Rowland takes first Formula E win in Berlin finale opener

Nissan’s Oliver Rowland surged from ninth to second in the 2019/20 Formula E standings by scoring his first win in the championship in leg one of the final Berlin double-header.

Rowland benefited from the majority of the regular frontrunners being out of position following the crazy events of the qualifying session, and led the race throughout from pole.

Robin Frijns chased him all evening but was kept at a comfortable arm’s length of around two seconds and had to settle for second for Envision Virgin.

Audi’s new recruit Rene Rast grabbed his first Formula E podium in a spectacular wheel-banging last-lap battle with Porsche driver Andre Lotterer that took several corners to fully resolve in the DTM champion’s favour, and was investigated by the stewards but with no further action taken.

Alex Lynn snatched fifth for Mahindra with a late move on Lotterer’s Porsche team-mate Neel Jani, with Mitch Evans following them home for Jaguar from 14th on the grid.

Edoardo Mortara stayed just ahead of two drivers hacking through from down the order to take eighth, with Stoffel Vandoorne and Sebastien Buemi rising from 18th and 23rd to ninth and 10th.

Champion Antonio Felix da Costa was also making rapid progress from the back of the grid, despite contact with Lucas di Grassi along the way, but retired right at the end of the race with a sudden electrical shutdown.

Other frontrunners in trouble included da Costa’s DS Techeetah team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne, who was only 18th after a penalty for over-cooling his battery.

Sam Bird and Maximilian Guenther’s races were both wrecked by first lap contact.

Race Results