Unlucky Monaco premiere for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team

Race 7

After scoring podium results in Rome and Valencia, expectations were high in the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team – however, in the picturesque setting of the Principality on the Côte d’Azur, the positive trend of recent weeks did not continue: at the Monaco E-Prix on Saturday, round seven of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, André Lotterer (GER) crossed the finish line ninth in the No. 36 Porsche 99X Electric, only to be handed a time penalty due to a collision shortly before the flag which relegated him back to 17th place. His teammate Pascal Wehrlein (GER/#99) had to pull into the pits shortly before the end of the race after becoming entangled in a collision caused by another competitor. 

For the 24-strong field of electric cars, the race through the streets of Monte Carlo was the highlight of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Fierce battles for positions, spectacular overtaking manoeuvres and gripping action from start to finish – the 3.32-kilometre circuit with its unparalleled fascination is the perfect venue for the innovative electric racing series. 

Full of confidence, Pascal Wehrlein took up the race from eighth place after narrowly missing the Super Pole by just five-hundredths of a second at the wheel of his Porsche 99X Electric. However, when the world’s fastest city traffic came to a halt in the first lap at the entry to the famous hairpin bend in front of the Hotel Fairmont, he was shuffled down the order to 15th. Over the remaining 45 minutes, he was unable to make up the lost ground. Shortly before the flag, a pursuer shunted the rear of his car and the resulting puncture forced him to conclude his race in the pits. 

His teammate André Lotterer started from P19 and thus had almost the whole field in front of him. With very little chance to overtake on the narrow circuit, he made the best out of the situation. When he selected attack mode for the second time in his Porsche 99X Electric, he managed to move up into twelfth place. Towards the end of the race, he succeeded in overtaking several competitors and ultimately even took home points for ninth place. However, Lotterer’s joy over the fortunate outcome of his remarkable charge did not last long: he was subsequently handed a five-second time penalty for making contact with a competitor in the final lap.

Comments on the race

Amiel Lindesay, Head of Operations Formula E:“Pascal did a good job in qualifying and only just missed out on Super Pole. The start wasn’t ideal. When he got stuck in the middle of traffic at the hairpin, a top placing was out of reach in this initial phase. The qualifying didn’t go well for André but he did a mega job coming from 19th to ninth in the race – not many manage that in Monaco. Unfortunately, the time penalty robbed him of the rewards he deserved. We have six weeks until the next races in Mexico. We’ll use this time to prepare for the challenges of the second half of the season.”

André Lotterer, Porsche works driver (#36): “Things didn’t really come together for me in qualifying, but it went much better in the race. At the start, I stayed out of any trouble and tried to conserve energy and get into a good rhythm. I succeeded. We really wanted to finish in the points, which is a pretty ambitious goal when you start from 19th on the grid, especially in Monaco. And we would’ve made it, too, had it not been for the time penalty at the end. Hopefully, things will go better for us in Mexico. 

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#99): “It was a disappointing weekend all in all, at least in view of the result, but once again we underlined our potential. Our speed was pretty good, especially in qualifying. My start wasn’t great. I was shunted from behind in the hairpin. As a result, my car sustained quite a few damages. I’m now looking forward to the two new opportunities that are coming up at the doubleheader in Puebla.”

Next up

The next race for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is the Puebla E-Prix in Mexico on 19/20 June with races 8 and 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Porsche in Formula E

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team contests its second Formula E season in 2021 with the Porsche 99X Electric. André Lotterer celebrated a successful racing debut in November 2019, finishing second at the season-opening race in Diriyah after meticulous preparation: a dream start and proof that Porsche had a competitive vehicle right from the outset with the Porsche 99X Electric. This was impressively underlined by the first pole position in Mexico City and another second place on home turf in Berlin. Formula E is the world’s first fully-electric street racing series and, as an accelerator for innovative and sustainable mobility technologies, it has brought thrilling motorsport to people living in major cities since 2014. This season, in which a driver and team world champion will be crowned for the first time, more automobile manufacturers compete than in any other racing series. As such, the races are fascinating and fiercely contested.

The preview: Q&A on the Monaco E-Prix

The glitz and glamour in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship grow: the guest performance in Monaco on 8 May represents the most prestigious race of the year. On the new Formula E street circuit, the 24-strong field of electrically-powered racing cars will compete on stunning passages of the world-famous Grand Prix circuit such as Sainte Dévote, Casino, Mirabeau as well as through the tunnel at the harbour for the first time. A milestone in the history of the world’s first electric racing series. “We want to bring Formula E to exciting cities with fantastic atmospheres, and there’s no better place than Monaco,” says Amiel Lindesay, Head of Operations Formula E. “It’s a privilege for us to compete in this prestigious setting. We can’t wait to get there.”

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team races in the Principality on the Côte d’Azur for the first time and fields two Porsche 99X Electric driven by André Lotterer (GER/#36) and Pascal Wehrlein (GER/#99). After scoring two podium results in Rome and Valencia, the team now hopes to score its maiden victory in Monaco. Race seven of the season in the world’s most exclusive square mile is a highlight of the year and an exciting challenge for drivers and teams. The narrow street circuit requires efficient energy management and is unforgiving of driving errors. Run-off zones are virtually non-existent, instead, there are walls and barriers. Total concentration is needed from start to finish – only then can competitors maintain the ideal racing line as they navigate through the labyrinth of curves between the luxury houses and upmarket boutiques.

The streets of Monte Carlo will only close for Formula E early on Saturday morning. For this reason, there is no time for the shakedown – a brief obligatory test on the racetrack. Once the flower pots, parking metres and traffic signs are removed,  crash barriers, concrete blocks and high fences are erected to create an immensely exciting racetrack in the picture-postcard setting of the Principality. Then, the lights for the 24-strong field of Formula E racing cars will turn green for the world’s fastest city traffic.

Amiel Lindesay (Head of Operations Formula E)

Third in Rome, second in Valencia – how do the chances for the maiden win look in Monaco?

“It would be great if Formula E followed this rationale. The team works hard and deserves its first win. We want to be there at the top with both Porsche 99X Electric cars. To achieve this we have to improve. Valencia was good for one side of the box, and unfortunately not so good for the other. With one car we achieved our best result of the season so far, the other side fell short of our expectation. We’re doing everything possible to have both cars at the front in the future.”

Was second place in Valencia a confirmation that you’re on the right track?

“Absolutely. That was definitely a positive sign. The pace has been there all year. We’re very fast over one lap, everybody has seen that from the start. In Valencia, we drove a clean, efficient race again, even though it was only with one car, and we underlined that we’ve mastered our energy management. We still have a few things to pull together to be at the front consistently. It would be great, of course, if we can do that in Monaco.”

André Lotterer (Porsche works driver, #36)

You scored the first points of the season in Valencia with a strong second place. Was that a big relief?

“It was huge. I was thrilled with my podium result and I hope we’ve now made a breakthrough with the first points. The first races of the season were very difficult, mainly because we have a fast car and we work hard to tap its full potential, not only in qualifying but also in the race. In Valencia, we again managed to do this quite well. For this reason, I’m heading to Monaco feeling very motivated.”

What do you think about the new Formula E circuit layout in your adopted home and what are your expectations?

“This race is sure to be a highlight of the year. Monaco is well-known around the world, so when Formula E comes to town, it’s not only interesting for avid motor racing fans. I hope that we can showcase Formula E at its best with its combination of sport and lifestyle against this fascinating backdrop and go home with as many points as possible.”

Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche works driver, #99)

In season five, you finished the Monaco round in fourth place. Are you looking forward to returning there? 

“Yes, very much. Monaco is a highlight on the racing calendar. Driving on this world-renowned street circuit is always something special. I know the whole circuit from Formula 1 and I’m excited about the new Formula E layout. It’s wonderful that they’ve included world-famous corners such as Casino, Mirabeau and Grand Hotel as well as the tunnel for the first time. This significantly increases Formula E’s exposure in the public eye.”

What are the special challenges in Monaco and what expectations do you have for the race?

“The track has tight corners, steep climbs and very fast sections. It’s now a real Formula E circuit. One lap is almost twice as long as the track we used to drive on in Monte Carlo. This means that efficient energy management plays an even greater role. For me personally, I hope to pick up where I left off in Rome – which was on the podium.”

The racetrack

At 3.32 kilometres in length, the new Formula E street circuit is almost twice as long as the old one from the years 2015, 2017 and 2019. It includes a separate section for Formula E and parts of the legendary Grand Prix track such as Sainte Dévote, Casino, Mirabeau, Grand Hotel and Portier. For the first time, Formula E also tackles the famous tunnel at the harbour. The racetrack offers many chances to overtake and presents a real challenge in terms of energy management. With steep climbs, 19 corners, some of which are very tight, and several fast passages, this course perfectly suits the special character of Formula E.

Live TV and internet coverage

The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E event in Monaco is available on: https://www.fiaformulae.com/watch/ways-to-watch

The media service

Comments from the Head of Formula E Operations and drivers will be included in the race report on 8 May (race 7). 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. The content will be regularly updated over the course of the season and expanded with additional interactive material.

The Porsche 99X Electric

Campaigning the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche returned to open-wheel single-seater racing after more than 30 years and celebrated a successful debut scoring second place at the season-opener in Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah. The fully-electric racing car sporting the Weissach-developed Porsche E Performance Powertrain also serves as a development platform for the sports car manufacturer’s fully-electric production models. Hence, the 800-Volt technology which Porsche utilises in Formula E is also found in the Taycan as the first fully-electric production sports car from Porsche. Energy management and efficiency are important factors of success in Formula E and in the development of production cars. The 99X Electric has a maximum output of 250 kW (340 hp) in qualification mode and 200 kW (270 hp) in normal race mode. Attack Mode boosts the output to 235 kW (320 hp), with Fanboost increasing the performance  to 250 kW (340 hp). Maximum recuperation is 250 kW; the usable battery capacity is 52 Kilowatt hours.

Formula E

Formula E is the world’s first fully-electric road racing series bringing thrilling motorsport to people living in major cities. As an accelerator for innovative and sustainable technologies of mobility, it promotes the worldwide acceptance of electric vehicles with the aim to counteract climate change. The format is compact: practice, qualifying and the race all take place on one day. Each race is contested over 45 minutes plus one lap. Formula E, which features a team and driver world championship for the first time this year, has attracted more automobile manufacturers than any other racing series. This makes for interesting and hotly contested races. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team tackles its second season running the Porsche 99X Electric in 2021.

The remaining races

A decision on the racing calendar for the rest of season 7 has been made. Formula E has announced eight additional races, bringing the number of races contested in its first world championship season to 15.

Race 8 – 19 June: Puebla (Mexico)
Race 9 – 20 June: Puebla (Mexico)
Race 10 – 10 July: New York (USA)
Race 11 – 11 July: New York (USA)
Race 12 – 24 July: London (Great Britain)
Race 13 – 25 July: London (Great Britain)
Race 14 – 14 August: Berlin (Germany)
Race 15 – 15 August: Berlin (Germany)