The Formula E São Paulo race delivered one of the most chaotic and dramatic season openers the championship has seen, ending with a one lap shootout after a massive crash for Pepe Marti forced a late red flag. Jake Dennis kept his cool through the chaos to take victory for Andretti, while Oliver Rowland charged from thirteenth to second and Nick Cassidy secured a podium for Citroën on debut.
Qualifying had already set the tone. Pascal Wehrlein had taken pole on track but dropped to fourth on the grid because of a wheelspin penalty from the pit lane. That handed Dennis the pole position he would later convert, although the path to the top step was anything but straightforward.
Early chaos and constant position changes
From the first corner the race delivered classic Formula E pack racing. Nyck de Vries launched well but nearly hit the back of Dan Ticktum and swerved across into team mate Edoardo Mortara, sending both Mahindras off and forcing Ticktum into the pits with a puncture.
With track temperatures above 50 degrees, battery management became just as important as energy saving. Drivers shuffled positions almost every lap, with Wehrlein, Dennis, Mortara, Antonio Felix da Costa, Jean Eric Vergne and Rowland all spending time at the front.
Lucas di Grassi produced a stunning early charge from last to eighth before his race unravelled later in the afternoon.
Strategy swings and the first Safety Car
The first round of Attack Mode activations mixed the order again, but the biggest turning point came on lap 23. Mortara and di Grassi made contact between Turns 5 and 6, leaving the Mahindra stranded and forcing the Safety Car.
That timing hurt almost everyone in the lead group. Most drivers had already taken their second Attack Mode, which meant they could not use the boost under Safety Car conditions. Dennis and Andretti team mate Felipe Drugovich were the only ones still able to activate, and that advantage became critical.
Restart, Attack Mode and the moment everything changed
At the restart Dennis activated immediately and swept past Rowland at the end of lap 27 to retake the lead. The race looked set to run to the flag with Dennis comfortably managing the gap.
Then came the moment that transformed the season opener. Mitch Evans brushed the wall, triggering a full course yellow. As the field slowed, rookie Pepe Marti misjudged the reduced speed ahead and launched over the back of Nico Müller and Da Costa in a huge airborne crash. The Cupra Kiro driver rolled but climbed out unhurt, and the race was red flagged.
A one lap sprint for the Formula E São Paulo race win
Because the first Safety Car came too late to extend the race distance, the São Paulo E-Prix restarted with a single lap remaining. No energy games, no time to react. Just one shot for glory.
Dennis controlled the restart perfectly and held his line into Turn 1, never giving Rowland the chance to send a move. Cassidy brought Citroën to a debut podium in third, while Wehrlein recovered to fourth after his earlier penalty.
Behind them Müller finished fifth, followed by Maximilian Günther, Joel Eriksson and Sébastien Buemi. Nyck de Vries took the final point in tenth, with Zane Maloney close behind.
A season opener that set the tone
São Paulo did exactly what Formula E’s best races always do. It mixed strategy battles with pure chaos, produced a frightening crash that thankfully ended safely and turned the final minutes into a sprint worthy of a season opener.
Dennis leaves Brazil with the championship lead and Andretti with major momentum. Rowland showed that Nissan’s pace is real, Cassidy impressed in Citroën’s first outing and the pack behind them looks more competitive than ever.
If the Formula E São Paulo race is any indication, Season 12 is going to be intense.
