Rowland critical of Rome penalty after Cassidy clash
Oliver Rowland has called out the application of the FIA regulations after he was penalised for a Formula E crash that forced Rome E-Prix polesitter Nick Cassidy to retire.
Envision Virgin Racing driver and championship rookie Cassidy had snared pole by three tenths over fellow newcomer Norman Nato but lost that lead only at Turn 3 in the race.
Following the start procedure behind the safety car owing to damp patches at Turns 5 and 7, Cassidy led away but spun almost immediately when he locked the rear tyres. On team radio to race engineer Stephen Lane, the Super GT and Super Formula champion soon attributed it to a software issue reporting that he had barely touched the brakes.
Cassidy later took this back, telling Motorsport.com: “That's an instant driver reaction. We need to look into what happened for sure. It wasn't meant wasn't to be today.”
Cassidy rejoined in 10th place and progressed to battle Nissan e.dams racer Oliver Rowland for seventh three laps later when the pair collided and Cassidy hit the TecPro barrier. With Cassidy in the middle of the track to defend from the Dragon Penske Autosport of Nico Muller, Rowland attempted a pass on the inside and the pair collided at the apex.
Rowland was handed a 10-second penalty and had two points added to his race licence.
The Berlin E-Prix race winner told Motorsport.com: “I went up the inside, but I didn't go all the way up inside because I didn't also want to feed him into the wall on the exit. I felt like he just turned as if I wasn't there. I'm not really sure what I should do there.
“I can't disappear. I got the penalty but I don't know. The way I see it, if someone's up the inside you can't just turn in like they're not there. Where was I supposed to go? I was on the inside.”
Rowland then questioned the application of the rules that had earned him the reprimand.
He continued: “Where's the car width that you're meant to leave? The regulation is if you have any part of your car alongside the other one, you must leave one car width.
“I wasn't fully inside but he turned like I wasn't there. I don’t do that anymore. It seems to be a Formula E thing.”
Penalty included, Rowland classified 16th as Cassidy retired altogether from his fourth start. He initially pitted as a result of a right-rear puncture and front-wing damage before stopping on lap 21 of 23.
Cassidy was also reprimanded, earning an inconsequential 30s time penalty for not using all three of his attack mode boosts in a race that featured a full-course yellow and a safety car.
Related video
De Vries hit with grid penalty for last-lap Bird collision
How Vergne and Vandoorne found redemption in Rome
How Formula E's double-duty drivers got on at Le Mans
Eight Formula E drivers made the 7,000-mile sprint from the streets of Jakarta to the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe and every one had a story to share at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a range of triumphs and disappointments, each driver doubling up on the day job played a key role in their teams' fortunes
How Evans kept cool in Jakarta heat to renew his Formula E title push
Jean-Eric Vergne had comfortably taken a landmark pole for Formula E's first visit to Indonesia and looked set to win his first race of a highly consistent campaign. But the DS Techeetah driver couldn't answer a late attack from Jaguar's Mitch Evans, who profited from the Frenchman's change in battery management tactics to seize a third win of the campaign
Why de Vries' FP1 outing could add a new path to his current crossroads
A Formula 2 and Formula E champion, Nyck de Vries is currently considering where his future in motorsport lies. Continuing in WEC and Formula E is possible and he's also courted glances Stateside after impressing in an IndyCar test. But ahead of his Formula 1 FP1 debut with Williams, he could have another option if he impresses...
How Jake Dennis’ struggles turned him into a Formula E frontrunner
Having emerged as one of Formula E’s strongest drivers in his one-and-a-half seasons in the championship, Jake Dennis cemented his place in the series with a breakout maiden season. But it's not always been smooth sailing for the Briton
How Vandoorne recaptured Mercedes' winning feeling in Monaco
The Mercedes Formula 1 team is struggling, but its Formula E arm is in fine form at the moment and once again leads the drivers' standings courtesy of Stoffel Vandoorne. Here's how the Belgian took a well-judged Monaco victory to emerge at the head of the brewing four-way championship tussle
Will lighter, greener, faster Gen3 deliver on Formula E's many promises?
With a fighter-jet inspired design, revamped technical specifications and a new tyre supplier, Formula E's Gen3 car is set to shake up the series. But can it deliver on all of the promises that Formula E has set out to ensure that manufacturers consider the outlay on going racing in an all-electric arena worthwhile?
Why Nissan's e.dams buyout signifies its Formula E victory intent
The e.dams Formula E squad is one of the most storied in the championship's short history as its original benchmark, but its successes in the Gen2 era have been fleeting by comparison. Nissan's decision to take full control ahead of Gen3 marks a statement of intent that it intends to get back to winning ways
How Evans came, saw and conquered Formula E in Rome
Mitch Evans and Jaguar dominated the Rome E-Prix weekend, winning both races to bring alive a season in which he'd scored just one point from the previous three weekends. Supreme overtaking and strategy proved key in bringing the Kiwi back into title contention on a weekend that he was, his rivals conceded, “in a different league”