Nick Cassidy took his maiden ABB FIA Formula E World Championship victory on Saturday in New York City despite ending his afternoon with a heavily damaged car after heavy rain caused aquaplaning heading towards turn six.
The Envision Racing driver had driven strongly having started from pole position and was at the front of the field when the rain began to fall with just over ten minutes remaining. It then became heavier and caused a puddle midway down the straight heading into turn six, and Cassidy was the first of those to crash into the barriers due to aquaplaning off.
He was joined in the barriers by second placed Lucas di Grassi and fourth placed Stoffel Vandoorne, whilst others, including Edoardo Mortara, Sébastien Buemi and Pascal Wehrlein, also found themselves hitting the barriers or each other.
Initially, with seven and a half minutes on the clock remaining, it looked as though Cassidy would be denied his maiden victory, but requirements to repair to the barriers meant race control stated the race would not restart, with the results going back a lap to give the New Zealander the win.
“It is such a rollercoaster of emotions, I was pretty calm after everything happened (but) obviously very disappointed initially,” said Cassidy. “It felt like I did everything right today, felt like it was in the bag with ten to go, then it started raining. I was initially very disappointed considering that, but – and I know I’m biased – I think it is the right decision.
“[When finding out he won] I said in the garage ‘are you sure, are you sure?!’ It is difficult for me to say too much, but I am super happy with the win and I don’t want to talk about the decision making process and all that.
“But in terms of the race the team did a fantastic job, I had a fantastic car today and I am really pleased especially after last weekend that we could come here and take the win.”
Cassidy Disagrees with Sunday Penalties for Gearbox Change
As good as the result on Saturday was, the damage to his car meant he was forced to change his gearbox ahead of race two, with the penalty for doing that preventing him from starting on pole position again.
Cassidy was handed a thirty-place grid penalty for the gearbox change, which meant he started at the back of the field. And because he couldn’t take the whole penalty, he was also handed a drive-through penalty once the race began.
The New Zealander said he did not agree with the penalty, feeling he could understand if it was a self-imposed change, but because it was out of his hands, he felt it was unwarranted, particularly when one of the drivers who crashed into him on Saturday – Vandoorne – finished on the podium.
“I don’t agree with the penalty,” Cassidy said to Motorsport.com. “If you change battery due to a fault of your own, you get a whatever penalty. I mean, I was in a wall, front on and I’ve been hit by two other cars through no fault of my own, damaged my battery and I’ve been penalised for it.
“And those two other cars, one’s had a podium today – so that really sucks. And then to make it worse, my car today was unbelievable. I was so fast.
“So you don’t always get those weekends in Formula E, the drivers here are really top quality and I think the order changes weekend to weekend because for the teams, sometimes some tracks suit you, sometimes they don’t.
“And to have a car like I had today and not being able to start where we should have done, it’s pretty frustrating.”
Nick Cassidy ended fifteenth on Sunday after penalties for a gearbox change – Credit: Sam Bloxham/LAT Images courtesy of FIA Formula E