Nyck de Vries delivered a spectacular performance during Race 1 in the Monaco E-Prix, securing second place and Mahindra Racing’s first podium finish since Season 9. The result marks the Dutch driver‘s best finish since his championship-winning days and signals a potential turning point for the Indian manufacturer.
An ideal start to the Monaco E-Prix
De Vries, who qualified an impressive fourth, capitalised on strong pace and strategic execution to advance to second place by the chequered flag. The result is particularly significant for Mahindra, a team that has struggled to match the pace of leading manufacturers in recent seasons.
“Yeah, it sounds like a wild one. Well, it is a wild one,” de Vries reflected in the post-race press conference. “It’s been an incredible day for us as a team, all the way through practise and qualifying, and yeah, the team just did a phenomenal job during the race, making the right calls at the right time around the boost charge period, and choosing the attack mode.”
The significance of the result wasn’t lost on the Dutch driver, who was keen to acknowledge the team’s efforts behind the scenes.
“I’m very happy to be able to give them some reward for really all the work that has been done in the past one and a half years and the progress we’ve been able to do as a team. I think we’re showing that we’re kind of making that step continuously, and we can all see the next steps are going to be even harder, but today, it was for us, and we definitely take it.”
A fight for the Monaco E-Prix Race 1 podium
De Vries had a strong start from fourth on the grid, quickly dispatching Dan Ticktum to move into third position. Following a full course yellow for António Félix Da Costa’s crash, the Dutch driver suffered a slow restart, allowing Jake Dennis to challenge him for position. Despite this setback, De Vries remained composed to work his way back to the front.
The pivotal moment came during the Pit Boost window, where Mahindra’s timing proved crucial. As the race entered its final stages, De Vries found himself leading after deploying his ATTACK MODE effectively. Though Oliver Rowland eventually passed him with his own late ATTACK MODE deployment, de Vries had built enough of a gap to secure second place.
The result was made even sweeter by teammate Edoardo Mortara’s fourth-place finish, snatching the position from Nico Müller on the final lap. This double top-five result represents Mahindra’s strongest performance in several seasons and hints at a team resurgence.
Monaco magic
De Vries has enjoyed considerable success at the Monaco circuit throughout his career, having claimed two F2 victories at the iconic venue. When asked if his previous experience gave him an edge, the former F2 champion was modest in his assessment.
“Not at all, really. I think everyone is very experienced and everyone has raced here many years. I don’t think that that’s much of a difference,” he explained. “But Monaco has definitely been kind to me. In the past, winning here two times in F2, and one time crashing a pit entry with Alex, fighting for the win, so it’s been kind, and it’s just a great place to be performing well, and I guess I like the track.”
“I’m very happy, and especially to do it here in Monaco, in front of friends and family, and nice to be back.”
Pit Boost strategy during Race 1 in Monaco
This Monaco E-Prix marked the second time Formula E has implemented the Pit Boost format, which allows drivers to gain an energy boost by pit stopping during Race 1. De Vries expressed strong support for the innovation, suggesting it improves the quality of racing.
“I’m personally a strong advocate for it, because we just have less energy saving and it becomes more a race on pace, even though in the beginning we still tried to under-consume and build a buffer, but it’s just more a race on merit,” he explained. “If you look at Miami, they basically do 15 laps of racing without really racing, so I personally am a strong advocate for it, and if not, then we just need more energy to have less saving.”
Mahindra’s strategic use of the Pit Boost window was particularly effective, allowing de Vries to cycle back to a competitive position after his stop. The timing of their Pit Boost relative to competitors like Rowland proved crucial in securing the podium finish.
A turning point for Mahindra and Nyck de Vries
The podium finish represents more than just a one-off result for Mahindra. De Vries’ comments suggest the team has been making steady progress behind the scenes, with this result finally showcasing their potential.
“I think we’re showing that we’re kind of making that step continuously, and we can all see the next steps are going to be even harder,” De Vries noted, suggesting a realistic but optimistic outlook for the team’s future prospects.
