Mitch Evans wins ePrix of Sao Paulo

Mitch Evans has won the ePrix of Sao Paulo. In a race without a leading role for Robin Frijns, the Jaguar driver was ultimately the strongest of the bunch after a fine battle at the front. Nick Cassidy and Sam Bird got to join the podium as numbers two and three.

The big loser at the start was Eduardo Mortara, who was allowed to start from fourth place. The 36-year-old Swiss has to close at the very back, while Norman Nato drops out on the first lap. Sebastian Buemi shoots straight on and also loses quite a few places. Frijns, who started from P20, takes advantage and moves up to 17th place.

Two safety cars

At the front, Vandoorne retains the lead at the start, yet a few minutes later he hands over his leading position to Antonio Felix da Costa. This is short-lived, however, as the Belgian soon comes alongside again. Felix da Costa soon loses more ground, as Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy also pass. The safety car then comes out on lap eight when Sascha Fenestraz stalls in his Nissan.

We then witness an extraordinary spectacle. No driver seems to want the lead in the race, as that takes more energy/battery and drivers want to have enough left in the closing stages. All the drivers are managing, but then Dan Ticktum and Jake Dennis hit each other. The latter drops out and so the safety car reappears.

Vandoorne loses positions

In the final phase of the race, Frijns cannot play a significant role. Up front it is mainly a matter of saving energy. Because of the two safety cars, four more laps come and so the task gets a little bigger for the men on the track. Bird, who had a lot of energy left, managed to join the leaders.

In the end, it is Evans who crosses the finish line first, less than half a second ahead of Cassidy and Bird. Frijns crossed the finish line in fifteenth place, taking no points on his comeback. Vandoorne, Saturday's pole-sitter, had to settle for P6.