Race
Travelling to Monaco as the leader of the team classification, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team made a disappointing start into the second half of the season at the most prestigious race of the year. Although Pascal Wehrlein finished in the points, he lost his lead in the drivers’ standings. His teammate António Félix da Costa (POR), the 2021 Monaco winner, crossed the finish line in 15th. After a strong performance through the spectacular wall-fenced labyrinth of corners, the Porsche customer squad Avalanche Andretti was rewarded with third place thanks to Jake Dennis in the Porsche 99X Electric.
In the teams’ classification for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team ranks second after nine out of 16 races with 169 points behind Envision Racing (182). Avalanche Andretti (119) advanced to fourth place. Pascal Wehrlein also lies second in the drivers’ championship. With 101 points, the two-time winner in Diriyah trails Nick Cassidy (NZL/121). Jake Dennis (96) ranks third with António Félix da Costa (68) in sixth. André Lotterer (GER/23), who finished outside the points in Monaco in Avalanche Andretti’s Porsche 99X Electric, currently occupies P13.
After a difficult qualifying on the world’s most spectacular street circuit, Pascal Wehrlein started from P12. After six laps, he was in the points with eighth place at the wheel of his Porsche 99X Electric, only to lose ground with the activation of the Attack Mode. In the closing laps of an action-packed race with gripping wheel-to-wheel duels, he overtook several rivals and ultimately saw the flag in tenth. Heading into the race from P19, António Félix da Costa fought his way up the order to eighth place. When a competitor hit the rear of his car, he was forced into the pits with a damaged rear tyre, which cost him positions.
Comments on the Monaco E-Prix, Race 9
Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “This is a disappointing result. António made up a lot of ground in the race but had to pit with tyre damage due to a rear shunt. More points would’ve been possible for Pascal, as well, today. During the first half of the season, we underlined that we are capable of fighting for wins and podium spots on a variety of racetracks. We still have seven races to go. We’re in the championship fight and we’ll do our very best to once again earn significantly more points in the next races.”
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94): “As expected, it was a tough race. We’d hoped for better in Monaco and we’re disappointed not to have been able to showcase the true potential of our car. We now have to focus on our strong points and regain the performance that we’ve demonstrated so often this year. The second half of the season has only just begun. There are still a lot of races and a lot of points to be won. We’ll work hard and I’m confident that we’ll achieve better results again in the upcoming races.”
António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13): “After going from strength to strength during the first half of the season, we travelled to Monaco with high expectations. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fulfil these. We’ve had a tough day. I made a mistake in qualifying and subsequently had to start from far down the grid. In the race, I made up positions from lap to lap and had my sights set on a top-five result when I got hit and had to pit for a new right rear tyre. That was the end of my race. But we’ll come up with further opportunities that we can hopefully take advantage of.”
Next up
The next race for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is the Jakarta E-Prix on 3 and 4 June, with rounds 10 and 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Preview
Set against the picture-postcard backdrop of sun, sea and palm trees, four Porsche 99X Electric go hunting for world championship points. Two of the Weissach-developed electric vehicles are fielded by the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team with the current championship leader Pascal Wehrlein and António Félix da Costa (POR). Porsche’s customer team Avalanche Andretti also tackles the prestigious race with two Porsche 99X Electric driven by Jake Dennis (GBR) and André Lotterer (GER). Thanks to victories at both night races in Diriyah as well as in Mexico City and Cape Town, the Porsche 99X Electric is the most successful Formula E car this season.
The race in the world’s most expensive square mile throws very special challenges at the 22 drivers. The spectacular labyrinth of corners, lined with concrete blocks and high fences, allows no margin for error. The roads will be closed for just one day. As soon as the colourful flower pots, parking metres and traffic signs have been removed early Saturday morning, one of the world’s most fascinating racetracks will emerge between the luxury high-rise buildings and upmarket boutiques. There are virtually no run-off zones and to turn a perfect lap in the world’s fastest city traffic, drivers must use every inch of the track. Teams and drivers get only two short free practices to finalise the setup of the new Gen3 cars at the first outing in Monaco. In the qualifying session, the hunt for pole position then begins through legendary corners like Sainte Dévote, Casino and Mirabeau as well as the spectacular tunnel passage at the harbour.
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team starts the second half of the season as the leader of the teams’ and drivers’ championship. At the top of the leaderboard is Pascal Wehrlein. After eight of 16 races, he leads with 100 points, followed by Nick Cassidy (NZL/96) and Jean-Éric Vergne (FRA/81). Jake Dennis ranks fourth with 80 points, António Félix da Costa lies sixth with 68 points, with André Lotterer (23) currently in P13. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team leads the teams’ classification with 168 points ahead of Envision Racing (153) and Jaguar (138). Avalanche Andretti occupies fifth place with 103 points.
Q&A on the Monaco E-Prix
Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E
How do you assess the current situation with the competition in Formula E and what are the special challenges in Monaco?
Florian Modlinger: “We’re all still on a learning curve with the Gen3 cars. Each team will continue to make progress over the coming weeks and months. We can’t let up. We need to create the conditions for us to remain competitive and be at the front. We’re all constantly learning. The balance of power can shift from race to race. In Monaco, everything happens in one day, from the free practice to the race. That means we have to be even better prepared and not make any mistakes.”
What is your summary after eight races?
Modlinger: “Coming to Monaco after the first half of the season as the leader of the team and driver standings is a very special motivation for us all. We’re very pleased with that. We’ve shown that we’re capable of winning on a wide variety of tracks, and we learnt a lot on the racetracks where we weren’t as strong. We now have to piece all this knowledge together and implement it in the races in the second half of the season.”
António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13)
You won in Monaco in 2021. How do you feel about returning with Porsche now?
António Félix da Costa: “We’re facing one of the coolest races of the year, no question about it. Formula E is a great fit for Monaco and this circuit. We deliver spectacular races with constant changes in the lead – exactly what the fans love. I’ve been lucky enough to win in Monaco before. So, to come back now as a Porsche factory driver with this team feels fantastic.”
What so fascinating about this race?
da Costa: “Every lap is a pleasure on this historic racetrack. We’re all very lucky to have the opportunity to race here every year in Formula E. What I like so much about Monaco is the rich history of the race. On top of that, there are numerous big names who have immortalised themselves on the winners’ list here. I find all of this incredibly fascinating.”
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94)
What are the special challenges for you in Monaco and how well does the Grand Prix circuit suit Formula E?
Pascal Wehrlein: “For me, this is one of the coolest tracks in motorsport. It’s perfect for Formula E and the races we contest. It’s great for overtaking and the speed is good, too. On our street circuits, we don’t usually have much room and we have to be careful not to make a mistake – and not only in the first corner after the start. That’s also the case in Monaco. The whole race is a challenge. Every driver, it seems, makes an extra special effort. After all, Monaco is a race everyone wants to win.”
In Monaco, everything happens in one day. What does that mean for the drivers and the team?
Wehrlein: “For us all, it’s a long day that starts early and finishes late. With this tight schedule, there’s very little time to study data extensively. That takes some adjustment. You actually have to arrive at the track in Monaco with everything already sorted.”
The circuit
The world-famous Grand Prix circuit features 19 corners and is 3.337 kilometres long. It has virtually no run-off zones, instead, there are walls and barriers. The storied street course requires efficient energy management and total concentration from start to finish. With its combination of very tight corners and fast passages, the Circuit de Monaco is the perfect venue for the special requirements of Formula E.
Live TV and internet coverage
The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E event in Monaco is available at: https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/ways-to-watch.
The Media Service
A race report with comments from the Director of Factory Motorsport Formula E and the drivers will be available on 6 May. Further information about the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will be posted live on the Twitter channel @PorscheFormulaE. All relevant information about the team, the drivers and the racing series can be found in the Porsche Formula E Media Guide at https://media.porsche.com/formula-e. The content will be regularly updated throughout the season and expanded with additional interactive material.
The Porsche 99X Electric
Porsche contests season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with the Porsche 99X Electric. The new electric racing car featuring the Porsche E-Performance Powertrain – which underwent modifications in Weissach for the third generation vehicle in the innovative electric racing series – also serves as a development platform for the sports car manufacturer’s fully-electric production models. Energy management and efficiency are important factors for success in Formula E and Porsche’s all-electric production cars. The maximum output of the Porsche 99X Electric is 350 kW (476 PS), which is 100 kW more than the predecessor generation (Gen2). At least 40 percent of the energy used is recuperated via regenerative braking. The new cars are the fastest, lightest, most powerful and most efficient electric vehicles ever built.
Porsche Taycan Turbo S safety car
Porsche is committed to Formula E safety: With the all-electric Taycan Turbo S, Porsche again supplies the official safety car this season – thus underlining the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport. Thanks to its driveability and safety as well as an output of up to 560 kW (761 PS, Taycan Turbo S: Electric power consumption* combined (WLTP) 23.4 – 22.0 kWh/100 km, CO₂ emissions* combined (WLTP) 0 g/km, Electric range* combined (WLTP) 440 – 467 km, Electric range* in town (WLTP) 524 – 570 km), the top model in the Taycan range is the ideal choice as a safety car in the world’s first electric racing series. The striking paintwork incorporates the colours of all eleven competing teams as well as those of the FIA and Formula E. The design symbolises the joint commitment to the future of all-electric motor racing as well as social values such as diversity and community.
Formula E
Formula E is the world’s first fully-electric racing series bringing thrilling motorsport to people living in major cities since 2014. As an accelerator for innovative and sustainable mobility technologies, it promotes the worldwide acceptance of electric vehicles. Eleven teams tackle the 2022/2023 season with 22 drivers. This guarantees interesting and fiercely competitive races. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team contests its fourth season of the innovative electric racing series with the Porsche 99X Electric.