Last corner heroics secure victory for Guenther in first-ever Jeddah E-Prix

The German sealed pole ahead of Round 3, his first since Jakarta 2024, and as the field flew away into the unknown - with Formula E's first ever energy-boosting pit stops, in PIT BOOST, making their debut here in Jeddah - Guenther led early on from Rowland, Barnard and Mahindra Racing's Nyck de Vries.

Through the first rounds of ATTACK MODE and as the drivers began their PIT BOOST stops, it looked like a number of drivers had got the jump on Guenther - with Rowland able to come out on top as the 31-lap race crossed the 20-lap mark.

The Nissan driver, along with Barnard and de Vries spent their 10% extra energy early, unlocked by that 30-second 600kW PIT BOOST jolt, right off the back of their pit stops while Guenther elected to dive through the ATTACK MODE activation zone and use his additional boost of energy later on.

RESULTS: The 2025 Jeddah E-Prix Round 3

The race looked to be coming back the way of Guenther come Lap 22 once the order began to shake out - the black and gold and black DS PENSKE flashing by Barnard to see Guenther third by the mid-point of that same tour.

De Vries was busy drawing Rowland's four-second gap down into a two-second advantage out-front through the second and final 50kW power output-boosting ATTACK MODE activations but it was Guenther stole a march - leaping into second to spearhead the charge after the lead Nissan - setting the Fastest Lap on Lap 27, and with a percentage point of energy in-hand on Rowland as the laps ticked down.

From there, it was a four-lap, four-car fight to the chequered flag for the win - though Guenther was running out of corners to get a move done.

With just the final chicane to hold on, Rowland looked to have things sewn up but a dive left from Guenther, as the Nissan tried to hold onto what little energy he had left, was enough to see the DS through and firing to the line and the chequered flag.

Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein had a day to forget, with Mitch Evans colliding with the Porsche driver early on, and causing a puncture which sent the German to the back of the pack via an early pit stop. He wound up only 15th at the flag.

All that marked a first victory for Guenther with DS PENSKE and his first since Tokyo last season, as well as the first time a polesitter's converted the win since the opening race of Season 10, some 17 races ago.

It also meant three different drivers have now led the 2024/25 Drivers' World Championship after each of the first three races: Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) post-Sao Paulo, Antonio Felix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche) post-Mexico City and now Nissan's Rowland - who heads the way on 43 points to da Costa's 39.

Porsche leads the Teams' table by three points from DS PENSKE - 60 plays 57. Nissan heads Porsche 87 points to 62 in the Manufacturers' table.

Next up, it's Round 4 from Jeddah at the same time tomorrow. Find out how to watch here.

As it happened...

Polesitter Guenther led the field away through the tight left right of Turns 1 & 2 while Rowland edged by Wehrlein at Turn 4 with the Porsche slipping wide of the apex.

Things would go from bad to worse soon afterwards for the reigning champion as the front wing of Mitch Evans' Jaguar came into contact with Wehrlein's rear right tyre. A puncture and a trip to the pits required for the latter and one for Evans too, who needed his front wing changing, on Lap 5.

With the debut of PIT BOOST and the 10% additional energy that brings, the field strang out - Guenther racing to a two-second lead come Lap 4 over Rowland. Barnard and de Vries - up from sixth - followed next while Hughes and Vergne rounded out the top six.

Eventually, Guenther began to save a little energy - bringing the four behind him into play, all running in a pack with a gap back to Vergne in sixth behind. Lap 8 saw the Safety Car bunch everyone back together again, however, with a stray portion of da Costa's rear wing requiring safe collection. 

The German led the field away again on Lap 9 as things were. De Vries made moves for third at Turn 14 on Taylor Barnard on Lap 10 - allowing the lead pair to jump clear by a second or so.

A lap later and Guenther ceded the race lead on-track to Rowland at the same corner - the DS PENSKE driver looking to save up some energy having led from the front from the outset.

Lap 14 brought about the first-ever PIT BOOST stops. Hughes, Barnard and da Costa were the first to make the leap - looking to undercut with some flat-out laps under ATTACK MODE following their 10% energy boost. Meanwhile, Vergne, Vandoorne, Cassidy, Buemi, Bird and Frijns elected to take the first of their ATTACK MODE boosts.

Guenther pitted on Lap 16, but wound up looking the big loser - jumped by Barnard and Hughes initially, though it was Rowland who ended up out front from de Vries on Lap 21.

The DS PENSKE driver went for his first ATTACK MODE activation later than that lead quartet, though. Those four had got the jump following their stops but come Lap 22, the race came back the German's way - the gold and black DS flashing by Barnard and Hughes to see him third by the mid-point of that same tour. 

Rowland headed the way by some four seconds in-hand with less than 10 laps to run, from de Vries, Guenther, Hughes, Barnard, Mortara, Vergne, da Costa, Dennis and Buemi.

De Vries drew that gap to Rowland down to two seconds by Lap 26, though, as the leaders set about their second and final 50kW ATTACK MODE boosts and it was Guenther that leapt into second to spearhead the charge after the lead Nissan - setting the Fastest Lap on Lap 27 and with a percent energy in-hand on Rowland.

From there, it was a four-lap duel to the chequered flag for the win but Barnard joined the fun on the final tour having dispatched de Vries a lap earlier.

Guenther jumped Rowland on the way into the final chicane, energy in-hand with Rowland having to regen - the lead four firing to the line led home by the German for his first win since Tokyo last season. Rowland followed with Barnard and de Vries in close company.

SCHEDULE: Where, when and how to watch or stream the 2025 Jeddah E-Prix Round 4

Free Practice 3: Saturday 15 February, 13:00 local/10:00 UTC
Qualifying: Saturday 15 February, 15:20 local/12:00 UTC
Race: Saturday 15 February, 20:05 local/17:05 UTC 

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