MONACO — On a rain-slicked Monte Carlo circuit, where precision and nerve are tested like nowhere else, Sébastien Buemi of Envision Racing delivered a performance for the ages. Starting eighth on the grid, the Swiss driver navigated the treacherous streets with a veteran’s poise, claiming his first Formula E victory in six years and etching his name as the series’ winningest driver. For a team battered by early-season struggles, Buemi’s triumph in Saturday’s Monaco E-Prix was both a redemption and a clarion call.
The race, the seventh round of the Formula E season, unfolded under leaden skies, with the first-ever wet qualifying session in Monaco setting a dramatic tone. Buemi was incandescent in the group stages, posting a lap six tenths faster than his rivals. A red flag, triggered by Sam Bird’s crash at Turn 1, threatened to derail his momentum, but with two minutes left, he pieced together a lap of stunning clarity to earn a duel berth. Though he fell to Max Günther in the head-to-head, his eighth-place starting position kept him in contention. His teammate, Robin Frijns, fared less well, mired in 19th after a qualifying session undone by the slippery conditions.
When the lights went out, both Envision drivers approached the opening laps with caution, each gaining a position as they probed the circuit’s limits. Early Attack Mode activations—a Formula E hallmark that grants temporary power boosts—proved decisive. Buemi surged to third, while Frijns climbed to 14th. By Lap 13, however, Frijns’s hopes of points were dashed when a Full Course Yellow neutralized his final Attack Mode, leaving him to settle for 11th.
At the front, Buemi was a study in controlled aggression. He dispatched Günther with a clinical pass, then used his final Attack Mode to vault past Oliver Rowland and Nyck de Vries, seizing the lead. From there, he was untouchable, stretching a 4.3-second gap over the field and fending off late pressure with personal best lap times. The final laps, tense and fraught, showcased Buemi’s mastery as he crossed the line to a victory that felt both inevitable and hard-won.
For Envision Racing, the win was a lifeline. After a puncture marred Buemi’s first race in Monaco’s double-header and left the team languishing in ninth in the Team Standings with 39 points, this result was a jolt of morale. Buemi now sits 10th in the Driver Standings with 31 points, while Frijns, with 8 points, is 20th. The championship remains tightly contested, with Oliver Rowland leading at 115 points, followed by Antonio Felix da Costa (67) and Pascal Wehrlein (66). TAG Heuer Porsche tops the Team Standings with 133 points, just ahead of Nissan’s 126.
Buemi’s victory, on one of motorsport’s most hallowed circuits, was a reminder of his enduring talent and Formula E’s unpredictable allure. In a sport where technology and driver skill collide, his rain-soaked masterclass proved that experience can still tip the scales. For Envision Racing, the road ahead is brighter, but the Monaco E-Prix will linger as the moment they rediscovered their spark.