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The unique Berlin Tempelhof Circuit threw up a second intensely tactical race in as many days, brimming with overtakes - 172 in total, making for 362 over the weekend - and featuring another strategic masterclass from the race winner; this time, Envision Racing's Nick Cassidy. The Kiwi started eighth and hit the front on Lap 25. He drove supremely to stay there - setting the pace, given the okay from his engineer on Lap 33, and mastering Formula E's tightrope of ultimate pace, racecraft and energy.
READ MORE: The full Round 8 classification
Keeping a handle on energy was again crucial at the slipstream-heavy race track, and Cassidy himself doubted whether he'd be able to match the pace of those behind for the best part of 20 laps out-front. He fended off the close attentions of all comers, including each of his closest championship rivals at one stage or another. He and the team managed to assemble the perfect race - a rare thing in Formula E.
"What an exciting race again – I’m really enjoying this year and the racing we’re having," said the 28-year-old. "The pace goes up and down and you’ve got to be switched on in communication with the team – who have been spot on. They gave me all the numbers I needed.
"In the first part of the race, I was saying I didn’t want to lead over the radio – I thought “I’m going to struggle here”. They were saying to get out of the lead but the guys didn’t want to pass me, so I stayed there for a little bit and got lucky with that – Jake [Dennis] helped me out.
"It was the first time really that I was more or less able to follow what we’d planned pre-race. You always have an idea of how you want it to go and it’s not often that happens."
The action in Berlin was as close as it ever has been in Formula E, with more than half the field split by just four seconds for significant portions of both races of the double-header. Overtakes were free flowing and margins are ultra-fine, says the Kiwi. Assembling a title push is not an easy task.
"You can see how chaotic these races can be. Whether you win or you finish ninth, there’s not much in it and one or two bad calls either way can change that outcome. We’ve been lucky we’ve had a good run but that can end in Monaco – I’m very aware of that. I’m just going to keep trying my best to take every race as it comes and do my best. It’s been a dream run.
"I've been in the fight the last five races and we had a great opportunity on Saturday but I made a mistake [contact with Dan Ticktum (NIO 333) and had to pit for repairs]. I put my hand up for that but on Sunday we made it count. Thanks so much to my guys. I've had an opportunity to win nearly every weekend this season and as a driver, that's a dream."
"I think we’ll see [energy] be less [critical] than here but I’ve not seen any Monaco numbers yet. So, it’ll be interesting. Historically, it is harder to pass so qualifying will be important – you put yourself in more danger and under more pressure back in the pack."