Formula E: Porsche fights for two world titles in London
Porsche team Avalanche Andretti’s driver Jake Dennis leads the drivers’ championship. The Porsche factory team is 2nd in the team standings heading into the season Formula E finale.
The most spectacular racetrack on the Formula E calendar awaits drivers and teams in the Docklands of East London.
Located on the Thames, the ExCel Circuit comprises both indoor and outdoor sections. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is ready for this challenge, as are its drivers Pascal Wehrlein and António Félix da Costa, who have so far clinched four victories this season with the Porsche 99X Electric.
The German won both night races in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, as well as a round in Jakarta (Indonesia), while the Portuguese won at the Formula E debut in Cape Town, South Africa.
After a strong season with fiercely contested races in fascinating cities, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team heads to the London E-Prix ranking second in the teams’ standings with 239 points behind leader Envision Racing (253).
From this position, the squad has good prospects of taking home the team title – as does Jaguar (228) in third place.
In fourth place, the Porsche customer team Avalanche Andretti (218) also has an outside chance of claiming the title.
In its first season with the Porsche 99X Electric, the racing outfit owned by the American motorsport icon Michael Andretti notched up its second win of the season in Rome after Mexico City thanks to Jake Dennis.
At the wheel of the racing car developed by Porsche in Weissach, the Englishman impressed throughout the season with inspired performances.
After winning the opening round in Mexico, he snatched the lead in the drivers’ championship in Rome and heads to the final countdown in England as the hot favorite for the title.
With 195 points to his credit, he has a clear advantage over New Zealanders Nick Cassidy (171) and Mitch Evans (151).
In fourth place, Pascal Wehrlein (146) still has a mathematical chance of winning the title. António Félix da Costa (93) ranks seventh, with the second Avalanche Andretti driver André Lotterer (GER/23) is in 17th place.
Ahead of the London E-Prix, Porsche extended its commitment to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Originally committed to race until the 2023/2024 season, Porsche has signed for another two years up to and including the 2025/2026 season.
Until then, the latest third-generation race cars (Gen3) like the Porsche 99X Electric will continue to be fielded. As part of its extended commitment, Porsche will be actively involved in the design of the subsequent Gen4.
Q&A on the London E-Prix
Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E:
How do you assess your situation ahead of the season finale and how great are your chances of winning the title?
“We’ve prepared well and are looking forward to a fantastic conclusion to the season. Anything is possible. The top three teams are within 25 points of each other. One of these teams will become the world champion. We are 14 points behind Envision Racing, which means we have to work hard. Whoever has a strong car in London and makes no mistakes will be the winner. That’s our goal.”
Why wasn’t it possible to score more points in Rome recently and what can be done better in London?
“The problem in Rome was our pace in qualifying. Overtaking is particularly difficult in Rome, so that hit us hard. Pascal started from 15th and still managed to clinch seventh. If we’d started from further up the grid, we could’ve done much better. In preparation for London, we used the simulator to adapt the setup of our Porsche 99X Electric to the track characteristics. We’ll use the free practice sessions to put the final touches and then go for gold in the qualifying and race.”
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94)
How are you feeling ahead of London and how realistic are you about your chances of winning the title?
“We want to finish the season with a successful result. Our sights are firmly set on winning the world championship team title. We still have a good chance. We weren’t good enough in the last qualifying sessions. Our race performance, on the other hand, was always strong, including the most recent event in Rome. So, in London, where it’s also difficult to overtake, I’m hoping that we’ll perform better in qualifying and clinch the title in the race.”
What do you think of the London circuit?
“The fact that we’re racing inside and out is spectacular, of course. Nevertheless, it’s not exactly my favorite track. It would be interesting if it rained. That would be very special. Essentially, the same situation applies to us on this racetrack: We know that we’re fast in the race, we just have to do better in qualifying.”
António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13)
Your first season with Porsche draws to a close in London. How has it been for you?
“The time has flown by. It feels like I’ve only been with the team for a few days. As a squad, we’ve learned a lot this season and made great progress. Of course, we’ve experienced setbacks but they’ve made us stronger. There’s a very close bond between us and that makes us optimistic about the future.”
What do you expect from the season finale?
“The bid for the world championship is still wide open. We’ll be fighting for the title right to the flag. Qualifying will be critical. If we’re well up the front there, we’ll have every chance. It’s up to us to pull all the positives of this season together into a competitive package. If we succeed in doing that, we can score the points we need in London to bring the world championship trophy home to Stuttgart.”
The circuit
The 2.09-kilometer ExCeL Circuit featuring 20 turns is one of the most spectacular on the Formula E calendar. Part of the course runs inside through the Exhibition Center in East London’s historic Docklands, with the rest outside. The height differences between the indoor and outdoor areas are bridged with ramps. The concrete floor in the hall is treated with a special substance to improve grip. There are only three places where overtaking is possible – in each case after the longest straights on the track in turns 1, 10 and 16.
