Formula E Preview: Monaco E-Prix
- Vyas Ponnuri
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
Formula E’s annual weekend alongside the French Riviera is set to be another thriller, as one of the closest grids in history will take to the 3.337 km (2.07 mi) long circuit for one of motorsport’s most coveted silverware.
It’s the race weekend every driver wants to win, and so far, six drivers on the Formula E grid have been able to taste victory in Monaco. Sébastien Buemi won the event for the third time, taking victory for Envision Racing in 2025.
Buemi has enjoyed a stronger start for the team in green, taking a podium and several points-scoring finishes as he sits ninth in the standings. However, much like last year, he comes into the weekend looking for that big result to take his season forward and spring a championship charge.
Several teams come into Monaco on the up, with Lola’s Zane Maloney and Lucas di Grassi encouraged by duel appearances and their performances in the opening segments of the race. Porsche and Jaguar took home both victories in Berlin, with a maiden victory for Nico Müller on his 69th race start. The German manufacturer has emerged as the team to beat in Season 12, with consistent results from both drivers, while Jaguar’s four victories in the last six races see them sit only 13 points off.
Reigning champion Oliver Rowland took a brace of podiums in Berlin, putting an end to two scoreless races and solidifying his championship position. Despite finishing on the podium in five of the eight races, the Nissan man sits 18 points off the lead in the standings and will be looking for two steady points finishes to strengthen his chances of a second Formula E title.
Andretti and Mahindra enjoyed weekends of strength in Berlin, with rookie Felipe Drugovich scoring his first points of the season, while Nyck de Vries returned to the points for Mahindra Racing, alongside both Jake Dennis and Edoardo Mortara.
The Monaco weekend is often critical to one’s championship charge, as Rowland showed in 2025 when he finished first and second, or Evans the year prior, when he took his first victory of the season. Cassidy and Season 8 champion Stoffel Vandoorne have also solidified championship campaigns with victories in Monaco, albeit with different endings.
Which of the drivers will take that special victory in Monaco this weekend? And would it mark a championship run for anyone on the grid this year? Only time will be able to tell.
Championship standings after the Berlin E-Prix
Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) - 101 points
Mitch Evans (Jaguar) - 98 points
Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra Racing) - 93 points
Oliver Rowland (Nissan) - 83 points
Nico Müller (Porsche) - 75 points
Constructors’ standings after the Berlin E-Prix
Porsche - 176 points
Jaguar - 163 points
Mahindra Racing - 107 points
Nissan - 94 points
Citroën Racing - 83 points
Track layout for the race weekend
It’s an iconic circuit. A timeless classic. The Monaco E-Prix is the only Formula E race to be held on the same configuration as its Formula One counterpart.
What sets this circuit apart, though, is its ability to produce plenty more overtaking action in the races. With the smaller Formula E cars often driving as a pack through the streets, drivers can find more unique spots to pull off overtakes, such as Cassidy’s double overtake through the famous Monaco hairpin back in 2023.
The run down to Sainte-Dévote can often open up opportunities for overtakes, or for incidents, as Rowland’s run in with Andre Lotterer back in 2022. While the run up Beau Rivage can be twisty, it still has room for overtakes, as Evans showed with his move on da Costa back in 2021.
With attack mode at Turn 4, the run off Casino Square towards Mirabeau can be a spot for overtaking, especially with extra power. Cassidy once again showcased his speed in the wet last year, taking third from Nyck de Vries with a move down the inside.
The run through the tunnel onto Nouvelle chicane often sees drivers close up, as was the case with the top three in 2023, and it also remains well known for da Costa’s famous race-winning overtake on Evans in 2021.
And if you think the run down to Tabac, and the Swimming Pool chicane leave you safe, then hold on. Although no driver has made the infamous Rascasse dive-bomb yet, the run to the finish line can bring exciting moments. Robin Frijns claimed second right on the line from Evans in 2021, while Mortara claimed fourth from Müller last year in similar fashion.
With this year’s grid set to be one of the closest in terms of competition, it will only get more competitive as the drivers scrap it out for one of motorsport’s biggest trophies.
Timings for the race weekend
Saturday, 16th May (Round 9)
Free Practice 1 - 07:30 - 08:15 local (06:30 - 07:15 BST)
Free practice 2 - 09:10 - 09:45 (08:10 - 08:45 BST)
Qualifying - 10:40 - 11:48 (08:40 - 10:48 GMT)
Race - 15:05 - 16:00 (14:05 - 15:00 BST)
Sunday, 17th May (Round 10)
Free practice 3 - 08:30 - 09:15 (06:30 - 07:15 GMT) -
Qualifying - 10:40 - 11:48 (09:10 - 10:48 GMT)
Race - 15:05 - 16:00 (13:05 - 14:00 GMT)
Biggest storylines ahead of the Monaco E-Prix
The annual Principality outing - Formula E’s race weekends in Monaco have always proven to be exciting, providing plenty of racing action. With the event transitioning into a double header in 2025, fans and drivers get more opportunities to take to the Monaco streets, and increase their chances of winning a race around the fabled streets.
Can Porsche and Jaguar continue their stronghold? - While Porsche head into their 100th Formula E race later this weekend, it’s Jaguar who come into this weekend with the momentum after Evans’ victory in Berlin. The duo have won the last six races in Season 12, and it remains to be seen if this season will ultimately become a battle between the strongest forces in the Gen3 era.
How will F2 graduates fare on familiar turf? - The Monaco E-Prix weekend marks the first time both Felipe Drugovich and Pepe Martí take to the streets of Monaco. Both drivers have turned a wheel around this circuit during their Formula 2 careers before, and while the Formula E car is a different kettle of fish, it remains to be seen how the duo use their familiarity of the streets to their advantage.
Will Mahindra return to the podium? - At the previous running of the Monaco E-Prix, Mahindra returned to a Formula E podium after two difficult seasons, with de Vries’ podium in the first of the races kicking off a strong run for the team. Now a much stronger contender with three pole positions, can Mahindra return to the podium for the first time since the Jeddah E-Prix in February? It remains to be seen.
Can Envision win Monaco once again? - One of the biggest talking points in Season 11 was Envision Racing and Sébastien Buemi taking a special victory in a wet Monaco E-Prix. It was Buemi’s first in over six years, while it marked the team’s first win since their title-winning Season 9. While the victory gave the Swiss veteran a second wind, it has seen him continue to fight for big points into Season 12. Will he or the team take victory once again in the Principality?
Drivers to watch out for at the Monaco E-Prix
Nyck de Vries - de Vries came into Monaco in Season 11 with plenty of hope, as a renewed Mahindra package saw him fight for points more regularly. However, the weekend brought about his first Formula E podium in three years, and arguably kicked off Mahindra’s excellent run of form. Only a year on, the Dutchman arrives, with his season requiring a serious change in fortunes. With only 14 points and a best finish of fifth, de Vries will be looking for that same Monaco spark to kick-start his season and support Mahindra’s run for a constructors’ title.
Dan Ticktum - Berlin marked Dan Ticktum’s fourth DNF of the season, and a disappointing double header for the Cupra Kiro racer. While power-related faults left the Briton unhappy, he will be looking for a big return to form in the Monaco double header, a venue that saw Ticktum and Cupra Kiro begin their dominant run of form in Season 11.
Taylor Barnard - Only a year ago, Barnard had taken a record-breaking pole position around the streets of the Principality, setting a 1:26.300 in the first of the races. Now in DS Penske, Barnard has endured a torrid time, only scoring 18 points in Season 12 with a best finish of fourth. Despite showing strong qualifying pace in Berlin and missing out on pole by 38 milliseconds, the Briton fell behind in a largely frenetic race of overtakes. He will be itching for a right of reply around a familiar venue of success.
Nick Cassidy - Would you consider Cassidy an in-form man coming into Monaco? The New Zealander has finished on all three steps of the podium in his past three appearances in the Principality. Now with French manufacturer Citroën Racing, this gives Cassidy the impetus to build on his excellent record at the venue, which is the closest the team will get to a home race.
Predictions for the Monaco E-Prix
It’s Monaco, the casino isn’t too far away. It definitely tempts me to take a gamble on a couple of unfancied runners striking it big in the Principality, while the usual status quo remains.
For Round 9 on Saturday, I would go with Cassidy winning the race after a stellar comeback drive through the field, while Wehrlein and de Vries round out the top three. For Round 10 on Sunday, I would flip it the other way, giving Evans race victory, ahead of Ticktum and Mortara.
