Wehrlein wins Misano E-Prix after last-lap heartbreak for Rowland

Pascal Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche celebrates winning the second leg of the Misano E-Prix on Sunday (Formula E)
Short Url
Updated 15 April 2024
Follow

Wehrlein wins Misano E-Prix after last-lap heartbreak for Rowland

  • Victory for TAG Heuer Porsche driver was the sixth of his Formula E career
  • Reigning champion Jake Dennis claims second place for Andretti Formula E Team, Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing secures third

MISANO: The Misano E-Prix saw Pascal Wehrlein of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team emerge triumphant after an intense battle for Round 7 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on Sunday night.

At the second leg of the inaugural Misano E-Prix double-header, Wehrlein made amends for TAG Heuer Porsche’s poor performance in the first race on Saturday. His first-place trophy from Round 7 is the sixth of his Formula E career, following a heartbreaking last-lap miscalculation that resulted in the then-race leader Oliver Rowland running out of energy and retiring.

Reigning ABB FIA Formula E World Champion Jake Dennis of the Andretti Formula E Team secured second place, while Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy clinched third place at the flag by five hundredths of a second, in front of a 25,000-strong crowd.

Wehrlein’s triumph has him tied with Dennis at the top of the Drivers’ standings, with previous leader Rowland falling to third. Meanwhile, Jaguar TCS Racing leads the Teams’ table by a significant margin.

“Yesterday would have been better to win but I’m very happy about the race today,” Wehrlein said. “It was quite chaotic again in the beginning until mid-race. I wasn’t sure if I should stay in the lead or let Oli (Rowland) through the pace. His pace seemed a bit weird and too fast to try and defend so I didn’t defend him much. I was a bit surprised by his energy, I wasn’t sure if the team had the correct information or not. But in the end, it proved to be the right thing to do. It was a lot of managing; the energy, the battery, the tires. Just everything.

“It goes quickly from zero to hero, we know that in Formula E. I think we had the pace this weekend to win both races. Unfortunately yesterday with these kinds of races I was a bit of a victim with my front wing and then being at the back, but today was a big redemption for us.”

Round 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be the 2024 Monaco E-Prix on Saturday, April 27.


Messi knocked down by fan in Puerto Rico pitch invasion

Updated 4 sec ago
Follow

Messi knocked down by fan in Puerto Rico pitch invasion

  • While one fan demanded a selfie with the Argentine great and another asked for his shirt to be signed
  • A third rushed to embrace Messi from behind

MIAMI, USA: Lionel Messi was knocked to the ground as fans invaded the pitch during chaotic scenes at a match in Puerto Rico on Thursday.
Messi was playing for Inter Miami in a friendly against Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle when supporters raced onto the field in the game’s 88th minute.
While one fan demanded a selfie with the Argentine great and another asked for his shirt to be signed, a third rushed to embrace Messi from behind. A security guard tackled the fan, who dragged the World Cup winner to the floor.
Messi did not appear to be injured in the incident, landing on the fan, before picking himself up and walking away in apparent frustration.
It capped a farcical night for a friendly that started an hour late due to a disagreement over which colors each team should wear.
The argument was seemingly never resolved, as both teams ended up playing in black.
A penalty kick by Messi gave Miami a 2-1 victory.
Messi, who came on as a substitute at the start of the second half, scored the winning goal in the 70th minute.
Inter Miami had opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a goal from fellow Argentine Santi Morales.
Ecuadorian international Patrik Mercado leveled the score in the 17th minute.
The friendly was originally scheduled for February 13 but was postponed due to a Messi injury.
Nearly 20,000 spectators in Bayamon, on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a US territory, gave the Argentine idol a standing ovation when he finally entered the game.
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi is expected to represent Argentina at a record sixth World Cup this summer.
He has not yet officially confirmed he will participate in the tournament, taking place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.