Guenther wins Jeddah E-Prix race 1 with last-lap pass

Maximilian Guenther won the first race of the Jeddah E-Prix after passing longtime leader Oliver Rowland going into the final chicane on the last lap.

Guenther started the race from pole, but Rowland moved to the lead at Turn 13 on lap 11, then took his first Attack Mode power boost in the subsequent clear air. That gave him an advantage that afforded him a sizeable lead, one he was able to keep hold of after drivers completed their Pit Boost charges.

Gunether dropped a further position in his pit stop, but a combination of smart energy saving before his stop, then well-timed Attack Modes afterwards allowed him to move back up.

Like fellow podium challenger Nyck de Vries, he didn't use his first Attack Mode before pitting, giving him a pace advantage immediately afterwards. He then set about hunting down Rowland in the final four laps, closing right up to the tail of the Nissan driver by the penultimate lap.

A look round the outside of Turn 8 amounted to nothing, as did a similar approach on the final lap, but Guenther's pace advantage proved to be too much for Rowland to handle as he saved energy amid the German’s push.

Left with one shot left to snatch the win, Guenther shot up the inside of the entry to the Turn 14-15-16 chicane to become the first polesitter to win in 17 races and claim his first win since Tokyo last year.

Taylor Barnard finished third after closing up to the lead pair on the final lap after a to-and-fro battle with de Vries throughout the race, the Dutchman taking fourth for Mahindra, his matching his best result for Mahindra scored at the penultimate round of last season in London.

Jake Hughes took fifth after being passed by Barnard on lap 25, being unable to hold off the McLaren youngster who was enjoying a healthy energy advantage over the Maserati MSG driver. Jean-Eric Vergne was sixth, ahead of Edoardo Mortara who recovered from a back-of-the-grid start after being unable to take part in qualifying.

Sam Bird finished eighth despite spinning after a concertina in Turn 1 on the opening lap, while Antonio Felix da Costa also scored despite being involved in drama.

The TAG Heuer Porsche driver, who entered the race as the points leader, was hit by Nico Mueller at Turn 8 on the opening lap, with the Andretti driver riding over the back of da Costa’s car and taking to the escape road. Mueller was one of two retirements from the race along with his teammate Jake Dennis, who retired with a technical issue.

Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein and perennial title contender Mitch Evans both failed to score after a coming together on the first lap. Wehrlein took 15th after pitting with a puncture, while Evans was the last of the finishers in 20th and a lap down after pitting to repair front wing damage, then getting handed a five-second penalty for causing the collision with the German.

While missing out on the win, Rowland moves to the top of the standings after the race with a four-point advantage over da Costa, while Guenther’s win moves him from 10th to third, one spot ahead of Barnard who jumps up one spot.

TAG Heuer Porsche maintains its lead in the teams’ championship, albeit just three points ahead of DS Penske, which moves up to second at the expense of NEOM McLaren. Porsche, however, did lose the manufacturers’ points lead, with the double podium for Nissan – through the factory team and McLaren – helping it move to the lead.