Vergne wins at Monaco, maiden Formula E podium for Massa

Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah) wins the Monaco ePrix, the ninth round of the 2018-2019 FIA Formula E Championship. For defending Formula E champion, it’s his second win this season and seventh in a career, which puts him to the top of the championship standings with four more races on a schedule. After eight different winners in eight races, Vergne is the first to score two wins in the fifth season of the global electric single-seater competition.

Vergne shared a podium with Oliver Rowland (Nissan e.dams) and Felipe Massa (Venturi). Rowland climbed for the second time to the podium in his first Formula E season while Massa reached a podium for the first time, giving a special reason for celebration to Monaco-based Venturi Formula E Team.

Electric formulas at the famous Monte-Carlo circuit

Oliver Rowland was the fastest qualifier at the streets of Monte-Carlo andhe received extre points for that, but his three-place grid penalty for colliding with Alexander Sims at Paris ePrix promoted Jean-Eric Vergne to the pole position.

He defended a lead at the start, staying in front of Mahindra Racing’s Pascal Wehrlein. However, Wehrlein made a mistake on the second lap and lost two positions to Rowland and Massa.

Felipe Massa on a podium

Vergne, Rowland and Massa stayed in the first three positions until the end of the race. The other point-scorers are Pascal Wehrlein (Mahindra Racing), Sebastien Buemi (Nissan e-dams), Antonio Felix da Costa (BMW Andretti), Mitch Evans (Jaguar Racing), Daniel Abt (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler), Andre Lotterer (DS Techeetah) and Alex Lynn (Jaguar Racing). Sam Bird (Virgin Racing) lost his sixth place on the last lap, halting a car on the Rascasse turn.

After nine races, Jean-Eric Vergne leads the championship standings with 87 points on his account, five points more than his teammate Andre Lotterer. Robin Frijns (Virgin Racing), who didn’t finish the race today, is third with 81 points.

The next race is the Berlin ePrix at Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, scheduled for May 25.