Jaguar TCS Racing closed the Jeddah double header in commanding fashion. In a race defined by sharp strategic calls and precise energy management, António Félix da Costa claimed victory in Round 5 of the Jeddah E-Prix, leading Sébastien Buemi home, with reigning champion Oliver Rowland completing the podium.
It marked Jaguar’s sixth win in the last nine races and Da Costa’s first victory with the British squad, as well as his first since Portland in 2024. The Portuguese driver was the first among the front-runners to commit to both mandatory 50kW, all-wheel-drive ATTACK MODE activations, using them to build a decisive gap and take the chequered flag with 2.5 seconds in hand.
The start
The race got underway under the floodlights of Jeddah, with Edoardo Mortara converting pole position into the early lead. Within the opening four laps, however, the Mahindra Racing driver had dropped to fifth, a move driven by strategy rather than pace. In Formula E, leading from the front is rarely an advantage, as running in clean air increases energy consumption, making early lead changes almost inevitable.
Mortara led away from Jake Dennis and Da Costa, with the field running two-by-two through the opening sector. Dennis held on to second until Turn 13, where he forced Mortara onto the defensive. In the process, Rowland seized the opportunity on the inside to take the race lead.
Scheduled for 30 laps, the race quickly revealed its energy-critical nature. Nyck de Vries was serving multiple penalties after changing components on his car overnight. The Mahindra driver was handed a 60-place grid penalty for Round 5 and was also required to serve a 10-second stop/go penalty in the pit lane, leaving him circulating at the back of the field while focusing on energy saving.
Meanwhile, Dan Ticktum enjoyed one of the strongest starts of the race, climbing from ninth to seventh on the opening lap.
First half of the race
Buemi moved into the lead on Lap 4 with a bold move around the outside of Rowland at the hairpin. The top six shuffled constantly as drivers balanced pace with consumption. The Swiss led Da Costa, Rowland, Dennis, Mortara and Vergne, followed by Ticktum, Wehrlein, Maloney and Martí.
The lead changed again on the following lap, with Rowland reclaiming P1 while Da Costa also found a way past Buemi. By Lap 8, the Nissan driver was backing the field up dramatically, circulating up to five seconds per lap slower than the pace Buemi had set earlier, a clear attempt to control the pack.
Positions continued to rotate at the front. Buemi briefly swapped places with Rowland before the Brit retook the lead at the hairpin, only for Da Costa to cycle through to P1 on Lap 10.
On Lap 11, Lucas di Grassi became the first to activate the initial ATTACK MODE, while Mortara returned to the lead in a race where track position and energy management were in constant tension.
Beyond the extra power, ATTACK MODE also provides all-wheel drive, significantly boosting performance and making its timing one of the key strategic tools.
By Lap 12, Mortara was back out front, aiming to end a winless run stretching back to 2022. At the same time, engineers informed drivers over the radio that the race was now entering parameters similar to Friday’s event in terms of battery and speed. Unlike Round 4, there was no PIT BOOST available, signalling a natural increase in pace from that point onward.
By mid-distance, Race Control had not intervened, with no yellow flags or safety car. The contest remained clean but intensely fought, particularly between Buemi and Mortara as they traded the lead.
Second half of the race
Battles intensified as ATTACK MODE activations began in earnest. Rowland triggered his boost on Lap 16, with the lead once again changing hands. Buemi moved ahead, followed by Mortara, Da Costa and di Grassi.
Using the extra power to full effect, Rowland carved his way back through the leading group to reclaim P1 with 12 laps remaining. Da Costa responded a lap later, activating his own ATTACK MODE and setting off in pursuit. After passing Buemi for second, he swept past Rowland on the run to the hairpin on Lap 20, with a minute of ATTACK still remaining.
A wave of activations followed, reinforcing the lesson from Round 4 that late ATTACK MODE was the optimal approach in Jeddah. Ticktum made decisive progress using the boost, passing Rowland, but remained 2.5 seconds adrift of Da Costa, who had begun to pull clear as the fight erupted behind him.
Rowland was the first of the leaders to take his second ATTACK MODE, followed shortly by Buemi and Mortara, who dropped to fourth and fifth behind the Nissan driver. With four laps to go, Da Costa led Ticktum, Rowland, Buemi and Mortara.
Rowland then used an ATTACK MODE overlap to take second from Ticktum, with Buemi also dispatching the CUPRA KIRO driver before passing Rowland later in the same lap.
Dennis, meanwhile, lost multiple positions after suffering a puncture while running with ATTACK MODE engaged, forcing a pit stop before rejoining the race.
The finish
As his advantage began to shrink, Da Costa opted to activate his second ATTACK MODE defensively. The first seven drivers followed suit in quick succession, raising the tempo between Laps 24 and 26.
With three laps remaining, the gap at the front had reduced to just 2.7 seconds, while Rowland and Buemi were locked in a fight for second. Da Costa, however, managed the closing stages to perfection, holding on for a controlled and well-earned victory.
Results
In Jeddah, Da Costa reached the milestone of 13 career victories and sealed the first double header of the season in style. Buemi finished second, with Rowland completing the top three.
Pole-sitter Mortara had to settle for fourth after being unable to convert qualifying pace into a race win.
It was also a standout result for CUPRA KIRO, which placed both drivers inside the top 10 and scored 19 points in Round 5, with Ticktum fifth and Pepe Martí sixth. Martí also set the fastest lap of the race.
Championship standings
Formula E arrived in Jeddah with Nick Cassidy leading the standings. After Friday’s race, Wehrlein moved into the lead. At the close of the double header, the championship leaves Saudi Arabia with Pascal Wehrlein heading the standings for Porsche, closely followed by Mortara, buoyed by strong points including six from consecutive pole positions, and Rowland in third.
Cassidy now sits fourth, with Evans rounding out the top five.
What’s next?
After a break of more than a month, Formula E returns for Round 6 in Madrid. The championship resumes on 21 March at the permanent Jarama circuit, marking the start of the European phase of the season.
