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Evans owes "team player" Cassidy for Monaco Formula E win

Having started from the second row of the grid, Evans moved ahead of Cassidy on the run into Sainte Devote and eventually inherited the lead on lap 10 as other drivers took their Attack Modes.

With Cassidy having also moved into second, the Kiwi driver began to back the chasing pack up allowing Evans to take both his Attack Modes and rejoin in the lead.

Although Evans repaid his team-mate the favour, it was he who eventually emerged back in front as Evans went on to secure his first win of the season.

“We knew it was going to be a tough race, we knew it was all about the strategy around the Attack Modes,” said Evans.

“I owe this win to Nick, he really helped me when it mattered. I helped him as well, but I really appreciate the team player that he was today, it’s an amazing achievement for the team.”

Evans reclaimed the lead of the race into Mirabeau on lap 17 immediately after Cassidy had taken his second Attack Mode, with the latter appearing not to defend the position.

When asked what agreement had been put in place prior to the race should such a situation arise, Evans suggested that moving ahead of Cassidy at the start gave him priority in terms of strategy.

James Barclay, Team Director, Jaguar TCS Racing, Nick Cassidy, Jaguar TCS Racing, 2nd position, and Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing, 1st position, celebrate on the podium with Champagne (Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images)

“I wasn’t expecting to get past him at Turn 1 but I think I was in the lead when it [Attack Modes] all kind of happened, I think that was probably the fairest way to do it and it’s how it was sort of said to me in the briefing,” added Evans.

“We could have said okay, do the attacks and then you guys race but I think the team played a sensible approach to it.”

Post-race it was revealed that Cassidy had been struggling to speak with his team and that “communication was difficult from a radio point of view”.

Due to this problem, Cassidy believes he had to dictate the strategy during the course of the race in order to come away with such a strong result.

“I feel like I was the guy driving a few decisions and so it was more me trying to communicate to them almost what I’m doing,” he said.

“Why I think today was well handled is because we didn’t expect to be in the position that we were, but I think I kind of took it upon myself to do what’s the most fair and try and get the best result for the team, so I’m proud of myself for that.”

Evans’s victory is his first in Formula E since the London season-finale in 2023 having endured a difficult start to the current campaign which had only yielded one podium in seven races.

His victory in Monaco is also his first in the Principality despite standing on the podium no less than six times in the past across multiple categories.

“I’ve come so close for a number of years, even back in GP2 I was on the podium three times, been on the podium three times in Formula E," he added.

“So I feel like it’s a track that really suits my driving style but it’s just never come together exactly as I would have liked. To finally get it done today is amazing.”

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