- Jake Dennis led every lap on his way to the Formula E win in Rome.
- The HALO safety device got a workout and came through with flying colors over the weekend.
- Dennis takes a 24-point advantage over Nick Cassidy going into the season finale doubleheader July 29-30 in London
Jake Dennis of the Michael Andretti-led Avalanche Andretti Formula E team made a little Formula E history in the second race of the Hankook Rome E-Prix on Sunday.
The Briton led every lap in Rome on his way to the first grand slam of the Gen 3 era. The grand slam—in essence a perfect race—included the pole, fastest lap of the race, and winning the race while leading every lap of the race.
Meanwhile the HALO safety device got a workout and came through with flying colors over the weekend.
Following a crash on Saturday that followers of the series called the biggest crash ever in a Formula E race, Dennis was again able to stay out of the trouble that struck his closest title rivals Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) and Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) close behind him on just the second lap on Sunday.
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BIG shunt.
Multiple drivers are out of the @Hankook_Sport #RomeEPrix following this nasty accident. pic.twitter.com/VskBzDYafM— ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (@FIAFormulaE) July 15, 2023
As Cassidy prepared to take on Dennis for the lead into the braking zone in Turn 7, Evans lost the rear of his Jaguar, clipped the leader’s car and launched over the top of Cassidy’s Envision Racing Jaguar I-TYPE 6.
Evans’ damage ended his race early, and he limped back to the pits. Cassidy recovered to finish in 14th and outside of the points. That was huge for championship picture, as Cassidy entered Sunday’s race leading the championship by five points over Dennis.
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THAT @mitchevans_ incident in pictures 📸
Thankfully both Mitch and Nick are okay 👍@Hankook_Sport #RomeEPrix pic.twitter.com/DX4l02zjyU— ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (@FIAFormulaE) July 16, 2023
Dennis went on to finish three seconds ahead of runner-up Norman Nato (Nissan Formula E Team). Nato beat third-place Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing), despite suffering early damage to his front wing.
That was the first lights-to-flag victory of the GEN3 era, and only the fourth “grand slam” in Formula E’s 114-race history. Dennis is the only driver to have achieved more than one in Formula E history.
Dennis takes a 24-point advantage over Cassidy going into the season finale doubleheader July 29-30 in London. Evans is 44 points back in third, while Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) is 49 points back.
“I am honestly lost for words how we have just won that race,” Dennis said on Sunday. “It was so tactical inside the cockpit, trying to keep Bird within a certain distance because obviously he is going to try and help Mitch. I really needed Norman as my wingman that race, and we worked together really well.
“Now we have a home race in London, we are big there. I expect to see a lot of British fans – make sure you all come out guys! We are going to try and do the business there, but I am going to enjoy this for now. I need an ice bath.”
On Saturday, Bird lost control through the high-speed left-hand Turn 6 sweep, sending his car spinning. While some cars managed to get by, Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi was unable to avoid the stricken car and made heavy impact that propelled Bird’s Jaguar into the racing line before Edoardo Mortara’s car plowed into Bird.
The crash brought out a red flag. Bird was able to return to race on Sunday.
Mike Pryson
Mike Pryson covered auto racing for the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot and MLive Media Group from 1991 until joining Autoweek in 2011. He won several Michigan Associated Press and national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for auto racing coverage and was named the 2000 Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club’s Michigan Motorsports Writer of the Year. A Michigan native, Mike spent three years after college working in southwest Florida before realizing that the land of Disney and endless summer was no match for the challenge of freezing rain, potholes and long, cold winters in the Motor City.
Keyword: Jake Dennis Hits a Formula E Grand Slam in Rome for Andretti Avalanche