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DS Penske driver Vergne was considerably low on energy in the final stages of the 33-lap contest compared to Envision’s Cassidy, who kept the pressure up on him in a bid to take only his second career victory in FE.
But Vergne covered off the inside line into the Turn 3 hairpin – the primary overtaking point of the race – on every lap since a late safety car period triggered by McLaren’s Jake Hughes, preventing Cassidy from making a move.
Despite starting the final lap with just 2% useable energy, Vergne was able to defy the odds to claim the first victory of the DS Penske partnership by just 0.400s.
Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa was elevated to the final spot of the podium in third after Sebastien Buemi was handed a late drive-through penalty for overusing the maximum power allowed.
At the start of the race, polesitter Mitch Evans led the field from Vergne, with Buemi slotting into third place.
But Evans would take an ill-timed attack mod …