For the first time in its history — but the second time in Florida — Formula E set up shop at the Homestead circuit, about an hour south of Miami. It had been exactly 10 years since the championship last raced in Florida. The first Miami E-Prix took place in 2015 on a temporary street circuit, where Jean-Eric Vergne claimed pole position but was forced to retire. Another Frenchman, Nicolas Prost, eventually won that race.
This year, another tricolor driver grabbed pole position: Norman Nato, at the wheel of a sharp-performing Nissan. The Japanese team, along with the German Porsche outfit, are DS Penske’s fiercest rivals since the start of the season. “Our main competitors had a strong start to the season, that’s true, but there’s still a long way to go,” Vergne said ahead of qualifying. “If we keep progressing, we can fight for podiums - or even better.”
Tricky conditions from the get-go
During the first practice session, just as the sun was rising, the track conditions were vastly different from the day before, with the track temperature 19 degrees lower than the previous day, so not ideal for finding the right operating window for the tyres.
By around 10am, with warmer weather settling in, the performance levels became more readable. In Group A, several cars from the same team clustered together, which influenced the dynamics of Group B - the group where DS Penske’s drivers would compete.
The Miami layout is impressive, with several spots where a car can easily run wide and spin into the grass. A unique feature of the track is its steeply banked corners, which is a novelty for the series. Drivers had to alternate between flat sections and more elevated challenges, reminiscent of the Daytona 24 Hours.
A strategic, yet chaotic, race
Failing to make it to the quarter-finals in qualifying, both Vergne and team-mate Max Guenther were forced to start from the back of the grid in 17th and 22nd respectively. But on this kind of layout, where energy management is everything, almost anything is possible, with Mitch Evans’ victory earlier this season in Sao Paulo fresh in the mind when the Jaguar driver started from last place.
With 20 laps to go, the DS Penske drivers were showing a slight energy deficit compared to those ahead of about 2-3%. Both DS E-TENSE FE25 cars were holding steady mid-pack, and Vergne had even broken into the top 10, but in Formula E the smallest mistake can cost dearly. After running wide and putting a wheel on the grass, Vergne dropped six places, but did claw them back within a few laps. At halfway stage, the Frenchman was running seventh.
The ever-changing order became a rollercoaster, especially with the frequent activations of Attack Mode constantly reshuffling the field. Then came the crash of Nyck de Vries for Mahindra which prompted a safety car that neutralised the race. Not long after, another collision, this time involving three cars, triggered a second safety car and eventually a red flag to clear the track.
When racing resumed, only four laps remained. Vergne, unlucky after seeing his Attack Mode wasted due to the interruptions, could do no better than 12th at the finish while Guenther was 17th after being caught in the earlier crash.
The next Formula E round will take place in Monaco, and for the first time ever, the Principality will host a double-header weekend, on 3-4 May.
