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The Season 10 finale could hardly have promised more as three drivers - Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche), Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) and Nick Cassidy (Jaguar TCS Racing) - headed into Round 16 split by just seven points. Sure enough, one of the most dramatic encounters in Formula E history followed, with the GEN3 era signing off in style.
Cassidy had done everything right to fight his way back into the picture after a disastrous, pointless Portland and a qualifying struggle on Saturday in London. He recovered from 15th to an eventual seventh at the flag in race one and Julius Baer Pole Position for race two, and led the field away as teammate Evans jumped Maximilian Guenther (Maserati MSG Racing) into Turn 1 for second.
RESULTS: The full 2024 Hankook London E-Prix Round 16 classification
After an early Safety Car at the ultra-tight ExCeL Circuit, Wehrlein was able to pass Guenther for third, to make it three title contenders in the top three come Lap 6.
Jaguar looked to be placed well to stamp their authority and their chosen strategy on the race as the team and its drivers battled for all three titles. However, cracks began to show through Cassidy's initial ATTACK MODE activations, with Evans claiming "gloves off" and Cassidy vocally unhappy at slipping back behind both his teammate and Wehrlein.
The lead pair opted to go long and take their two mandatory 50kW ATTACK MODE boosts later in the race while Porsche and Wehrlein looked to rerun Saturday's successful strategy - the German running as much as three percent to the good on usable energy to the Jaguars.
The blue touchpaper was ignited on a cagey encounter on Lap 29 when Oliver Rowland, who'd clambered to fourth from ninth on the grid, swept by Cassidy for third - dropping the Jaguar into Guenther's grasp and contact ensued at the final turn between Porsche's da Costa and the Jaguar driver as the pack squeezed. Cassidy's race ended immediately with a puncture, with three contenders becoming two amid another appearance for the Safety Car.
Both Evans and Wehrlein were still to take both ATTACK MODE activations, following an invalidated trip through the loop under caution, which handed the lead to Rowland. However, as that move was also adjudged to be made under Safety Car conditions, the Brit was forced to cede the lead to Evans. This placed the Kiwi in the box seat and a Nissan between the Jaguar out front and his closest contender Wehrlein third. Another attempt was made by Evans and Wehrlein for ATTACK - the former again failed to activate, crucially missing the loop this time while handing the lead back to Rowland.
Evans did make it work on Lap 34, but Wehrlein was able to sweep by after his own successful trip through the ATTACK MODE loop and that was that for the Drivers' title - Evans would be the bridesmaid once again. To compound matters, he was unable to fight - having to slow in order to squeeze his 50kW boost in before the Chequered Flag flew.
Rowland was able to steer to a maiden home win comfortably in the end, with second enough for Wehrlein to seal an emotional maiden Drivers' World Championship by seven points over Evans - Cassidy ultimately winding up third having led into London. The consolation for Jaguar was a first title in top tier motorsport since 1991 with the Teams' World Championship.
Porsche sealed the inagural Manufacturers' Trophy, beating Jaguar by just seven points at the flag. However, a post-race penalty for Antonio Felix da Costa's collision with Cassidy saw the Porsche driver demoted from the points, with the swing enougb to see Jaguar steal the Trophy honours.
As it happened...
Evans started strongly and got the jump on Guenther to make it a Jaguar TCS Racing one-two, Cassidy from Evans, into Turn 1 with the Maserati driver following and the third title rival Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) in fourth spot - importantly, that instantly gave the Jaguar team the chance to play their strategy exactly how they'd like to suit their title battles, though Evans and Cassidy would both fancy their ultimate chances.
The field filtered around Lap 1 relatively unscathed but three turns into Lap 2, Dennis and Mortara had a coming-together - forcing the Safety Car.
The Green Flag flew on Lap 5 with Cassidy leading the pack away - single file through Sector 1. Evans let Cassidy know he was there, though, with a look around the outside as the field came back into view of the fans inside the ExCeL.
Wehrlein jumped Guenther to make it a title contender 1-2-3; a tidy leap up the inside of the final turn on Lap 6.
Safety Car number two was required on Lap 7 with Daruvala squeezing Bird into the wall, which collected Ticktum and Nato behind.
We were back racing on Lap 10, and once again Cassidy headed the way from teammate Evans and then-standings leader Wehrlein.
Cassidy was the first of the title rivals to jump for the initial of his two mandatory 50kW ATTACK MODE boosts. Two minutes of that power boost to utilise, and importantly, he held track position from teammate Cassidy while jumping through the activation loop off the racing line while Evans held the Porsche of Wehrlein at bay.
Lap 13 and Jaguar's tactical plan looked to be in threat, with second-placed Evans telling his engineer the gloves are off, with Cassidy jumping for ATTACK number two, and falling back behind Wehrlein. Evans lead the Porsche and teammate Cassidy.
As it stood on Lap 14, it looked like Porsche were rerunning Saturday's strategy, with Wehrlein second and in the box seat for the title provisionally but crucially, two percent up on usable energy on Cassidy and one percent to the good on Evans.
Oliver Rowland made his way up from ninth on the grid to fourth come Lap 18, drawing his Nissan right onto the back of the title challenging trio ahead. A spanner in the works?
Lap 20 and Wehrlein tried to make a move into Turn 1, with Evans forced into strong resistance to fend the German off as he dived up the inside - Porsche's driver keen to grab the clear air out front so he could take ATTACK MODE while retaining track position.
Wehrlein's teammate da Costa started 10th but had found his way into fifth come Lap 22, in a bid to support his teammate in the Drivers' battle while bolstering Porsche's efforts in the Teams' and Manufacturers' running - TAG Heuer Porsche requiring at least a podium double for a chance of Teams' honours over Jaguar TCS Racing.
On Lap 24, Wehrlein now had three percent usable energy on Evans, and the Jaguar driver had it all on to keep the Porsche at bay through Turn 1. Elbows out didn't cover it.
Drama on Lap 29 as Cassidy's chances came to an abrupt end with Guenther clashing with the Jaguar through the final turn, Rowland having made his way through for third as the car's came back into the ExCeL.
Then, both Evans and Wehrlein needing to take both ATTACK MODE activations, the pair jumped through the loop and Rowland hit the front. Neither activation worked, though, with the Safety Car now on-track for the recovery of Guenther's stricken Maserati Tipo Folgore - the front wing flying beneath his car after that contact with Cassidy.
Lap 31, and we were racing once again with Rowland leading Evans, Wehrlein and da Costa away.
Evans and Wehrlein jumped for their first 50kW boost again, this time effectively. Wehrlein scrabbled hard to hold Buemi at bay when he rejoined the racing line, and teammate da Costa helped out consummately, keeping the Swiss at bay so Wehrlein could rejoin third.
Meanwhile, Rowland was forced into giving the lead up for making his pass for the lead under the Safety Car, which saw Evans retake P1 but Rowland split the Jaguar and Wehrlein behind - slotting into P2.
Lap 33, and the two remaining title contenders went for ATTACK number two and Evans missed the loop again - P2 for now but Wehrlein, who successfully jumped through the loop, was right on his tail while Rowland hit the front once again.
Lap 34 and Wehrlein swept by as Evans went for a third bite at the ATTACK MODE cherry. He made it work but ceded second to the German, placing Wehrlein in provisional top spot in the standings. However, with two minutes of ATTACK to go, Evans was running out of time to use his final 50kW boost within the bounds of the rules, forcing the Kiwi into slowing and effectively giving up his Drivers' charge.
Rowland led things home from there for a first home win with Werhlein in tow, and the title went the way of the German.