Rowland snatches victory from Porsche after late safety car

Oliver Rowland claimed victory within the Mexico Metropolis E-Prix, beating Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix da Costa after capitalising on a late security automotive restart to grab the win.

The Nissan driver was working solely fourth on lap 28 of the scheduled 36 and several other seconds behind race chief da Costa and Wehrlein, each of whom had been the pacesetters all through having locked out the entrance row.

Whereas the 2 Porsches and third-place Jake Dennis had taken each Assault Modes, providing 350kW and all-wheel-drive this season, Rowland activated his ultimate six minutes simply moments earlier than the primary of two late security vehicles have been deployed.

With simply over a minute of additional energy remaining on the restart on lap 31, Rowland instantly demoted Dennis for third popping out of the ultimate nook earlier than lunging up the within of Wehrlein into Flip 5.

Having appeared to the surface of da Costa into T9 earlier than backing out, Rowland acquired the run out of the nook and dived to the within into Flip 12 to take the lead simply seconds earlier than his additional energy ran dry and one other security automotive was known as into motion for an incident behind.

With 4 laps remaining Rowland caught the chasing pack napping with a fast restart and regardless of having barely much less vitality than da Costa behind, was capable of maintain on for his first win of the season.

Rowland had began fourth however quickly moved as much as third on the expense of Jean-Eric Vergne into Flip 1 on the second lap, as Wehrlein headed da Costa on the entrance.

Jake Dennis Andretti Method E Porsche 99X Electrical Gen3 Maximilian Gunther DS Penske DS E-Tense FE25, Mitch Evans Jaguar TCS Racing Jaguar I-TYPE 7 in the course of t

Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs

However thereafter the opening half of the race was a processional affair as overtaking proved tough with out the additional energy afforded by Assault Mode, as drivers held on to the 2 activations till later.

It took till lap 14 for the main runners to maneuver off-line within the stadium part for Assault Mode, with Wehrlein the primary to blink, rejoining alongside da Costa.

As Wehrlein maintained the lead, da Costa was shuffled again behind Rowland by the ultimate flip after which fell behind Vergne and Dennis after working barely large at Flip 1.

Dennis quickly moved as much as second together with his additional energy and demoted Wehrlein for the lead having pulled off a switchback within the stadium part on lap 16.

However because the Briton’s vitality ran out he grew to become a sitting duck to these behind him now armed with extra energy, notably da Costa who moved into the lead on lap 19.

Wehrlein took his second Assault Mode on lap 20 from third however regardless of the additional efficiency he was unable to usurp Dennis, who took his second Assault Mode a lap later.

Dennis discovered himself again within the lead on lap 22 as da Costa took his ultimate Assault Mode, rejoining simply in entrance of Wehrlein, however as earlier within the race Dennis slipped again when his additional efficiency ended.

Antonio Felix da Costa TAG Heuer Porsche Method E Crew Porsche 99X Electrical Gen3

Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs

Da Costa moved again into the lead on lap 23 into Flip 12 earlier than Wehrlein made it a Porsche 1-2 a lap later into Flip 9 and seemingly with the race in hand.

However the complexion of the race modified a number of laps later when damaged suspension for David Beckmann’s Cupra Kiro after contact with Zan Maloney’s Lola-Yamaha Abt left the German stranded at Flip 12.

The next security automotive in the end allowed Rowland, who had been greater than 2s behind Dennis at that stage of the race, to capitalise and declare an unlikely win.

Regardless of a second security automotive on lap 31 after Sao Paulo winner Mitch Evans broke his suspension on the rear of Nico Muller’s Andretti which left him caught on monitor, Rowland headed da Costa and Wehrlein on the chequered flag.

Dennis simply missed out on the rostrum in fourth, forward of the DS Penske drivers of Vergne and Maximilian Guenther.

Maserati MSG’s Stoffel Vandoorne and Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries took seventh and eighth, with Muller ending ninth having helped Dennis keep monitor place by the Assault Mode section.

Taylor Barnard accomplished the highest 10, the McLaren driver having been the primary to take an Assault Mode however retaining the second for later in proceedings which he used to good impact having began nineteenth.