How a "complete reset" helped Dennis deliver Andretti's Formula E title

There’s a motto among top sporting athletes and teams that you learn far more about yourself in defeat than in victory, and that a difficult run of form puts things into a greater perspective. For a period of nearly three months, Jake Dennis had plenty of time for reflection while a Formula E campaign that had begun so well, and which looked like a genuine assault on the title, was on the brink of collapsing.

The record books will show that come the end of last month, Dennis clinched his maiden Formula E title with a race to spare and by a healthy margin of 30 points after taking more podiums than any other driver, including two wins. But it was far from easy, and arguably the Andretti Autosport driver’s most important podium had come just before the halfway point of the season with a runner-up finish in the second Berlin E-Prix. According to Dennis, it “felt like a win” at the time, since it ended a spiral of bad results in which he’d gone four races without scoring a single point.

“It was massive, there’s no denying it,” reflects Dennis. “If you go three months without scoring any points it takes a toll on yourself and the team. Berlin race one where we were on for an easy podium, it was a done deal, but then I made that mistake which was on me.

“I just felt like I couldn’t catch a break – it was either me making the mistake, or the team, or we just weren’t quick enough. To get that podium felt like we were back on track, it was a complete reset, and then from that point on we had five podiums in a row. It was massive.”

‘That mistake’ in the first of the two Berlin races was when he lost control and clattered into the helpless Antonio Felix da Costa. It was the latest in a string of incidents that had included being eliminated by Dan Ticktum in Sao Paulo, and by Rene Rast in Hyderabad. Between the collisions, a drive-through penalty in Cape Town for tyre pressures that were too low extended the run of pointless races, and there was plenty of time between the single-header events for doubt to start seeping in.

It was even harder to swallow because it was in stark contrast to the opening rounds. At the season-opener in Mexico City, Dennis simply cleared off into the distance after taking the lead. That win was a surprise to many, since Andretti had struggled in Valencia pre-season testing with the new Gen3 machine on its switch from BMW to a Porsche powertrain. Challenging for wins, let alone a tilt at the title, seemed a distant dream heading into the season.

“We left there [pre-season testing] thinking that we were one of the slowest powertrains,” says Dennis. “We weren’t efficient at all. We were slow, we were lacking pure pace and it was a difficult off-season. I just went into it thinking, ‘Well, this is going to be a season at the back’.

Skirmish with da Costa in first Berlin E-Prix preceded runner-up finish in second leg of the double header that ended barren streak

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

“I had nothing to look forward to in terms of winning races or even becoming champion and then we arrived in Mexico. [The win] was just so unexpected and I think when that happens it becomes even sweeter.”

Hard work over the off-season paved the way for two runner-up finishes at the second round in Diriyah, both times behind Porsche works driver Pascal Wehrlein, and even at that early stage it looked like a straight fight between the pair, such had been their dominance. Then came the barren run.

But despite not scoring over four races, Dennis never fell further than 32 points from the top of the standings, such was the chaotic and unpredictable nature of Formula E in 2023, which was characterised by a new style of racing. With the slipstream of the Gen3 car so powerful, it meant that drivers, in a bid to save energy, were reluctant to lead, creating a peloton style of racing usually seen in cycling.

Dennis’s downturn in form coincided with the works Porsche team struggling for performance. The Achilles’ heel of the German manufacturer’s powertrain was its one-lap pace, often leaving its drivers down the grid and in the midst of the action where, inevitably, they were involved in incidents.

Overpowering had cost Evans a good result in Cape Town, and he’d been dramatically eliminated by team-mate Bird after taking pole in Hyderabad. The same was to happen in Jakarta, albeit in the lower reaches of the top 10

Even prior to the second half of the season, it became apparent that Jaguar’s powertrain had become the class of the field due to its greater energy management. Across the final 11 races, Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans took four wins apiece for the Jaguar powertrain, propelling both firmly into title contention and, in the process, casting their more experienced respective team-mates Sebastien Buemi and Sam Bird into the shade.

While Cassidy’s consistency had kept him on the fringes of the championship battle in the opening rounds – the Envision Racing driver finished second in Hyderabad and third in Cape Town – Evans’s rise had been meteoric. He headed to Sao Paulo in late March 66 points behind in the drivers’ standings, but kept fellow Kiwi Cassidy at bay to win before he doubled up in the first Berlin race.

Evans had shown flashes of performance before his back-to-back successes, but overpowering had cost him a good result in Cape Town, and he’d been dramatically eliminated by team-mate Bird after taking pole in Hyderabad. The same was to happen in Jakarta, albeit in the lower reaches of the top 10, but the incidents meant Cassidy had emerged as Dennis’s main rival.

Cassidy’s victory in Monaco at the start of the second half of the season, which followed a win in Berlin, propelled him to the top of the standings. By now, though, Dennis’s run of podiums was in full swing, and two second places in Jakarta moved him to within a point of Wehrlein. But he couldn’t shake Cassidy, whose win at Portland left him just one point behind new leader Dennis ahead of the Rome double-header, which was to prove the critical juncture in the championship battle.

Cassidy's victory over Evans in Monaco underlined the strength of Jaguar's powertrain package

Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images

With the trio of title protagonists battling for the lead and separated by just 20 points heading into the second race, Evans locked up his rear tyres and launched over Cassidy. Evans eventually retired with suspension damage and, although Cassidy finished, it was outside the points.

That moment, plus a lights-to-flag victory for Dennis, essentially handed the Briton the title on paper with a 24-point buffer heading to London. Despite some nervy wheel-to-wheel battles and the extra tension of two late red flags, a gritty performance and third on the road was enough for Dennis to clinch the title in front of his home crowd.

“I felt like that first red flag was actually a good thing in terms of being able to keep my emotions in check, have a bit of a rest,” recalls Dennis. “I was like, ‘I can actually win this thing if I deliver, and I perform’, and that was the case in the end.”

The new champion is now in a three-month break before pre-season testing starts in October, and this will no doubt be enjoyed far more than the similar stretch of time he endured earlier in his title-winning campaign.

Third in the first of two races in London was enough to secure an ultra-consistent Dennis the crown

Photo by: Andreas Beil

Race by race

Mexico City
1. Dennis
2. Wehrlein
3. di Grassi

Dennis dominates, passing poleman di Grassi when the Mahindra driver makes small mistake exiting Turn 1 nearly one third into the race. Wehrlein makes it a Porsche powertrain 1-2 as di Grassi just holds onto third, while Formula E debutant Hughes is mugged of fourth by Lotterer on final lap.

Diriyah 1
1. Wehrlein
2. Dennis
3. Bird

Porsche continues its dominance in Saudi Arabia, this time as Wehrlein survives late pressure to beat Dennis after they impressively climb from ninth and 11th on the grid respectively. Long-time leader Bird hangs on to third, poleman Buemi takes fourth, with McLaren’s Rast just ahead of Cassidy.

Diriyah 2
1. Wehrlein
2. Dennis
3. Rast

A repeat performance: Wehrlein again leads home Dennis, but Porsche driver faces slightly less pressure than previous day. Rast completes podium after repelling numerous attacks from Bird in closing stages, while McLaren team-mate and maiden polesitter Hughes crosses the line fifth.

Hyderabad
1. Vergne
2. Cassidy
3. da Costa

Despite considerably more energy, Cassidy is unable to find way past DS Penske of Vergne over final laps. Buemi finishes third but is demoted due to overpower use, with da Costa and Wehrlein main beneficiaries. Evans eliminated by team-mate Bird, with Fenestraz and Guenther caught up in incident.

Evans was spun out in India by team-mate Bird in a disastrous day for the Jaguar team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Cape Town
1. da Costa
2. Vergne
3. Cassidy

Overtake of the season on penultimate lap hands da Costa victory from Vergne, after dropping behind when failing to activate second Attack Mode. Poleman Fenestraz crashes on final tour while running third, promoting Cassidy. Wehrlein hits Buemi on opening lap and records only retirement all year.

Sao Paulo
1. Evans
2. Cassidy
3. Bird

Evans takes first win of season after late pass on Cassidy, while team-mate Bird climbs from 10th to make it Jaguar powertrain 1-2-3, with trio covered by 0.5s. Da Costa finishes fourth but loses chance of victory after running wide at Turn 1; Porsche team-mate Wehrlein finishes seventh.

Berlin 1
1. Evans
2. Bird
3. Guenther

Back-to-back wins for Evans, with Bird completing Jaguar 1-2 after peloton-style race that nobody wants to lead. Poleman Buemi drops from second to fourth on last lap, so Guenther takes first podium of the year, while Cassidy finishes fifth despite pitting to replace punctured tyre.

Berlin 2
1. Cassidy
2. Dennis
3. Vergne

Surprise of season comes in wet qualifying when Abt Cupra locks out the front row before Frijns and Muller slip back during dry race, the Swiss taking points in ninth. First win of year for Cassidy who impressively leads final 16 laps, while Dennis finishes second to finally end points drought.

Podium for Dennis in second Berlin race was pivotal for getting his championship back on track

Photo by: Andreas Beil

Monaco
1. Cassidy
2. Evans
3. Dennis

Championship protagonists occupy podium slots as race finishes behind safety car after Muller and Bird collide at Ste Devote. Cassidy’s earlier outside move into same corner on Evans seals back-to-back wins, despite starting ninth on grid. The Envision driver now leads standings.

Jakarta 1
1. Wehrlein
2. Dennis
3. Guenther

Maiden polesitter Guenther unable to convert starting position into victory. The Maserati driver eventually drops behind Wehrlein and Dennis and the works Porsche man takes third and final win of the year. Cassidy can only manage seventh, and Evans is eliminated by Bird again.

Jakarta 2
1. Guenther
2. Dennis
3. Evans

Guenther seals only win of season and Maserati’s first single-seater victory in more than 65 years as he and Dennis dominate, with Evans best of the rest. Sixth for Wehrlein hands him back the championship lead as Cassidy non-scores after damaging his front wing on the Porsche.

Portland
1. Cassidy
2. Dennis
3. da Costa

Most frenetic race of season as cars go five-wide at points, with power of slipstream to save energy very effective. Early safety car deployed when Muller suffers 27G crash after front wing lodges under his car. Cassidy judges race-winning move perfectly. Dennis takes second from da Costa on final lap.

Cassidy took the spoils in Portland, but clash with Evans in Rome took the title out of his reach

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Rome 1
1. Evans
2. Cassidy
3. Guenther

Lengthy red flag after Bird triggers high-speed, multi-car accident, with team-mate and poleman Evans eventually going on to win from Cassidy. Andretti miscalculates Dennis’s energy consumption by a lap and he drops to fourth behind Guenther, and only just keeps ahead of Vergne and Muller.

Rome 2
1. Dennis
2. Nato
3. Bird

Championship rivals Evans and Cassidy collide on second lap, which means neither scores points. It leaves way clear for Dennis to take lights-to-flag victory from pole despite constant pressure from Nato and Bird – the Nissan driver takes his only podium of year with a damaged front wing.

London 1
1. Evans
2. Dennis
3. Buemi

Early leader Cassidy and Buemi collide, dashing Kiwi’s title hopes. Evans wins, meaning Dennis needs podium to take title, which he secures after two red-flag stoppages for crashes. Second-placed da Costa receives penalty for technical infringement, promoting Buemi into final podium spot.

London 2
1. Cassidy
2. Evans
3. Dennis

Two red flags due to heavy rain delay proceedings, but once green-flag running gets under way Cassidy is unbeatable, with Evans the only driver capable of mounting any challenge. Cassidy’s win with Buemi sixth ensures Envision pips Jaguar to the teams’ title. Dennis beats Nato to complete podium.

The London finale was a Cassidy masterclass in wet conditions with the title no longer up for grabs

Photo by: Andreas Beil