Rowland started eighth and came to the fore late on as the ATTACK MODE activations shook out – with the top 10 shuffling and squabbling relentlessly for position throughout the opening half of the race.
The Nissan driver had been strong managing his energy, navigated the pack and picked his way through to the lead down at the Nouvelle Chicane on Lap 23 of 28, marking a second win in two years in Monte Carlo for the Brit.
A couple of Full Course Yellows were thrown into the mix for Rowland to deal with after some over-exuberant overtaking manoeuvres down the field but the Nissan driver kept cool to cross the line first.
He headed home Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra Racing) on-track, although a 10-second time penalty for the Swiss driver saw Drugovich take second position for his best Formula E race finish – firmly putting to bed the Brazilian’s struggles in Berlin.
Da Costa led late on and wound up third to recover from his late drama in Round 9; the Portuguese driver rounding just ahead of Jaguar TCS Racing teammate Mitch Evans.
Mortara secured fifth with his penalty – for contact with da Costa on the opening lap – applied with Nico Müller (Porsche Formula E Team) completing the top six.
Despite a double pole in the Principality, CUPRA KIRO’s Dan Ticktum couldn’t convert to points – a late penalty leaving him down the order in 14th after opting for ATTACK MODE towards the race’s end.
Evans took the ABB FIA Formula E Drivers’ World Championship points advantage after Round 9 and leaves Monaco on top ahead of Rowland. Jaguar heads Porsche in the ABB FIA Formula E Teams’ World Championship and Porsche leads Jaguar in the ABB FIA Formula E Manufacturers’ World table.
Oliver Rowland, No. 23, Nissan Formula E Team said: “It’s been nearly a year since I stood at the top of the podium. It was a crazy race, some drivers decided to do some different stuff, I kept a high pace. It was really difficult to keep disciplined, I knew we had to keep higher in energy targets, but staying disciplined and staying out of trouble was key for us. You never know if there is a safety car; it’ll bring the targets up. I was pretty confident in what I was doing and the team kept me really informed. I was confident.”
Felipe Drugovich, No. 28, Andretti Formula E said: “This is such a great thing to do here at this track, I love this place. I think every time I have been here I have had a podium, so happy to keep that going. What a place to get my first podium in Formula E so I’m really really happy. Big thanks to the team that could cope with me for the first few rounds when I was not even close the podium and now we are doing big things so thanks to them.”
António Félix da Costa, No. 13, Jaguar TCS Racing, said: “I don’t know whether to be happy or angry with the amount of times I’ve been hit from behind this season and races taken from us, and I could not believe it, on lap one, and people were just still taking it easy, I thought. I got hit from behind, and I spun out and went all the way to the back, but with a good strategy from the team and taking a lot of risks, as you can see from my car, I was able to make it back to the front. I need to review it, but I think the full course yellow came out at a good time for me, that first one, and just managing energy to the end. Congrats to these guys, amazing race, I am happy to be on the podium today with these guys after that one.”
LANDO NORRIS GETS UP CLOSE TO GEN4 AT 2026 MONACO E-PRIX
Watching on from the Andretti Formula E garage was Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris, who came out in support of his friend Jake Dennis. Norris spent the day embedded with the team, where he also got a close-up look at the new GEN4 car following its track demonstration by F1 legend David Coulthard.
Lando Norris, reigning Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion said: “This is the first ever [Formula E] race I’ve been to and I’m excited! There are a lot of guys that I know racing here and the racing’s always good to watch; always chaos, always carnage and always unpredictable – everything you want from racing!
“I grew up with a lot of these guys or I raced with them. The level of drivers you have here is top – it’s as good as you get. You’re watching a series that has top class athletes, some of the best in the world – it’s something I enjoy watching and being a part of.”
“I was planning to do a bit of driving in a Formula E car at some point. I’ve spoken to Jake [Dennis] and a few of the other guys who’ve driven here. Not everything correlates between the two [Formula 1 and Formula E] but there are always things you can learn by speaking to and listening to drivers that are at the top of this category.”
David Coulthard, Formula E Broadcast Analyst and Former F1 Driver said: “That is the most acceleration I’ve ever experienced around Monaco.
“Where I’ve just taken it compared to what those guys will do with it… They’ll experience something nobody has in racing. I’m speechless! What a machine!
“You can’t compare at all GEN3 to GEN4. GEN3 and GEN3 Evo is state of the art for its time, but GEN4 with all-wheel drive; every exit is acceleration like you’ve never experienced. Once you’re through an apex you realise the car can take everything you throw at it. It’s just not normal. It’s redefining what a race car can be.
“I’ve driven a lot of cars over the years – I have an understanding with what all-wheel drive could feel like but a car under 1000kg with 800+bhp in old money, that’s an impressive getaway.
“First time through the tunnel, it was like hyperdrive from Star Wars! I’ve been through there thousands of times but never like that.”
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will continue with Round 11 in Sanya on Saturday 20 May June.
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