Preview
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 favourite 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) 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. 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 favourite 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-kilometre 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 Centre 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.
Live TV and Internet coverage
The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E event is available at https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/ways-to-watch.
The Media Service
Due to the time difference (CEST minus 9 hours), the first photos from Portland will be available on the Porsche press database on 24 June. The report from Race 12 will follow on 25 June. 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.