Formula E Sao Paulo E-Prix - Sam Bird produces stunning last-lap overtake to win race in Brazil

Sam Bird (Neom McLaren Formula E Team) took victory at the Sao Paulo E-Prix with an outstanding last-lap overtake on Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing).

After two safety cars, Bird held the lead but had to surrender it to Evans with a deficit in energy. However, the McLaren driver sat patiently in second and made an incredible move around the outside of Turn 10 on the final lap to steal the win.

"That was great, it means so much to everyone at Neom McLaren," Bird said. "I think everyone can now see the progress that is slowly happening. A double podium for Nissan, they haven't done that in years and years, so I'm delighted for that group. And also for my guys at Neom McLaren.

"Podiums have been sparse and I hope this opens the floodgates a little bit. I had a target at the beginning of the year to get a couple of podiums, I didn't expect to win, but we got a win in Race 4. I'm just so happy.

"And it was a great race between me and Mitch [Evans], my old team-mate. It was really fair. Super race.

"[At the end] I said on the radio: 'I think he [Evans] is struggling more than me with the temperatures'. I was told to cool the car and then I saw the lift point and thought it's now or never, I've got to go. He defended the inside and gave me just enough room on the outside to have some kind of move, I don't know how close it was to the wall, but it was fair racing and I got it done.

"There's still life in the old dog yet."

Pole sitter Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) held the lead at lights out but lost it to his team-mate Antonio Felix Da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) when he went for an early attack mode.

Bird was in excellent form from the get-go, overtaking both Wehrlein and Da Costa on track before creating enough of a gap to hold on to the lead when he went for his first attack mode on Lap 5.

Heading out for his second attack mode, Bird did drop positions this time and fell into fifth. Da Costa inherited P1 and led the field in the first safety car period, this one caused by debris scattered at the start.

When the safety car retired on Lap 9, a number of attack modes at the front of the field were triggered and the order kept chopping and changing. Once everyone had completed their attack modes, it was Bird left leading the race ahead of Evans, Wehrlein, Jake Dennis (Andretti Formula E) and Da Costa.

Disaster struck for championship leader Nick Cassidy (Jaguar TCS Racing) on Lap 16 when contact on track caused his front wing to break. The debris collided with his front tyre and sent the Kiwi flying into the wall, ending his race prematurely and bringing the safety car out again.

The green flag was waved on Lap 20 and Dennis did not hesitate to make a move for fourth on Da Costa stick. Ahead, things were getting feisty between Evans and Wehrlein, but the Kiwi held firm in second.

A few laps later, Evans was suddenly the driver on the move and started attacking Bird for the lead. The McLaren was in lift and coast mode and eventually had to surrender the position on Lap 28.

Behind the leading duo, Dennis claimed Wehrlein for third while Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) had excellent late race-pace and edged closer and closer to the front group.

Going into the final lap, Evans and Bird had created a small gap over their chasers and were set to decide the win between themselves. Evans defended furiously, but Bird stuck a brilliant overtake around the outside of Turn 10 to take the lead and brought it home.

Behind, Rowland had an excellent last lap to claim both Dennis and Wehrlein and secure the remaining podium spot. Wehrlein had to settle for fourth ahead of Dennis.

Da Costa finished sixth at his home race from Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske) and Stoffel Vandoorne (DS Penske) who could not convert a front-row start. Maximilian Gunther (Maserati MSG Racing) was ninth with Sebastien Buemi (Envision Racing) rounding out the top 10.

Ninth place might not sound like much, but when taking the Maserati driver's pre-race fortunes into account, a top 10 is pretty incredible.

Maserati MSG Racing were forced to exceed the allocated amount of parts on Guenther's car in Brazil, resulting in two separate 20-place grid penalties (to be taken in Sao Paulo and at the next race in Tokyo) as well as one 10-second stop/go penalty.

Starting last on the grid and serving the stop/go penalty early, Gunther quietly made his way up the order and earned his team some well-deserved championship points.

1/31: WEHRLEIN HOLDS LEAD AT LIGHTS OUT - Wehrlein takes the holeshot from pole and already has a small gap. Vandoorne fights off an attack from Evans for second with Vergne lining up in fourth.

5/31: BIRD INTO THE LEAD - Excellent work from Bird who first claims Da Costa on track and goes on to create enough of an advantage to head into attack mode and still hang on to the lead.

9/31: TOP 3 IN ATTACK MODE - Da Costa, Wehrlein, and Vergne, i.e. the top three head into attack mode. Evans inherits the lead just ahead of Bird.

15/31: DENNIS INTO ATTACK MODE, BIRD TAKES LEAD - Dennis has been pushing for a gap, but as he heads into attack mode, he still drops into fourth.

16/31: CASSIDY OUT - The championship leader is in the wall and the race is over for him.

20/31: SAFETY CAR IN - Bird heads the field as we resume racing. All drivers at the front have used up their attack modes.

28/31: EVANS INTO THE LEAD - The Jaguar driver attacks again and this time he manages to take the lead off Bird.

33/34: EVANS V BIRD, DENNIS V WEHRLEIN - P1 looks to be going down between Evans and Bird now with the duo having a bit of a gap. Dennis and Wehrlein battle over the remaining podium spot. However, Rowland is not too far behind now.

34/34: BRILLIANT MOVE BIRD FOR THE LEAD - Insane move from Bird who goes around the outside at Turn 10 to claim Evans for the lead.

34/34: BIRD WINS IN SAO PAULO - Having taken the lead with that brilliant overtake, Bird brings P1 over the line ahead of Evans. Behind, Rowland had an outstanding last lap to overtake both Wehrlein and Dennis for a podium finish.

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