The fight for victory came down to the final corners and it was Casadei who survived
Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) has become an FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup race winner after he saw off a serious challenge from Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) in Race 1 at the SHARK Grand Prix de France. Zannoni threw everything into his bid for victory, but hit the deck on the final lap when he asked too much of his front tyre at Turn 13.
Drama in the opening corners
There was drama as soon as the race started when Casadei’s team-mate Jordi Torres fell in the pack as the they exited the Turn 3/Turn 4 chicane. Torres’ leg was run over initially by Niccolo Canepa (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) and then Xavi Fores (Octo Pramac MotoE™), neither of whom were able to avoid the stricken Spaniard, before being stretchered from the scene. He was taken to the medical centre and initial reports are, thankfully, that he is not seriously injured.
A duel develops at the front
The net result of a hair-raising opening lap was that Casadei led Zannoni, Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™), and Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™). Casadei looked like he might break away but was reeled in by Zannoni as the eight-lap contest reached its halfway mark.
After biding his time for a handful of laps, the SIC58 rider had a big look at the Pons pilot as they sped through the Turn 1/Turn 2 sweeper for the final time. Casadei fended off that attack but Zannoni did not give up, until his challenge came to an end when he folded the front of his Energica Ego Corsa at the penultimate corner of the race.
Casadei won by 0.8 seconds while Aegerter claimed second after passing Okubo at Turn 3 on the second-last lap. Okubo was a maiden podium finisher in third, just ahead of Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™), Hector Garzo…