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Maximilian Guenther in his Maserati Formula E car, driving towards the camera

Guenther converts pole to victory in Jakarta

Maximilian Guenther converts pole position into his first Formula E victory of the year in the second Jakarta E-Prix. 

The Maserati driver was under pressure from Jake Dennis and Mitch Evans in the first half of the race, but stormed away to the victory after the Attack Mode stages. 

Dennis takes second while Pascal Wehrlein reclaims the championship lead after finishing sixth. 

Guenther held the lead off the line while Dennis held off Evans. The race leader was the first of the front runners to take to Attack Mode, dropping back to third, behind Evans. Dennis pushed hard before taking Attack Mode himself and coming out ahead of the Maserati driver to take the net lead.  

After the first round of Attack Modes, it was Dennis ahead of Guenther and Evans. Evans wasn’t content to sit behind Guenther and made a move past the Maserati driver at Turn 1 while Edo Mortara passed Stoffel Vandoorne for fourth directly behind them. However, Guenther fought back and reclaimed second shortly afterwards. 

The top four were separated by less than a second before the second round of Attack Modes, but Mortara dropped off the pace of the leaders and it was again a three car fight for the lead. 

Dennis took Attack Mode first, dropping back to third and in a mirror of the earlier Attack Mode period Guenther pushed hard before he took took the alternate line through the activation zone. Guenther was able to rejoin ahead of Dennis while Evans came out P3 again. 

Dennis pushed Guenther hard, attempting a move around the outside of the Maserati driver, but he couldn’t find a way past.  

In the second half of the race, Guenther had the superior pace, gradually pulling out a gap of over three seconds. Meanwhile, Dennis also had a comfortable gap to Evans, which would stretch to over 10 seconds by the chequered flag. 

It was a problem free remainder of the race for Guenther. Dennis began to close back in late in the race, but the gap was still 2.822s at the chequered flag. 

Evans meanwhile spent the second half of the race leading a train of cars in the fight for third. A lock up and wide moment for Mortara dropped him out of the fight, with Stoffel Vandoorne moving forward to challenge Evans.  

The Nissan duo of Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato were then fifth and sixth. A bold move from Fenestraz allowed him to come alongside and pass Vandoorne. Nato tried to slip past both and pulled alongside his team-mate, but Fenestraz was able to shut the door. 

Fenestraz stayed close to Evans but couldn’t find a way past Evans and finished just 0.809s behind.  

Vandoorne slipped back to ninth late in the race, with Pascal Wehrlein coming through to take sixth. 

P6 would be enough for Wehrlein to reclaim the championship lead. 

It was another race to forget for the Envision team. Nick Cassidy made slight contact with the rear of Wehrlein while trying to pass and was sent sideways. He was forced to pit with damage and, while he was able to get back out on track, he would spend the rest of the race at the back of the order. 

Meanwhile, Buemi spent the race with front wing damage after being squeezed between Jake Hughes and the wall. He was able to continue and finished P10 after a late powertrain issue for Dan Ticktum dropped the NIO driver back. 

Antonio Felix Da Costa finished seventh, just behind his team-mate and ahead of Mortara. 

Bethonie Waring

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