In the final year of the GEN3 machine, we experienced some unforgettable moments. From last-lap overtakes for the win, dominant displays and a tense championship battle that went down to the final race, relive all the drama with our look back over Season 10.
Formula E Championship Journalist Katy Fairman shares the biggest stories from the first four rounds of the 2023/24 campaign, from the epic opener in Mexico City, nights to remember in Diriyah and a Brazilian blockbuster.
13 January: 2024 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix Round 1
Pole: Pascal Wehrlein
Winner: Pascal Wehrlein
The season couldn’t have started much better for TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein. The eventual Season 10 World Champion *spoiler alert* would snap up the Julius Baer Pole Position and go on to secure the first win of the year in Mexico City. The German driver made it look easy, and meant he and Porsche now had two victories at the popular circuit.
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Behind Wehrlein, Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi put on a strong performance to finish second and equal his podium tally from Season 9 in just the first race. Nick Cassidy also joined them on the podium, a top three finish in his first race for the Jaguar TCS Racing squad and an extra point for fastest lap.
ABT CUPRA were celebrating their 100th race, but it ended prematurely for Nico Mueller when he was wiped out by the Porsche of Antonio Felix da Costa. Jehan Daruvala also made his Formula E debut with Maserati MSG Racing, and would eventually finish in 16th. Robin Frijns was back at Envision, but crashed after a handling problem caused him to crash.
Drivers’ World Championship top three:
- Pascal Wehrlein - 28 points
- Sebastien Buemi - 18 points
- Nick Cassidy - 16 points
26 January: 2024 Diriyah E-Prix Round 2
Pole: Jean-Eric Vergne
Winner: Jake Dennis
Andretti’s Jake Dennis showed everyone why he was the reigning World Champion in Diriyah, as he started third but won the race by a 13.289s gap – the second-largest in Formula E history.
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Jean-Eric Vergne took pole in his DS PENSKE but was forced to settle for second at the chequered flag, with Cassidy earning consecutive podium finishes with another third place. The Kiwi started in seventh but fought his way up the grid, and classified in third place after a failed last-lap gamble from teammate Mitch Evans.
Evans had been fighting Vergne in some nail-biting battles over the race, and went for a move on the two-time champion for second on the final lap of the race. Flying down the start-finish straight, Evans ended up sliding under braking, narrowly avoiding JEV, and eventually finished fifth in dramatic scenes.
Sergio Sette Camara, who started in fourth and achieved ERT’s first points of the season with a ninth place. NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird also narrowly missed out on a podium after finishing in fourth and securing the ABB Driver of Progress for Round 2. Championship leader Wehrlein had to settle for eighth.
Drivers’ World Championship top three:
- Pascal Wehrlein – 32 points
- Nick Cassidy – 31 points
- Jean-Eric Vergne – 29 points
27 January: 2024 Diriyah E-Prix Round 3
Pole: Oliver Rowland
Winner: Nick Cassidy
It almost seemed inevitable with his early run of form in Season 10, but Nick Cassidy left Diriyah a race winner with Jaguar. As Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ blasted from the speakers, the Kiwi celebrated his 50th Formula E race in style after coming from third to secure victory.
Oliver Rowland found himself on pole in his third race back for Nissan, labeling it as a “relief” after a “very difficult two years”. However, the Yorkshireman suffered with some wheel spin at the start, which allowed fellow-front row man Robin Frijns to take the lead into Turn 1.
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Just as we’d seen the day before, ATTACK MODE had a huge influence over the strategy. Both Cassidy and Jaguar managed it well, leading after taking second activation on Lap 13 of 36. Frijns chased him down with Rowland in third, with this being the final result. In the first three rounds, we had seen seven drivers on the podium and three different winners from different teams. Competition was as good as ever.
For Wehrlein, his time at the top of the standings came to an end after Cassidy’s win and the Porsche driver finishing in seventh.
Drivers’ World Championship top three:
- Nick Cassidy – 57 points
- Pascal Wehrlein – 38 points
- Jean-Eric Vergne – 33 points
16 March: 2024 São Paulo E-Prix Round 4
Pole: Pascal Wehrlein
Winner: Sam Bird
Brazil delivered one of the best final laps in Formula E history, as Sam Bird swooped past Mitch Evans to take NEOM McLaren’s maiden victory in the all-electric championship.
The outrageous overtake was Bird’s first win since Season 7, and came about as he had noticed Evans’ battery was derating in the hot temperatures and he was vulnerable. The Brit went for the ‘now or never’ move in the final few corners, in arguably one of the best overtakes all season.
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There was also an intense battle for the final podium place as pole sitter Wehrlein and Dennis fought for third, but it was Rowland who snuck past on the final corner to take the important 15 points and another piece of silverware.
It was also a race to forget for championship leader Cassidy after recording his first non-finish of the season. He failed to make it into the qualifying Duels for the first time in seven races, and later sustained damage to his front wing early on in the race. Deciding to stay out, the front wing ended up lodged under his Jaguar I‑TYPE 6, and resulted in impact with a nearby wall which ended his race.
Drivers’ World Championship top three:
- Nick Cassidy – 57 points
- Pascal Wehrlein – 53 points
- Mitch Evans – 39 points