After becoming 2023 Formula E world champion, Jake Dennis admitted a sense of relief from a race that brought huge crashes, red flags and safety cars, and at one point looked like the Andretti driver’s chances of winning the title were slipping away.
Dennis started second on the grid, behind his title rival Nick Cassidy, who has his Envision teammate Sebastien Buemi in third, with the pair able to jump the Andretti car after Turn 3. Mitch Evans in the Jaguar also got the jump on Dennis, as did McLaren‘s Rene Rast.
But just as things looked to be heading in Cassidy’s direction, poor race management from Envision saw the Kiwi hit the back of Buemi’s car and break his front wing. That ultimately gave Dennis a clear run to become the first British drive to win Formula E’s top prize.
“Nobody expected that race,” Dennis told the press after becoming 2023 Formula E world champion. “Multiple safety cars; red flags; crashes, left, right, centre and I felt like everything was just thrown at me.
“Missing attack [mode] from my behalf and just so many emotions, especially after the first red flag, I just felt like the whole race was just caving in against me, for multiple reasons, and it was just really hard to control my emotions.
“When I was driving, it wasn’t so bad, in terms of I do the typical rant to my engineer, he just takes on the chin.
“It’s really after the red flag I was just like ‘everyone’s out to get me’ but we managed to turn it around and and keep our composure.”
Dennis claims podium
After Cassidy was forced to retire from the race, Mitch Evans was leading in the Jaguar and had slim title hopes himself. That said, all Dennis had to do was finish on the podium to claim the title.
“The pace was always strong there’s always at risk versus reward,” Dennis said. “I knew Nick [Cassidy] was out of the race.
“And I think Mitch [Evans] was leading and it was just who you fight, who you don’t, people dive bomb you because they know you’re vulnerable.
“I mean, we crossed the line we became a champion and, it’s just a relief, emotions. Something I’ve never experienced ever in my life. And to become a world champion is something which we all dream of.
“Seb [Buemi] has obviously already done it before. The level that me, Mitch and Nick have worked at this year is so high.
“You do a good lap and they’re just on your tail or you’re just ahead of them and it’s relentless between us three this year.
“But I’m thankful, I can sleep tonight. I can enjoy tomorrow, no stress and just drive around.”
