Nyck de Vries wins Monaco E-Prix

Nyck de Vries won the first race of Formula E’s Monaco E-Prix double-header on Saturday, May 16, giving Mahindra Racing its first victory of the Gen3 era after a tactical race and a late post-race penalty for Dan Ticktum. Mitch Evans finished second for Jaguar TCS Racing, while Cupra Kiro rookie Pepe Martí was promoted to third after stewards penalized Ticktum for contact with Antonio Felix da Costa in the closing laps. Formula E and FIA race reports said de Vries took control through his PIT BOOST timing and ATTACK MODE deployment around the Circuit de Monaco. The result also moved Evans to the top of the drivers’ championship standings, according to Formula E. ### How did de Vries turn second on the grid into the win? Dan Ticktum started from pole after setting a 1:26.551 lap in qualifying, with de Vries alongside on the front row for Cupra Kiro and Mahindra respectively. Formula E’s event coverage and qualifying reports showed Ticktum had controlled the early phase, but de Vries stayed in range as teams worked through PIT BOOST strategy in the first Monaco race weekend using the format. (fiaformulae.com) Lap 16 proved decisive. FIA and Formula E reports said de Vries was among the first front-runners to take PIT BOOST, then used ATTACK MODE to move clear once the field cycled through stops. The Dutch driver finished ahead of Evans, ending a four-year wait for a Formula E victory, according to Autosport and Formula E. (fiaformulae.com) ### What happened to Dan Ticktum at the finish? Ticktum crossed the line in the podium places, but the result changed after a late incident with Antonio Felix da Costa at the Nouvelle chicane. Formula E’s race report said Ticktum “looked like” he had third place secured before the clash brought a post-race penalty. Autosport, Motorsport Technology and The Race each reported that the penalty followed contact as da Costa attacked for the final podium spot. (fia.com) Antonio Felix da Costa criticized the move after the race. The Race reported that the Porsche driver called Ticktum “dirty and dangerous” and described the move as “unacceptable” after contact detached his left-rear wheel and ended his challenge. Cupra Kiro said the sanction dropped Ticktum off the podium and elevated Martí into third. (fiaformulae.com) ### Why was Martí’s podium such a notable part of the race? Pepe Martí started 16th on the grid and finished fourth on the road before the penalty promoted him to third, according to qualifying and team reports. Cupra Kiro said the 20-year-old became the first Spanish driver to score a Formula E podium, while Formula E described it as a career-best finish for the rookie. (the-race.com) The Monaco result was Martí’s first Formula E podium in only his rookie campaign. Porsche, whose customer team Cupra Kiro runs Porsche powertrains, said Martí took third in Saturday’s race after the post-race decision against teammate Ticktum. (motorsportweek.com) ### What did the race do to the championship picture? Mitch Evans left Monaco race one with second place and the championship lead. Formula E said Evans moved ahead of Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein by 15 points in the drivers’ standings after Round 9, while Jaguar jumped Porsche in the teams’ table. Porsche remained first in the manufacturers’ standings, Formula E said. (newsroom.porsche.com) The standings shift came even though de Vries took the win. Formula E’s official report framed Evans’ result as enough to overhaul Wehrlein, underlining how points from pole, podiums and race finishes continue to compress the title fight entering the second Monaco race. ### What comes next in Monaco? Sunday, May 17, is the second leg of the Monaco E-Prix double-header at the Circuit de Monaco. (fiaformulae.com) Formula E’s calendar page and the Automobile Club de Monaco schedule list two Monaco races on May 16 and May 17, with the second event completing the weekend in the Principality. Round 10 gives de Vries, Evans, Ticktum and Martí an immediate return to the track less than 24 hours after the first race. (fiaformulae.com) Formula E’s event schedule lists Monaco as rounds nine and 10 of the 2025-26 championship before the series moves on to the next stops later in the season. (fiaformulae.com)