Monaco - Q2: Rowland takes pole after rain-disrupted session

Oliver Rowland (Nissan) took his first pole position of the season in Monaco, after a session disrupted by rain... and without the Briton taking part in the final.

Published 04/05/2025 à 12:07

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After Saturday's sunshine, rain is back in the Principality this Sunday. In very tricky conditions, Oliver Rowland took pole position for the second race of the Monaco E-Prix this Sunday. The championship leader took his first pole position of the season, the ninth of his career in Formula E, and scored the three points offered to the poleman.
A pole position obtained in a rather strange way: in fact, the Nissan driver didn't even need to compete in the final, as in the second semi-final, the two DS Penske drivers – Maximilian Günther and Jean-Éric Vergne – cut the chicane and saw their times canceled. As a result, neither teammate was able to qualify for the final against Oliver Rowland, and both will start from the second row.

Here's the moment 😮 pic.twitter.com/tXf7xBEhbB

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 4, 2025

In the first semi-final, which pitted Oliver Rowland against Nyck de Vries, the two rivals also made a mistake at the same place, trapped by the return of the rain, going into the escape route at Sainte-Dévote. Both were able to complete their lap and set a time, to the advantage of the Briton. With the cancellation of the times of the two DS Penske, Nyck de Vries inherits 2nd place on the grid, his best qualification with Mahindra the day after his first podium with the Indian team.
The group stage was marked by a red flag following a major crash by Sam Bird. The British rider, registered in Group B, locked his wheels on the approach to Sainte-Dévote before hitting the barrier at the entrance to the first corner. A passenger on his bike, the rider McLaren finished his race by hitting the Tecpro barrier head-on. The Englishman emerged unharmed from this accident, but his participation in the Monaco E-Prix is threatened with a car badly damaged.