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Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco 2025 : Program       |       Boutique Officielle: Collection Monaco Grand Prix

Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix de Monaco 2025 : Program       |       Boutique Officielle: Collection Monaco Grand Prix

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Buemi's E-storic hat-trick!
23 May 2025

Buemi’s E-storic hat-trick!

Sébastien Buemi (Envision Racing) made history at the Monaco E-Prix by winning the 9th edition of the most prestigious round of the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship on Sunday. His 3rd win in the Principality, after a perfectly controlled race in very tricky conditions (wet track at the start, drying out later), which he had started from 8th on the grid.

“I thought I’d never win again (in FE), and that my total number of victories would stay at 13. To win, you need success and a good car, and that was my case today. It was very difficult at the start of the race, but our strategy worked, using the Attack Mode at the best moments, and in the end I was able to extend my lead”, said the day’s winner before taking to the podium in the Princely Box, where H.S.H. Princess Charlene of Monaco presented him with the trophy he had long hoped to receive.

Buemi, one of the first FIA Formula E champions at the very start of this revolutionary and innovative discipline, had not won since the New York round in 2019. Since then, he has changed teams, joining the former Virgin team, and waited patiently for the planets to align once again. This happened on Sunday, under overcast skies, and he won by using, at the ideal moment, his Attack Mode to pass Oliver Rowland (Nissan) after the Port chicane, then Nyck de Vries (Mahindra) on the Ostende climb.

History will record that Buemi passed under the chequered flag before Rowland, winner of the 8th Monaco E-Prix on Saturday and starting from pole position for this 9th edition, with de Vries, his runner-up from the previous day, at his side. The podium was completed by Nick Cassidy (3rd), who made a fantastic comeback from 14th on the grid in his Jaguar. A Kiwi very happy with his third consecutive podium in Monaco, after his victory in 2023 and his 2ndplace in 2024, behind Jaguar team-mate Mitch Evans.

Rowland widens the gap

The race was led for a long time by Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske), but the Frenchman was swept up in the turmoil of mid-race, when the leading pack fought it out using Attack Mode all over the circuit, and when Rowland almost lost everything by attempting two very daring manoeuvers at the Port chicane, first against de Vries, then against Vergne. His hard passes didn’t pay off, so at the end of the race, having used up his Attack Modes credit, the Briton stayed well clear of Buemi and was content to secure championship points.

“I woke up in a very bad mood this morning, I don’t know why, and I thought that if I came away with ten more points, after my win on Saturday, that would be great. I wasn’t fast enough in EL3, but I really wanted to take points in the race. When I found myself behind JEV (Jean-Eric Vergne), I was impatient, because I thought he was deliberately slowing down the whole field. After cutting the chicane, I thought about giving up my place so as not to take a 5-second penalty, but when I saw all the cars in my rear-view mirror, I changed my mind”, Rowland recounted with a smile.

The Briton leaves Monaco with 46 more points than on Friday, in his FIA ABB Formula E World Championship leader’s suit, and a very comfortable lead over the TAG Heuer Porsche drivers: 115 points in total, compared with 67 for Antonio Félix da Costa and 66 for Pascal Wehrlein, who both missed their weekend in the Principality. There are still nine races to go, and Rowland has already won three out of seven. The next Formula E meeting is in Tokyo, in 15 days’ time. With two races again on the programme to score points, on Nissan’s home turf…

Oliver Rowland on pole position!
23 May 2025

Oliver Rowland on pole position!

The weather completely reshuffled the cards and at the end of the suspense, after Qualifying was truncated by the absence of a final and run entirely on a wet track, Saturday’s big winner, Oliver Rowland (Nissan), will start on pole position for the 9th Monaco E-Prix, Sunday at 3:04pm, with Nyck de Vries (Mahindra), 2nd on Saturday, just next to him on the first row of the grid.

The Qualifying final did not take place, as the two DS Penske drivers, Jean-Eric Vergne and Maximilian Günther, both cut the Port chicane during their battle in the second semi-final. As a result, neither driver qualified for the final. This was enough to satisfy Rowland, who had almost lost everything in his own semi-final, shooting straight at Sainte Dévote. But as de Vries had just done the same, but took longer to get back on track, it’s the Briton who will start from pole position on Sunday afternoon.

Before these two final twists, which presage a fierce duel in the race between the current leader of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (3 wins in 6 races) and the 2022 World Champion, only three of the eight drivers who entered the final qualifying grid on Saturday had earned the right to aim for pole position: Rowland and de Vries, but also Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kio), who had shone in free practice on Saturday morning (best time in both sessions) but could only finish 7th in the race.

Just before the start of qualifying, a heavy downpour predicted by the weather forecasters made grip conditions particularly tricky on mixed Hankook tires, which are the same for both wet and dry tracks. And just when he thought he could take his revenge for Saturday (20th), having got off to a good start on Sunday with the best time in Free Practice 3, Mitch Evans, the Kiwi from Jaguar and last year’s winner in the Principality, was ejected in Group 1 (9th), as were Lucas di Grassi (Lola-Yamaha ABT) and Norman Nato, Rowland’s team-mate at Nissan.

At the end of the second half-session, reserved for the 11 Group 2 drivers and interrupted by a crash for Sam Bird (NEOM McLaren) in Sainte Dévote, three former World Champions saved their day, in the final seconds: Sébastien Buemi (Envision), Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Maserati), accompanied by Maximilian Günther (DS Penske).

They joined Rowland, de Vries and Ticktum, as well as Antonio Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche), all of them qualified in Group 1. In contrast, several top guns were eliminated prematurely, starting with reigning World Champion Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche) and the other Jaguar driver Nick Cassidy, as well as Saturday’s poleman Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren) and Jake Dennis (Andretti), the other Briton on Saturday’s podium (3rd).

The 9th edition of the Monaco E-Prix promises a final share of suspense, on Sunday from 3:04pm, for the 10th anniversary of Formula E in the Principality (first E-Prix in 2015). And Rowland, on pole position for the first time this season (his 9th pole in FE), has already triumphed twice in Monaco: in Formula 2 (in 2017, Main Race) and in Formula E, this Saturday. He will still be the leader of the series tonight. And he may add another trophy in his living room. Things always come in threes, after all?

FP3: Evans back in the game
23 May 2025

FP3: Evans back in the game

New Zealander Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS), last year’s winner on the streets of the Principality, set the fastest time in the only Free Practice session scheduled for the 9th Monaco E-Prix, Sunday morning. This achievement, by a driver who finished 20th on Saturday, made the excitement grow ahead of the qualifications for the 7th round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, scheduled to start at 10:40am under cloudy skies.

The end of the session was interrupted for a few minutes when Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kiro) stopped at the Rascasse corner, his dashboard indicating “Crash” in the S of the Piscine, even though the British driver, who had set the fastest time in Saturday morning’s free practice, had not hit anything or anyone. A spectacular electronic glitch prompted him to immediately park his car and walk back to his pit.

Behind Evans, who set the fastest lap in 1:26.614, Andretti Racing driver Jake Dennis, who finished 3rd on Saturday in the 8th Monaco E-Prix, showed he was in good form this weekend, ahead of Nyck de Vries (Mahindra), who finished second on Saturday, and Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche), the reigning World Champion. That makes for three crowned heads in the Top 4, ahead of what promises to be an explosive qualifying session starting at 10:40am.

Saturday’s winner, Oliver Rowland (Nissan), had a bit of trouble waking up on Sunday, and went straight at Sainte-Dévote, without any damage. He clocked the 11th fastest time in this Free Practice 3 (there were already two sessions on Saturday), half a second behind Evans and also behind his French Riviera teammate Norman Nato in 9th place. “I have the same car as Oliver, but yesterday it wasn’t working at all for me, something was probably broken, so we checked everything,” explained the Frenchman.

A curfew was observed by all teams between 9:30pm on Saturday and 6:30am on Sunday to ensure that engineers and mechanics could sleep long enough in order to be in shape for the 9th Monaco E-Prix, which will start at 3:04pm. Fans, who are expected to turn out in large numbers in the stands and at the Fan Village on Quai Antoine 1er, are hoping for a festival of overtaking (nearly 200 last year) to celebrate, in style, the 10th anniversary of Formula E in Monaco. There will be no superfast charging in the pits (Pit Boost), but the weather could well throw a spanner in the works…

Please note that you can still purchase tickets at the following outlets around the circuit:

  • ACM Ticket Office, 44 Rue Grimaldi
  • Rue Louis Notari
  • Tourist Office
  • Fan Village (Quai Antoine 1er)

 

E-News from the 8th Monaco E-Prix
23 May 2025

E-News from the 8th Monaco E-Prix

Since its arrival in the Principality, Formula E has attracted significant interest, thanks in particular to the Fan Village and a number of influencers, including Idreau. At the same time, an “Inside” series has been released on Amazon Prime Video.

Warm atmosphere at the Fan Village

It’s a real popular success! The Fan Village is back on the Quai Antoine 1er and, as in previous years, it is attracting huge crowds of spectators, who are delighted to be able to find out more about Formula E through a wide range of free activities

Right from the start, the many entertainment stands, including the Gaming Area, food outlets, shops and workshops, have been a great success with families, who have been won over by this welcoming and warm settings.

The first day’s events were a great success, and there’s plenty more fun to come tomorrow. As on Saturday, the Fan Village will open its doors at 9am to welcome young and old alike for a moment of relaxation and entertainment.


Formula E : Driver, now available on Amazon Prime Video

Divided in four episodes and available since Friday May 2 in 38 countries on Amazon Prime Video this series focuses on four leading drivers in the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship: António Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche), Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS), Jake Dennis (Andretti) and Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kiro).

Each episode, filmed during Season 10, takes viewers behind the scenes of Formula E, following the model of the popular Netflix series Drive to Survive. Produced by Astronaut Films, the show begins in Mexico, where Dennis returns after a summer of celebrations to defend his title, before going behind the scenes to follow Ticktum, whose reputation as a “bad boy” is jeopardising his future in Formula E.

The series culminates in the dramatic season finale in London, when five drivers, including Evans and da Costa, battle it out for the title. Throughout the episodes, viewers get a front-row seat to the exciting and fast-paced world of the all-electric Formula E championship, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.


Off Track takes you behind the scenes of the Monaco E-Prix

During this exceptional motoring weekend, many guests will be in the Principality to enjoy the show. Among them, Idreau and the Off Track teams are busy shooting a video that will be broadcast on their YouTube channel in the coming weeks.

“We’re making a documentary to showcase the event,” explains Idreau, at the end of a very lively first day of racing. “There’s a great atmosphere, lots of action on the track, lots of people in the stands… So far, everything’s going well and it’s a great experience.”

In this ten-minute format, viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the weekend’s two races. Already on deck since Thursday, the Off Track teams are not missing a beat.

Idreau is delighted: “It’s really interesting to follow and when you see how the race unfolded today, with all the twists and turns, the strategy, the overtaking… It’s got everything you need to have a great race! What other category today can boast overtaking on every lap and in almost every corner at Monaco?”

Rowland wins, a leader in control
23 May 2025

Rowland wins, a leader in control

Oliver Rowland (Nissan), starting from the front row, won the 8th Monaco E-Prix in masterly fashion on Saturday, executing a perfect strategy and consolidating his leadership in the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship. Before the 9th Monaco E-Prix on Sunday, the Briton owns a comfortable 34-point lead: 94 points in total, compared with 60 points for reigning World Champion Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche). Without ever seeming to be in danger, as he controlled the situation from start to finish.

The very young 20-year-old pole-sitter Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren) got off to an excellent start, then led the way until lap 12, when Rowland forced his way through the Port chicane. Barnard resisted, had to cut the chicane, and then let Rowland ahead to avoid a penalty. After another tussle on lap 15, the Nissan driver made his compulsory stop for fast charging (Pit Boost) at the start of lap 19. He then put his Attack Mode back on, at the end of the race, to move back into the lead and head for his 3rd win of the season, in 6 rounds. That’s a 50% win rate…

Barnard was unable to fight to the end, having been being pushed by Wehrlein at the Fairmont hairpin, on lap 24. And the other two podium places were taken by two former Formula E World Champions, Nyck de Vries (Mahindra) and Jake Dennis (Andretti). At the end of the yellow flag period caused by the crash of Felix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche) at the Antony-Noghès bend, the 2023 champion caught Wehrlein and de Vries by surprise on lap 11, at the top of the Ostende climb. He was then penalized five seconds (for speeding under a yellow flag), but this small incident did not prevent him from taking a well-deserved 3rd place, at the end of a hard-fought race in which the Pit Boost, a 2025 novelty, played a very limited role.

No celebrations tonight…

The only driver to really benefit from the Pit Boost was Switzerland’s Nico Müller (Andretti), who pitted during the yellow flags on lap 9, losing less time than all his rivals later on in the race. This enabled him to take the lead with ten laps to go, before everything fell into place and Rowland finished the race with a bang, taking first place under the chequered flag. Müller finally took 5th place, behind his compatriot Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra) who finished just off the podium.

“I can’t complain, it’s been a great start to the season,” Rowland told the media at the press conference. “I’m very confident, my car is really good, and I was determined this weekend, after the Miami race which didn’t go so well. I heard a strange noise when I went to the grid, so I was very stressed. Then my gearbox temperature went up, probably because of my crash this morning in qualifying, and I was even more stressed. When I found myself in 5th place, I was very upset and I shouted to my engineers, on the radio. I wanted to put on the Attack Mode one or two laps earlier, but the team decided otherwise. I was a bit worried, but in the end everything turned out fine”.

The post-race celebrations will be less festive than on a “normal” weekend, the winner of the day regretted, because there is another E-Prix scheduled for this Sunday, starting at 8:30 am (with one and only Free Practice session). Then Qualifying at 10.40 a.m. and the race start at 3.04 pm, just like today. Another thriller is on the cards!

Taylor Barnard, a young gun on pole!
23 May 2025

Taylor Barnard, a young gun on pole!

A 20-year-old driver, Britain’s Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren), will start from pole position this Saturday at 3:04 p.m. for the 8th Monaco E-Prix, alongside Oliver Rowland (Nissan), the provisional leader of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The qualifying session at noon lived up to expectations but ended prematurely for Rowland, who made a mistake in the Sainte-Dévote corner at the very start of the final for pole position.

“It’s great to be on pole, the team did a fantastic job,” said the youngest driver on the Formula E grid, delighted with his second pole position of the year after the one he secured in Jeddah, mid-February. The young man has been breaking records since his official debut last year in Monaco, when he stepped in at short notice to replace his team leader Sam Bird, who had been injured at Sainte Dévote in Free Practice 1. Sainte Dévote, just like Rowland this morning.

Barnard is the youngest ever driver in Formula E history to compete in an E-Prix (Monaco 2024, 14th), to finish in the points (Berlin 2024, 10th and 8th), to finish on the podium (Sao Paulo 2024, 3rd), and then to secure pole position (Jeddah 2024). He will be ideally placed to try to claim a historic victory this afternoon at 15:04 CET. For the record, the last three polemen, Wehrlein, Hughes and Evans, failed to convert their pole in a win…

This impressive pole position comes less than a week after McLaren announced its withdrawal from Formula E at the end of the season due to a busy racing schedule (F1, Indycar, WEC from 2027). All the more reason to enjoy it, but the introduction of Pit Boost this afternoon, for the first time in Monaco, could shake things up. All drivers will have to stop during the 8th Monaco E-Prix to recharge 15% of their batteries in ultra-fast mode.

Barnard will have to watch closely Rowland, next to him on the first row, but also Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kiro), the fastest in Free Practice 1 and 2 this morning, and Nyck de Vries (Mahindra), the 2022 World Champion, positioned on the second row. The Attack Mode (15% extra power for four minutes) will have to be activated twice, in the Monte-Carlo Casino sector, making overtaking easier. Two wild cards to be played at the best possible moment, hoping they won’t be wasted by a yellow flag or a safety car… It’s going to be hot, very hot.

GEN 3 Evo, the ultimate weapon in the Principality?
23 May 2025

GEN 3 Evo, the ultimate weapon in the Principality?

The new GEN3 Evo Formula E single-seater, launched at the start of the 2024/25 season, gave the previous version a run for its money this Saturday in Monaco: three seconds better on one lap, by Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kio) this morning, than the best qualifying time in 2024 edition, by poleman Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche). An abyss, and the promise of a formidable spectacle for thousands of Formula E fans who have chosen to spend their May 1st weekend in the Principality.

Just one year ago, this GEN3 Evo was unveiled at a ceremony held at the Collection de Voitures de S.A.S. le Prince de Monaco, in conjunction with the 7th Monaco E-Prix. One year on, the qualities announced at the time – speed, efficiency and reliability in particular – are well in evidence.

The result of a joint effort by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Formula E promoters, the GEN3 Evo is nothing less than the fastest FIA single-seater in the world! As proof, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.86 second! That’s 30% faster than a current Formula 1 car. The GEN3 Evo is also capable of speeds in excess of 320 km/h, on circuits more conventional than Monaco.

One of the crucial innovations of this new car is an All-Wheel Drive system, a world first for a single-seater. It is authorized during qualifying, starts and when the Attack-Mode is deployed, twice during the race. Other notable improvements have been brought on the GEN3 Evo, regarding regenerative braking and race software.

As for tires, the South Korean Hankook compounds adopted this season deliver an estimated maximum 10% increase in grip, depending on the track surface. In addition to its significant performance, the GEN3 Evo also boasts a more refined visual and aerodynamic appearance, and a slimmer front spoiler.

 

FP1/FP2: Ticktum, the early-morning surprise!
23 May 2025

FP1/FP2: Ticktum, the early-morning surprise!

It was very early on Saturday morning when the single-seaters of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship started their Free Practice 1 session, and the one who woke up best was clearly Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kiro). An hour later, Free Practice 2 saw the British driver repeat the feat in style, becoming the first Formula E driver in Monaco to lap below one-minute and 27 seconds.

Who will start first on the grid of the 8th Monaco E-Prix, on Saturday at 3:04pm? Ticktum is now the number 1 favourite, having set his best lap on Saturday morning in 1:26.779, three seconds quicker than last year’s best qualifying time (1:29.759), by Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche). A performance made possible in part by the obvious qualities of the new Gen3 Evo single-seater, with all-wheel drive, which was launched for this Season 11.

Wehrlein, the reigning World Champion, has just won in Miami following the penalty inflicted on Norman Nato (Nissan) after the finish. He’s in the mix this Saturday (2nd in FP1, 7th in FP2), as is last year’s winner, Kiwi Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS), 4th in FP2 behind Ticktum, Jake Dennis (Andretti), the 2023 World Champion, and Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra).

In view of Dan Ticktum’s track record in Formula E (53 E-Prix contested, no win or podium since the 2021/22 season), his presence at the top of the timesheets, on two occasions, comes as something of a surprise! The 25-year-old Briton, who won the Principality’s second F2 Sprint Race in 2021, took full advantage of the more seasoned competitors’ lacklustre performances.

The next outing on the track is scheduled from 10:40am, during a very anticipated Qualifying session, planned with several stages for maximum suspense: first, two groups of 11 cars, then a final draw with the Top 8 drivers, from the quarter-finals to the final which will determine the poleman for the 8th Monaco E-Prix, this afternoon at 3:04pm!

Note that you can still buy your tickets at the points of sale around the circuit:

  • Billetterie ACM pick-up point, 44 Rue Grimaldi
  • Rue Louis Notari
  • Direction du Tourisme
  • Fan Village (Quai Antoine 1er)

 

Formula E meets the Principality
23 May 2025

Formula E meets the Principality

In just a few years, Formula E has become a major popular event, allowing young Monegasques in particular to meet drivers. This is further evidenced this year, as the 8th and 9th editions of the Monaco E-Prix provided an opportunity for an unprecedented number of meetings and discussions, organised for audiences as diverse as they were enthusiastic.

As in previous years, school and college visits took place on Wednesday, featuring Lucas di Grassi, the Lola-Yamaha Abt driver at the International School of Monaco… in the presence of his own son. Another Formula E champion, Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, World Champion in 2021, visited the FANB College for a moment of sharing and a lively question-and-answer session with his young fans.

Meanwhile, the two McLaren drivers, Sam Bird and Taylor Barnard, were visiting sick children at the Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG), delighted to meet authentic champions who also represent a legendary motorsport team.

Girls on Track shifts gears

Coordinated by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in several countries around the world, Girls on Track helps young girls climb the ranks of the motorsport pyramid in a highly masculine world. At the top, for the past few years, is the F1 Academy, reserved for girls and now held as a curtain-raiser for Grands Prix.

Several events were organized this week around the Monaco E-Prix, starting with a karting race on Wednesday in Cannes for 43 highly motivated participants. Then, a special Career Talks conference, focusing on the “Girls on Track” program, took place at the International University of Monaco, featuring several female motorsport professionals to inspire the students and share their experiences in a sector that is still largely male-dominated.

Speakers included Frédérique Reynertz (who has worked in several international sports federations, including the FIA), Julia Palle (Vice President of Sustainability at Formula E), Chloé Sharpe (Social Media Manager at Mahindra Racing), and Laura Pochylski (Account Manager at All Time and a former IUM student).

Through their backgrounds and experiences, the speakers shared advice for female students starting their careers in just a few months. They emphasised the importance of seizing every opportunity and not losing their passion. All recalled that there are multiple paths to enter the world of motorsport, including through other sports.

Inclusivity, role models, and male support… They shared experiences that had a positive impact on them and discussed the skills needed for young people entering the world of sport: curiosity, adaptability, and perseverance. Also as part of this initiative, more than 200 young women were able to discover the Fan Village and Pit Lane (simulators, team discussions, workshops) this Friday.

The Change.Accelerated.Live Conference

At the end of the day, the Change.Accelerated.Live Conference was held in partnership with Google Cloud at the Yacht Club de Monaco. At the heart of the discussions was a strong message: “Let’s innovate, let’s accelerate, and let’s preserve”.

On this occasion, several influential voices in the fields of sustainable sport, finance, green technology, and innovation debated and discussed transformative projects, ranging from the bio-improvement of battery materials to the use of AI to detect neurodegenerative diseases. This meeting demonstrated that in Monaco, a sustainable future is not a promise: it is already a reality under construction.

Strategy on Saturday, energy on Sunday...
23 May 2025

Strategy on Saturday, energy on Sunday…

On the eve of the 8th Monaco E-Prix, which takes place on Saturday in the Principality, the 22 Formula E drivers spoke at length on Friday in front of microphones and cameras, focusing on two key themes: energy management and race strategy. Here is an overview of their impressions ahead of the first laps, scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

“We’ll have to get up very early, around 5 am, but it’s worth it. It’s a privilege to drive here in Monaco. This is the race I used to watch when I was a kid, and it always made me dream,” said Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche), the reigning World Champion and current runner-up in the standings, behind Oliver Rowland (Nissan), thanks to his victory in the previous round in Miami.

“It’s going to be a long day, and the next day we’ll have to do it all over again, so it’ll be tiring,” added the German driver about the 9th Monaco E-Prix, scheduled for Sunday at the same time as the 8th edition on Saturday: start at 3:04 pm, local time, but without a mandatory pit stop to recharge 15% of the batteries. New for 2025, Pit Boost will be in effect on Saturday for the first time in Formula E, adding an extra element of uncertainty to an already unpredictable category.

Two seconds faster per lap with the Gen3 Evo?

“We’ll have a window of a few laps to stop and recharge, which is when most of the overtaking will take place, because the rest of the time we’ll be able to drive much faster, as we’ll have less energy to save, and there will be less overtaking on the track,” predicts Sébastien Buemi (Envision Racing), who knows a thing or two about Formula E: he has competed in 132 E-Prix since Season 1 and won one title, in 2016.

“In Miami, we were much better in terms of performance, so I hope that will continue. And the new cars (Gen3 Evo) are much faster, as are the tires, so I think we can gain two seconds per lap here in Monaco compared to last year’s times,” says the Swiss driver, four-time winner of Le Mans 24 Hours and a pole position specialist in Formula E. He has already secured 16 to his name, compared to 17 for Jean-Eric Vergne, aka “JEV.”

France’s Vergne (DS Penske) is the only two-time world champion in the history of Formula E. For him, “anything is possible and you have to be able to change your plans all the time, depending on external factors. The most important thing is to start at the front, like the Jaguar drivers did last year, because that avoids suffering when starting further back on the grid.” And ‘JEV’ added with a smile: “Some drivers are really dangerous, because only half of their brain is connected, but I won’t give names…” In 2024, the 7th Monaco E-Prix ended with a Jaguar one-two, Mitch Evans ahead of Nick Cassidy, after the green cars had started from the front row.

Will Nato get his revenge?

Penalized with a ten-second penalty in Miami after the checkered flag, which cost him the victory, Norman Nato (Nissan) has fond memories of Monaco, where he won the Monaco Kart Cup when he was younger. He has only won once in Formula E, in Berlin in 2021, but he was the best on the track in Miami, starting from pole position, and was the victim of the rules: due to a safety car deployment, he was unable to use up his Attack Mode credit, the period during which drivers have extra power. Nato is convinced that he still has a “very effective package this weekend in Monaco,” as is his teammate Oliver Rowland, leader of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. “We have a good level of performance and we can’t play it safe anymore,” said the Antibes native on Friday. He is 17th  in the championship at the halfway point, so he really has nothing to lose.

Nico Müller, the Andretti Racing driver, summed up the situation perfectly during the outdoor press conference for radio and television on Quai Antoine 1er, right next to the Fan Village: “Saturday will be about strategy, and Sunday will be about energy,” said the Swiss driver about the big difference to expect from these two Formula E races on the same weekend, a first for the Principality. Saturday’s race will be totally unpredictable because of, or thanks to, the Pit Boost. Sunday’s race will be more traditional, without the Pit Boost, when it will be crucial to save energy. There is a third variable that may need to be taken into account on Sunday: the weather, if it decides to play a role in the final result, as it often does in Monaco.

The 8th Monaco E-Prix, the 6th round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship 2024/25, will start on Saturday at 3:04 p.m. CET.

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