The championship fight has got even closer, as the Jaguar of Mitch Evans managed to achieve pole and the three additional points whilst his teammate, Nick Cassidy, struggled and will line up in 17th on the grid. As well as a shocking result for Cassidy, who leads the Drivers' World Championship with 167 points and two races to go, there were also big results up and down the grid.
TAG Heuer Porsche's Antonio Felix da Costa will start in ninth, with Pascal Wehrlein in third at a circuit which can prove challenging to overtake on!
Final
It was a close final push from both Buemi for Evans, but only one could emerge on top and it was once again Mitch Evans. Both drivers had great laps, but it was just six hundredths at the line to Evans and Buemi made a small error.
Semi Final
Pascal Wehrlein took on Buemi, with the Porsche driver desperate to start on pole and bag the extra three points that come with it. Unfortunately for the championship contender, it was Sebastien Buemi who was rapid around the ExCel and sailed through to the Finals going almost half a second quicker.
Then it was the turn of friends Nato and Mitch Evans. With Wehrlein out, it was a chance for Evans to make the most of this opportunity and he did that. Making it through to another Final.
Quarter Finals
First up was Yorkshireman Oliver Rowland who went up against Sebastien Buemi. The Season 2 champion is in the Duels for only the second time in the last 14 races, and has not won a Duel since reaching the Final at the opening round in Mexico City. However, that changed after he came out ahead of Rowland.
Next was Wehrlein and Robin Frijns. Porsche driver Pascal has the most Duel appearances this year with 12, but surprisingly today he topped a qualifying group session for the first time in the 2024 season. He has never started in the top-six at this track but managed to beat the Envision driver Frijns to fly through to the Semis.
Norman Nato was on a flyer in his Andretti to beat Nico Mueller in his ABT CUPRA. This was a repeat of the Quarter Final from Race 2 last season, and had the same result. Nato getting through to the Duels again also means he has reached this stage of qualifying twice as often as his teammate, reigning champion Jake Dennis.
Lastly, it was Jean-Eric Vergne and Mitch Evans. Between the two of them, these two have 53 Duel stage appearances but only one could get through to the Semi Finals. Evans had won his last five Semi Final Duels, and kept this statistic going as he progressed through for a better chance at pole.
Group A
The drivers had to contend with a brief downpour at the start of the session, with the unpredictable British weather sticking to its stereotype. This made the track conditions even more unpredictable, with a slippery surface outside and plenty of grip inside.
With several of the championship contenders in this group, putting in a good lap was crucial. As the clock ticked down, both Envision Racing drivers looked strong but that wasn’t the case for Nick Cassidy. Just before it was time for the chequered flag, he sat in fourth but several drivers around him were setting purple sectors and improving.
However, despite having one final lap to improve and get himself through to Duels, it wasn’t his best lap and saw him finish down in ninth! The huge shock will mean Cassidy has a big job ahead of him in the race to make up positions at this tight and twisty circuit where overtaking can prove challenging.
Wehrlein went top, with the Porsche driver with three pole positions so far this year and hoping to add to the tally. Behind him was Buemi, followed by home hero Rowland and Frijns in fourth. Brits Jake Dennis (Andretti) and Sam Bird (NEOM McLaren) both just missed out on a slot in the Duels, finishing fifth and sixth respectively.
Group B
Maximilian Guenther found himself clipping the barriers on an early lap as he explored every inch of the circuit in his Maserati MSG Racing car.
With Nick Cassidy qualifying down the grid, all hopes rested on his Jaguar teammate Mitch Evans and he delivered. The Kiwi, and championship contender, managed to top the Group and find himself in the duels with Pascal Wehrlein. Meanwhile their teammates would start outside of the top eight on the grid.
Joining him in the Duels was Nico Mueller, who set an incredible lap in his ABT CUPRA to slot into second. The Swiss driver will be wanting to go out with a bang, after announcing his departure from the team earlier this week. Norman Nato managed third in his Andretti with Jean-Eric Vergne taking the final spot in the Duels.
SCHEDULE: Where, when and how to watch or stream the 2024 Hankook E-Prix
Qualifying is next at 12:20 local with lights out on Round 15 at 17:00 local/16:00 UTC.
For Round 16, the same schedule applies: Free Practice 3 starts at 10:00 on Sunday 21 July, followed by qualifying at 12:20 local time and the race at 17:00 local/16:00 UTC.