just short of taking pole position, which went to the young Taylor Barnard, marking his first pole in Formula E and making him the youngest driver to achieve this feat. However, Rowland soon reclaimed the lead and maintained a crucial energy advantage. The race featured intense battling behind the leaders, particularly between Barnard and Jake Hughes. Hughes believed the defending by Barnard was just on the right side of acceptable, but it resulted in Hughes taking to the run-off area and slipping back behind. This allowed Jean-Eric Vergne and Jake Dennis to close in, setting up a thrilling finish. Rowland romped to a nearly 6-second victory, securing his second win of the season.
Challenges and Setbacks for Key Contenders
The weekend was one of two halves for some of the key contenders. For Antonio Felix da Costa, it was a disastrous event. After only managing sixth on the grid, his race ended on the first lap as he locked up into Turn 4 and crashed into da Costa ahead, forcing both to retire. Da Costa’s misfortune continued when he was hit by Nico Muller in the bus stop chicane, causing significant rear-end damage. “What hurts is if we score close to no points because we’re slow that’s on us, but I got hit massively hard both days on lap one by very experienced people,” said da Costa. “They both came to apologise but it’s hard to swallow, it’s just not acceptable at this level, we’re professionals getting paid to do this job and people are behaving like they’re rookies.”
Team Struggles and Looking Ahead
Reigning teams’ champion Jaguar faced a torrid weekend. Season-opener winner Mitch Evans failed to score in either race, pitting for a new front wing in the first race after collisions with both Wehrlein and de Vries, and then retiring the next day with a technical issue. Teammate Nick Cassidy finally broke his points drought with a fifth-place finish in the second race, having failed to register any points in the opening three races. As Jaguar seeks significant upgrades during the two-month break before the Miami race on April 12, reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein and teammate da Costa will be looking to regain their form and challenge Rowland for the championship lead.
