SHERIDAN, WYOMING – June 24, 2025 – Formula E returned to Sanya, China for the first time in seven years, and the Citroën Racing Formula E Team had one of those days that reminds everyone why electric street racing is impossible to predict. Round 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship played out around the Haitang Bay circuit under intense heat, featuring a mid-race red flag, two Full Course Yellow periods, and enough position shuffling to keep fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Jean-Éric Vergne worked his way from thirteenth to eighth to claim four championship points, while Nick Cassidy — who briefly led the race — was ultimately unclassified after a string of incidents derailed what had been a genuinely strong afternoon.
A Race That Refused to Settle
From the first lap it was clear Sanya wasn't going to hand anyone an easy afternoon. High temperatures put pressure on energy management across the entire field, and the compact nature of the circuit meant any mistake came at a steep cost. The unpredictability was real — a major accident mid-race triggered a red flag that completely reset the strategic picture for every team on the grid.
Two Full Course Yellow periods added further complexity, constantly forcing drivers and engineers to recalculate. For a team still building its rhythm in Formula E, the conditions were as much a test of composure as raw pace.
Cassidy Led the Race — Then Lost It
Nick Cassidy started from sixth on the grid and quickly showed what he was capable of. Using a well-timed Attack Mode activation and solid energy management, the New Zealander fought his way to the front and led the race for three laps — a real statement of pace on a circuit he was visiting for the first time in a Formula E car.
The red flag, though, changed everything. After the restart, a braking system issue forced Cassidy to return to the pit lane, and a subsequent speeding penalty in the pits ended any hope of a classified finish. It was a frustrating outcome, but the underlying speed was there for everyone to see.
"Unfortunately, I didn't score any points today and wasn't classified at the finish. A lot of things went wrong during the race, which is disappointing because we showed good potential in the first half and were running at the front for a period. There are still positives to take away from the weekend and we've learned a lot. I've enjoyed being back in China and now the focus is on taking those lessons into Shanghai."
Vergne Does What Vergne Does
Starting from thirteenth isn't where any driver wants to be in Formula E's tightly-packed field, but Jean-Éric Vergne has been in this championship long enough to know how to find his way through. The two-time Formula E World Champion picked his moments carefully, managed his energy with precision, and steadily worked toward the top ten through the second half of the race.
Initially classified ninth after the chequered flag, Vergne moved up to eighth once post-race penalties were applied to several rivals. Four points isn't a result that sets the championship alight, but in a race as chaotic as Sanya, holding it together while everyone around you is losing theirs counts for something.
"That's the end of the race for us and we finish P8. It was actually a pretty good race, even if we didn't quite seem to have the pace to move further forward. I think we did a good job as a team today. I wish we could have made more of our second Attack Mode, but starting from P13 and finishing in the points is still a positive outcome. We'll take those points and keep working hard as we continue to improve the car ahead of the next races in Shanghai."
Eyes on Shanghai
Team Principal Cyril Blais acknowledged that the result didn't fully reflect the team's potential on the day, but pointed to the learnings taken from Sanya as the more valuable asset heading into the next stretch of the season.
"It was a particularly demanding and eventful race, probably exactly what you would expect from a circuit like Sanya. Between the high temperatures, the red flag and the multiple neutralisations, the conditions created a real challenge for the entire grid."
"The final result does not fully reflect the potential we showed today, but we leave Sanya with valuable points and important learnings. Our focus now turns to Shanghai as we enter an important phase of the Championship."
The Asian leg of the season continues with a double-header in Shanghai in two weeks — back-to-back races that could prove crucial for the championship standings.
FAQ: Citroën Racing at the Sanya E-Prix
Q: Where did Jean-Éric Vergne finish in Sanya? A: Vergne finished eighth after post-race penalties promoted him from an initial classification of ninth, earning four championship points.
Q: Why wasn't Nick Cassidy classified? A: After leading three laps, Cassidy suffered a braking system issue following the red flag restart and was forced to pit. A subsequent speeding penalty in the pit lane ended his race before the finish.
Q: What's next for Citroën Racing? A: The team heads to Shanghai for a double-header race weekend in approximately two weeks, as the Asian leg of the Formula E season continues.
Q: How long had Formula E been away from Sanya? A: Seven years — Sanya last hosted a Formula E round before Round 11 of this season marked its return to the calendar.