"Tough for everyone at Jaguar" - Nick Cassidy gives away Portland win & title big points due to rare mistake

It was not only a mistake that decided the race victory, but also kept the title fight in the 2024 Formula E season open: Nick Cassidy lost control of his Jaguar on the penultimate lap of Saturday's race in Portland and spun - a rare but momentous driving error by the New Zealander. After the race, the team was suitably disappointed with the race result as Mitch Evans had a bad end of the day either losing his win due to a time penalty.

Nick Cassidy drove an almost typical "peloton" race: Initially, he held back in the midfield in his Jaguar and saved energy before storming to the front. He only took the lead for the first time shortly after the halfway point of the race - with the best energy level in the leading group. What followed was what many expected: Cassidy headed confidently towards his next victory.

However, things took a completely different turn: On the penultimate corner of the penultimate lap, Cassidy came slightly onto the grass with his right front wheel and missed the apex as a result. He left the track at the exit of the corner, spun 180 degrees on the grass, then spun the other way again and finally came to a halt on the off-track tarmac. As a result, he dropped back to 19th place. Horror in the Jaguar pits!

The moment that changed EVERYTHING ?

Championship leader Nick Cassidy loses it on the penultimate lap of the @Hankook_Sport #PortlandEPrix. pic.twitter.com/WQMeDBaL4A

- Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) June 29, 2024

"I executed 25 perfect laps today and was very happy with my race. Then I made a huge mistake. Luckily, tomorrow's race is one lap shorter, which could help us," says Cassidy. "I hope I'm the king of the comeback tomorrow."

"We have a lot of positives"

Cassidy's mistake meant that he not only missed out on the race win in Portland, but also the supposedly decisive step towards winning the 2024 title. The championship leader could have extended his lead over Pascal Wehrlein to a whopping 50 points. Instead, he still has a 24-point lead and must defend this in the remaining three races of the season.

"Today's result was tough for everyone at Jaguar TCS Racing, but we have a lot of positives to take into R14 in Portland including the lead in both Drivers' and Teams' Championships, and great pace," says a simple statement from the team. "We now regroup, focus… and race again tomorrow."

At least Cassidy's rivals were hardly able to benefit: Wehrlein made up just one point in tenth place, and Jaguar team-mate Mitch Evans also scored just eight points in total on Saturday thanks to pole position, eighth place and fastest lap. Cassidy still has a good chance of winning his first Formula E world championship - especially if he realises his potential without any mistakes in the second Portland race on Sunday.