ANALYSIS: HOW NICK CASSIDY’S 13TH-TO-FIRST MASTERCLASS GAVE CITROëN ITS HISTORIC FIRST FORMULA E WIN
We analyse Nick Cassidy’s perfect energy strategy in Mexico City that handed Citroën a shock win in only their second-ever race.
Nick Cassidy pulled off a stunning drive in Mexico City, storming from 13th on the grid to hand Citroen its first Formula E win—only their second race in the series.
Citroen just joined the all-electric championship for the 2025/26 season, but they’re already making waves. Cassidy had already grabbed third in the Sao Paulo opener, and now he’s added a win at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Smart energy management and a clever, off-sync Attack Mode strategy were the keys for the New Zealander, who shared the podium with Edoardo Mortara and reigning champ Oliver Rowland.
The day was a wild one—it was the 150th Formula E race, and it kicked off with drama in qualifying. Taylor Barnard set the fastest time, but a track limits violation at the final corner wiped out his lap in the duel for pole.
That handed the pole to Sebastien Buemi, but his luck didn’t last. He misjudged the first braking zone and went straight into the escape road at Turn 1. Barnard inherited the lead, but it was far from settled; early laps saw drivers swapping the front spot as they juggled energy-saving and Attack Mode timing.
Pascal Wehrlein jumped from eighth to first by lap five, hoping to control the race from the front—he figured overtaking would be tough later on. Turns out, he was wrong. Once his four-minute Attack Mode ended, Wehrlein slipped down the order, and it became clear that strategy would decide this one.
Patience with Attack Mode and saving battery for the end paid off, especially after a yellow flag-turned-safety car between laps 17 and 20. Nyck de Vries triggered that after a mechanical issue sent him off at Turn 1.
Things got messier on lap 25: Antonio Felix da Costa, defending from Cassidy, tangled with Maximilian Gunther, who spun and knocked da Costa into Dan Ticktum at Turns 5 and 6. That chaos was for the lower end of the top 10, while Cassidy’s charge was just heating up. Over the final 13 laps, he went all-in, using his full eight minutes of Attack Mode. He started with a six-minute burst, leaving him only two minutes of extra power just as Mortara—second place—still had four minutes left.
Even so, Cassidy managed his energy better than Mortara in the Mahindra, setting up a nail-biting finish. Mortara went on the attack, but Cassidy’s defence held solid, delivering his 13th series win. The close fight up front let Rowland close in and take third after passing Barnard and Jake Dennis in the late stages.
Wehrlein ended up sixth, with rookie Pepe Marti in seventh—he’d also saved his battery for a late push. Jean-Eric Vergne, Nico Muller, and Norman Nato rounded out the points.
Now, Cassidy leads the championship. And if the pattern holds, he’s in good shape: the last three Mexico City E-Prix winners all went on to become world champions.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
