Formula E: Rowland triumphs in Monaco with a perfectly judged drive
Originally published by F1Technical
Oliver Rowland produced an impeccably controlled performance to win the 2026 Monaco E‑Prix, Round 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo reports from the Monaco FE paddock.
Starting from eighth on the grid, the Nissan driver combined sharp racecraft, disciplined energy management and well‑timed ATTACK MODE activations to rise through a chaotic field and secure his second consecutive victory in the Principality. He ultimately finished ahead of Felipe Drugovich and Antonio Félix da Costa after navigating two Full Course Yellows and a constantly evolving strategic landscape.
On the first lap, Edoardo Mortara made contact with da Costa at the Nouvelle Chicane, spinning the Jaguar driver down to fifteenth and earning himself a ten‑second time penalty.
Mortara nevertheless pressed on and briefly led the race, demonstrating strong pace in his Mahindra, but the penalty ensured that his position would eventually be corrected after the finish due to his contact with da Costa.
As the field settled into its rhythm, Nico Müller became the first driver to activate ATTACK MODE on Lap 4, cycling into the provisional lead. The order continued to shift as Mitch Evans used a six‑minute ATTACK MODE phase to seize the lead at Mirabeau on Lap 11, repeating the location of his memorable Season 7 overtake.
The Andretti pair of Drugovich and Dennis also climbed into contention as they triggered their boosts, while Ticktum delayed his first activation until Lap 15, dropping to eighth before recovering ground.
The race’s first major interruption came on Lap 19, when Pepe Martí and Nick Cassidy collided at Rascasse. Cassidy managed to reverse away from the incident, but Martí’s stranded CUPRA KIRO required a Full Course Yellow.
By this stage, da Costa had surged back into the lead under ATTACK MODE and appeared to be in control, building a comfortable margin before taking his second activation on Lap 20.
The decisive phase began on Lap 23. As the leaders climbed the hill, Mortara and Rowland both passed da Costa, with Drugovich following closely behind. Rowland immediately capitalised on his momentum by overtaking Mortara at the Nouvelle Chicane to take the lead, placing himself in a strong position with favourable energy reserves and no remaining ATTACK MODE threats from behind.
A second Full Course Yellow was triggered on Lap 26 when Taylor Barnard crashed at Portier after an overambitious move on da Costa, but Rowland handled the restart with composure and maintained control to the chequered flag.
Drugovich inherited second place after Mortara’s penalty was applied, securing the Brazilian’s best Formula E result and offering a strong response to his difficult weekend in Berlin. Da Costa completed the podium after recovering from his opening‑lap setback, finishing just ahead of his Jaguar teammate Mitch Evans.
Mortara’s adjusted result placed him fifth, while Jake Dennis completed the top six for Andretti. Despite starting from double pole, Ticktum slipped out of the points after a late penalty and finished fourteenth.
In the championship standings, Evans retains the lead he gained after Round 9, remaining narrowly ahead of Rowland. Jaguar continue to head Porsche in the Teams’ standings, while Porsche hold the advantage over Jaguar in the Manufacturers’ table. Formula E now prepares to return to Sanya for the first time in seven seasons, with Round 11 scheduled for 20 June.
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 17, 2026