Formula E driver Nick Cassidy leads the standings as the pack closes in

Nick Cassidy celebrates his Formula E win in Berlin. Photo / Getty Images

Nick Cassidy leads the Formula E standings just past the halfway mark but he can feel the chasing pack closing in.

With seven of 16 races remaining, the 28-year-old Kiwi is top on 121 points, 20 ahead of second-placed German Pascal Wehrlein, with fellow New Zealander Mitch Evans fourth on 94.

Cassidy has won the last two races, in Monaco last month and Berlin in April, and says while his Jaguar-powered Envision Racing team are excelling, his rivals are improving.

“Jaguar have done a tremendous job creating a great competitive package for us,” said Cassidy from Jakarta ahead of this weekend’s two races in Indonesia.

“We’ve been lucky in a few races, and in others, had good performance, which has allowed us to lead the championship.

“However, there’s a long way left in the series and everyone else is starting to close the gap in performance. It’s going to get harder from now on.

“This year, the Formula E Gen 3 car is quite different [to previous models] and everyone is on a level playing field. The field is very strong and world-class, as are the teams, and getting top results on a regular basis is hard.

“With such strong competition, qualifying and track position are really important, with position during the race a top priority. The last couple of races have been great for us but I’m staying realistic.”

The climate will also be a factor in this weekend’s racing at Jakarta International e-Prix Circuit, a track built specifically for Formula E which opened last year.

“It’s a very interesting track. The conditions are pretty hot and humid, which affects quite a few things, and it [the points standings] could all be quite different by the end of the weekend.”

Like Cassidy, 28-year-old Evans has surged in recent rounds after a slow start. Hehad collected just 14 points after the first five races but wins in Sao Paulo and the first Berlin race, and a second in Monaco, have catapulted the Jaguar TCD Racing driver up the rankings.

“The last run of races has been positive for us and we’ve closed the gap in both the teams’ and drivers’ championships,” Evans said.

“It’s given the team some healthy momentum as we head into the next double-header. Jakarta is a physically challenging race but I performed well there last season, so we’re feeling positive,” said Evans, who holds the venue’s race lap record.