The qualifying session for the London E-Prix was a nail-biter, with title contenders Nick Cassidy, Mitch Evans, and Pascal Wehrlein all vying for the crucial pole position. The session was split into two groups, with several dramatic moments shaping the final standings.
Group A Qualifying Highlights
Group A saw drivers from Nissan, Envision, and McLaren on track, including championship hopefuls Dennis, Ticktum, Wehrlein, Cassidy, and Daruvala. Cassidy, having recovered from earlier issues, set the initial benchmark with a time of 1:11.04s. However, this was soon bested by Wehrlein and Hughes, who both posted laps in the 1:10.8s.
At the midpoint of the session, Nissan drivers Rowland and Fenestraz were provisionally through to the Duels, with Rowland leading in 1:10.68s despite battling understeer. Wehrlein, sitting in third, ran over the kerbs, showing the fine margins at play.
As the drivers pitted and returned to the track to avoid traffic, Cassidy once again showcased his speed, lowering the best time to 1:10.323s. In the final flurry of laps, Cassidy maintained his lead, advancing to the next stage with Wehrlein, Bird, and Frijns. Rowland was knocked out in the last moments.
Group B Qualifying Highlights
Vandoorne initially led Group B with a time of 1:10.632, followed by Da Costa, Sette Câmara, and Di Grassi. However, Evans, struggling with front-end issues, managed to solve them and soared to the top spot. Gunther, initially struggling, ran wide at Turn 16 but managed to post a 1:10.395s on his final run, advancing to the Duels along with Evans and the DS PENSKE drivers. Da Costa was left in P5 of the group, mirroring his result from the previous day.
Quarter Finals: Intense Battles
The first Quarter Final saw championship leader Wehrlein take on Bird. Wehrlein held a 0.240s advantage at the start, nearly doubling it by the final sector. In the next duel, Cassidy faced Frijns. Cassidy started with a 0.160s gap, which he extended to 0.250s. Despite pushing the limits and running wide, Cassidy advanced to the next stage.
Mitch Evans battled Vandoorne in the third Quarter Final. Evans maintained a close gap initially, widening it to 0.322s by the lap’s end, securing his place in the Semi Finals. The final duel of the quarter saw Gunther face Vergne. Despite Vergne’s oversteer, he kept the lead early on, but Gunther’s consistent performance saw him advance by just 0.074s.
Semi-Final 2: Guenther 🆚 Evans
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) July 21, 2024
HUGE!!! Evans is OUT of Qualifying, Guenther will face Cassidy in the Final! 😮@Hankook_Sport #LondonEPrix pic.twitter.com/LLFiZIA1TK
Semi Finals: Title Contenders Face Off
In the first Semi Final, Cassidy and Wehrlein went head-to-head. Cassidy started strong, and despite Wehrlein’s corrections and a missed apex at Turn 16, Cassidy won by 0.152s. The second Semi Final between Gunther and Evans was equally thrilling. Gunther initially led by over three-tenths, but Evans closed the gap to 0.046s. However, Gunther held on, moving on to the Final.
The Final: Cassidy vs. Gunther
The final duel between Cassidy and Gunther was the closest of the weekend. Gunther led by 0.070s initially, but Cassidy caught up and evened out the gap by the halfway mark. The two swapped positions multiple times in the last sector, but Cassidy’s determination saw him secure pole position by a narrow margin. This win earned him three crucial points, placing him just one point behind his teammate Mitch Evans in P2 and four points behind championship leader Pascal Wehrlein.
Feature Image Credit: Formula E | Dom Romney
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