How Cassidy emerged triumphant from "mayhem" in Portland FE slow-burner

The inaugural Portland E-Prix presented a distinctly unique challenge for Formula E last weekend with its fast and flowing corners offering little opportunity to recoup energy. The pace early on was on the pedestrian side as positions regularly swapped to avoid leading, but Envision's Nick Cassidy came out on top when it mattered in a tussle with Andretti Porsche man Jake Dennis

Updated Jun 26, 2023, 2:52 PM

There was a familiar face on top of the podium on Formula E’s first visit to Portland, after Nick Cassidy became the first three-time winner of the season. The event left opinion divided regarding the on-track action, but was otherwise an undoubted hit.

The fast, flowing Oregon venue, better known for hosting IndyCar and NASCAR, lived up to its promise of providing a unique spectacle, as the lack of braking zones meant few chances to recoup energy. It was always clear that this would be an energy-saving race in the Berlin mould, but this example was even more extreme, with drivers dawdling around as much as 13 seconds per lap slower than their cars were really capable of early in the race.