Loading
Nyck de Vries is a Formula E race winner again. Four years after his last victory in Berlin in 2022, the Dutchman delivered a controlled, strategically superior performance on the streets of Monaco to claim Race 1 of the E-Prix — and he was in no doubt that the result was richly deserved for his Mahindra team.
Starting from second on the grid, behind a Dan Ticktum who had claimed a stunning pole position, De Vries kept his composure as chaos unfolded behind him, crossing the line as the outright winner of a race that rewarded patience, precision, and sharp decision-making.
The victory ended what had been a prolonged return to form for De Vries. After leaving Formula E to pursue opportunities in Formula 1 and subsequently returning to the series with Mahindra in 2024, the Dutchman had been unable to reach the top step. He admitted, candidly, that winning wasn't even a realistic expectation in the first phase of his comeback.
"I think when I came back to Formula E in 2024, because obviously I was out in 2023, winning was not really on the cards for the first two years," he told Motorsport Week. "Obviously, at the end of last year, we had a strong run, and we started to build real momentum, and we've built a very strong team and package, but executing a win here is tough. And the competition is high."
The backdrop to this weekend had been dominated by De Vries' teammate, Edoardo Mortara, who had lit up Season 12 with multiple podiums and sat third in the Championship standings coming into Monaco. Yet the team's overarching philosophy has remained one of consistency over headline results.
"I think this year, Edo's had an incredible run. The team in the car is performing well, so we definitely had that hope and belief that a win would be possible," De Vries said. "But as a team, we are more focused on consistent, solid points because in the long run, that's what matters in a championship, and we don't want to favour a win for a no points finish. Because if you look at races like Berlin, anything can happen."
Formula E is a series defined by its volatility — fortunes shift violently from one weekend to the next, and from one phase of a race to another. This time, the tide turned in De Vries' favour. He knew, with characteristic composure, that it was only a matter of time.
"But having said that, a win is very welcome."
For much of Season 12, De Vries had been on the wrong end of Formula E's unforgiving nature. Technical failures and isolated mistakes had cost him dearly, leaving him with nothing to show from multiple weekends where the pace was unquestionably there.
"I think for me personally and the team, I've been kind of on the receiving end this year. I think we never really questioned the pace, but just little things," he explained. "If you think Mexico was a motor issue, Jeddah was an inverter, then 60 places grip penalty, then Jarama, we are in the front row, and we had a software issue, and then I made a mistake. I mean, it's four races with an X [nothing]."
Navigating that kind of adversity without losing belief is, in De Vries' view, one of the defining qualities of a great Formula E driver.
"It's just, I think that's one of the core things about being a great Formula E driver, isn't it?" he said. "It's about having patience, because so many things can go wrong when you've had such a great day and resilience. I mean, just being able to swallow it weekend after weekend and then still see the end of the tunnel. But it's like that. It's like that. As long as we share the common objective and common goal, and we keep remaining united as a team, then that will prevail."
The decisive moment of the race came during the Pit Boost phase. De Vries moved early, dived into the pits ahead of Ticktum, and proceeded to lay down a sequence of lightning-fast laps. By the time the Pit Boost phase concluded, he had emerged ahead of the Kiro driver — a position he would not relinquish.
His strategy had been built around one simple principle: track Ticktum, then do the opposite.
"The target didn't change that much. I think the key was to have the Delta to Dan and then do the opposite," De Vries explained. "Of course, Mitch and Max were kind of thinking the same, do the opposite. Then we used our energy and pace to make that ground on Dan."
Clearance after the pit stop was equally critical. With Antonio Felix da Costa emerging from his own strategy out of attack mode, De Vries needed to dispatch him quickly to build further margin over Ticktum.
"I think that was key. So the Delta, the pace, the Delta energy, and the pace, but also clearing Antonio quickly when he came out, because he was obviously out of attack, and I still had a few minutes to go, and I needed to use that to build more distance to Dan. So, yeah, it just worked out perfectly."
The win was also a landmark moment for Mahindra, marking the team's first victory in nearly five years — a milestone De Vries took clear pride in delivering.
"It was just nice to come back and give the team the result they very much deserve," he said. "The car was incredible today. You know, the right calls at the right time."
Despite the commanding Race 1 display, De Vries was measured in his expectations heading into the second encounter, anticipating a different dynamic and more unpredictable conditions.
"I would say it's going to be a very different race. I expect more chaos. Frankly speaking, I would wish for rain, because it just dilutes the sensitivity. But we have a great car, so we should go and make sure that we capitalise on that and score good points."
With Mahindra's overall pace looking genuine and De Vries rediscovering his winning instincts at exactly the right time in the season, the Indian team appears well-placed to remain a front-running force as the Monaco weekend draws to its conclusion.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.