There was a familiar face on top of the podium on Formula E’s first visit to Portland after Nick Cassidy became the second three-time winner of the season in an event that left opinion divided regarding the on-track action, but was otherwise an undoubted hit.
The fast, flowing Oregon venue, better known for hosting IndyCar and NASCAR, lived up to its promise of providing a unique spectacle, as the lack of braking zones meant few chances to recoup energy. It was always clear that this would be an energy-saving race in the Berlin mould, but this example was even more extreme, with drivers dawdling around as much as 13 seconds per lap slower than their cars were really capable of early in the encounter.
While Formula E was able to boast of a race featuring 403 overtakes, it’s certainly debatable whether this type of contest is ultimately a good thing for the series. After about 22 laps of pussyfooting, something resembling a motor race finally broke out for the final third or so of the distance, with the Envision Racing Jaguar of Cassidy beating Jake Dennis and Antonio Felix da Costa in what became a three-way battle at the head of the field.
Cassidy had qualified 10th, but it soon became clear that this was a race that could potentially be won from anywhere
