In a display of sheer racing brilliance, New Zealand's Nick Cassidy secured a spectacular victory for his new team, Citroen Racing, at the Mexico City E-Prix on Saturday. Defying a lowly 14th-place start on the grid, Cassidy carved his way through the field to claim his first win with the team and immediately stamp his authority as a prime contender for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship this season.
A Masterclass in Race Strategy and Overtaking
The race unfolded as a tactical masterpiece for Cassidy. After a disappointing qualifying session left him deep in the pack, the driver showcased immense improvement during the race itself. He bided his time and picked the perfect moment to attack, expertly utilising Formula E's two 50kW all-wheel-drive Attack Mode power boosts to gain crucial advantages. His primary rival for much of the race was Mahindra Racing's Edoardo Mortara, who came under severe pressure and ultimately left his own Attack Mode deployment too late.
Cassidy crossed the finish line first, beating Mortara and the reigning Formula E champion, Oliver Rowland of Nissan, who completed the podium. The finish was incredibly tight, with five drivers ending the race within one second of each other, highlighting the intense competition typical of the all-electric championship.
Cassidy's Form and the Championship Omen
This victory marks a significant milestone for both driver and team. It is Cassidy's second consecutive podium this season, following a third-place finish at the opening round in Sao Paulo. Remarkably, it also represents his fourth win in his last five Formula E races, a streak that began during his time with Jaguar TCS Racing last season. Cassidy joined Citroen Racing after finishing as the championship runner-up in 2025, partnering with two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne.
The Mexico City result carries extra weight due to a compelling trend: the winner of the Mexico E-Prix has gone on to win the Formula E title for the past three seasons. This statistic immediately catapults Cassidy to the status of hot favourite for the 2026 championship crown.
Race Highlights and Points Finishers
The race saw drama from the very start. DS Penske's Taylor Barnard, starting on the front row alongside polesitter Sebastien Buemi of Envision Racing, managed to take the lead after forcing Buemi into an error while defending at Turn 1. However, Barnard could not hold the position and eventually finished fourth.
The top ten was filled with notable performances:
- Jake Dennis (Sao Paulo winner and FP1 leader) finished fifth.
- Pascal Wehrlein (FP2 leader) took sixth.
- Pepe Martí of Cupra Kiro drove a sensational rookie race, overcoming a 60-place grid penalty and a Stop/Go penalty for repairs from a Sao Paulo crash to score his maiden Formula E points in seventh.
- Jean-Eric Vergne (Citroen Racing) finished eighth.
- Nico Muller (Porsche) and Norman Nato (Nissan) rounded out the points in ninth and tenth, respectively.
Star-Studded Paddock in Mexico City
The event attracted a glamorous crowd to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Actor and Cupra Kiro co-owner Sir Idris Elba watched the action from the garage alongside his wife, Sabrina Elba. British Olympic gold medal-winning diver Matty Lee was also a VIP guest, enjoying meet-and-greets with drivers, a private garage tour with Jaguar TCS Racing, and an 'Electric Lap' in the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Safety Car.
Other high-profile attendees included Mario Bautista, Daniel Bautista, Paulinho, JUCA, Karina Ramos, Liza Baez, Tio Nestor, and Alejandro Berumen. The event was further energised by live performances from Colombian singer Mike Bahía, music producer Sinego, and Mexican singer DJ LABIBE.
With this stunning victory, Nick Cassidy and Citroen Racing have sent a powerful message to the Formula E grid. All eyes will now be on the next round to see if the Kiwi driver can maintain this momentum and continue his charge towards the championship.
