Nick Cassidy achieves double podium at Tokyo E-Prix, dedicates performance to Cyril Blais
Nick Cassidy secured a double podium finish at the Tokyo E-Prix, dedicating his performance to the late Citroen Racing team principal, Cyril Blais. Cassidy finished third in Round 14 on Saturday and improved to second place in Round 15 on Sunday at the Tokyo Street Circuit.
In Round 14, Cassidy started from seventh position and concluded the race in third place, behind Dan Ticktum and Jake Dennis on a wet track. He then started Round 15 from 13th on the grid and climbed to second place.
Cassidy’s Emotional Tribute and Team’s Efforts
Following his second podium finish, Cassidy spoke about the significance of the results for Citroen Racing and Stellantis Motorsport. He acknowledged the faith placed in him and the team’s future plans. Cassidy mentioned the challenging period the team had experienced in recent weeks and months, making the weekend’s results particularly special. He also expressed gratitude to his Japanese fans and friends, noting Tokyo’s importance in his career development.
Cassidy became emotional on the podium while receiving his trophy for third place in Round 14, pointing upwards in a tribute to Cyril Blais, who passed away recently at 46 years old. After the Round 14 race, Cassidy stated that finishing on the podium was challenging but amazing, crediting the team for providing a strong car and strategy. He noted that everyone was hurting, but he was glad they performed their best under the conditions.
The sentiment was echoed by a video shared on Formula E‘s Instagram account, captioned, “That was for you, Cyril.” Fellow driver Jake Dennis also praised Cassidy’s performance on his Instagram Stories, writing, “Unreal drive. You did him proud today.”
Mahindra Racing’s Victory and Season Performance
Meanwhile, Mahindra Racing also had a notable weekend at the Tokyo E-Prix. Nyck de Vries secured a victory for the team in Sunday’s rain-affected race, marking their second win of the 2025/26 FIA Formula E World Championship season and their first multi-race victory campaign since the 2017/18 season.
De Vries overcame a difficult start to achieve his sixth career Formula E victory. He capitalized on changing weather conditions and a timed race strategy as the circuit transitioned from wet to dry. His teammate, Edoardo Mortara, despite showing strong pace and claiming his fourth pole position of the season, retired from the race after a multi-car collision in the closing stages.
Mahindra Racing‘s weekend began with Mortara qualifying second on Saturday, ultimately finishing fifth. De Vries suffered a puncture in the first lap of Saturday’s race, which impacted his performance. Sunday’s race presented a different challenge with heavy rain leading to a Safety Car start. Mortara initially led from pole, but as the track dried, strategic decisions regarding tire pressures and energy management became crucial. Mahindra Racing employed contrasting strategies for its drivers; de Vries conserved energy early on before activating his final six-minute Attack Mode to take the lead.
A late red flag, caused by Mortara’s accident, led to a dramatic one-lap sprint to the finish. Despite pressure from Nick Cassidy and Jake Dennis, de Vries maintained his lead to secure the win for Mahindra Racing. The team earned 25 points from Sunday’s race, contributing to a total of 38 points from the Tokyo double-header.
De Vries moved to ninth in the drivers’ standings, while Mortara remained in fifth despite his retirement. Mahindra Racing now holds 210 points in the teams’ championship, trailing third-placed Andretti by a single point. The drivers will compete in the GEN3 Evo for the final time at the season 12 grand finale, the London E-Prix, scheduled for August 15 and 16.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
