Huge Ticktum Penalty Overshadows de Vries Monaco Victory

Nyck de Vries finally ended his difficult start to the season with a crucial victory in the 2026 Formula E Monaco E-Prix. However, the Mahindra driver’s success was ultimately overshadowed by the massive penalty handed to Dan Ticktum after the race.

De Vries started second behind polesitter Ticktum and remained close to the Cupra Kiro driver throughout the opening half of the race. The decisive moment came during the Pit Boost phase after de Vries became one of the first frontrunners to complete the mandatory stop on lap 15.

Once the full field had completed Pit Boost, de Vries emerged as the race leader and maintained control until the finish. The result also marked Mahindra’s first victory of the Gen3 Formula E era.

Baca JugaDa Costa Desak FIA Bertindak Usai Drama Monaco E-Prix

From a technical perspective, Monaco once again highlighted the importance of energy strategy and Pit Boost timing in modern Formula E. Overtaking opportunities remained extremely limited around the narrow street circuit, making undercuts and energy efficiency crucial factors throughout the race.

The event itself became chaotic almost immediately. A safety car was deployed on lap three after Nick Cassidy and Jake Dennis collided at the Nouvelle Chicane. Cassidy later received a 10-second time penalty for the incident.

Further drama unfolded on lap 12 when the two Porsche cars made contact, forcing Pascal Wehrlein to pit for repairs. One lap later, reigning world champion Oliver Rowland suffered a puncture which immediately ruined his chances of scoring major points.

According to reporting from RacingNews365, gaps throughout the field began forming after the Pit Boost cycle, allowing de Vries and Mitch Evans to break clear from the battle for the podium positions.

However, the biggest controversy arrived in the closing stages when Ticktum and Antonio Felix da Costa made heavy contact while battling for third position at the Nouvelle Chicane.

Da Costa lost a wheel following the collision and was forced to stop at the side of the circuit. The stewards immediately judged Ticktum to be fully at fault and handed him a 33-second time penalty, equivalent to a drive-through penalty.

Ticktum had originally crossed the finish line in third place, but the penalty dropped him to 12th position. The decision promoted team-mate Pepe Marti onto the Formula E podium for the first time in his career.

The controversial penalty has now become one of the biggest talking points in the Monaco Formula E paddock, particularly because the incident occurred during intense wheel-to-wheel fighting on one of motorsport’s narrowest and most unforgiving street circuits.