Pascal Wehrlein: “We’ll do everything to be successful”
Porsche’s second season in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship proved to be a huge challenge for André Lotterer and Pascal Wehrlein. They achieved successes with the Porsche 99X Electric and contributed significantly to the further development of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. In the latest “Inside E” podcast, they talk about their successes and setbacks during season 7 as well as the fierce competition in the world’s first electric racing series and how they are determined to claim the first victory for Porsche in season 8.
“Pascal has the talent and the speed. With such a strong teammate, you learn how to get everything out of your car faster.” André Lotterer is full of praise when he talks about Pascal Wehrlein. In their first season together with the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, they quickly built a relationship based on mutual trust. On racing weekends, there is not a lot of time to figure stuff out, says Lotterer, which makes an open dialogue all the more important. Wehrlein also emphasises how important it is to support each other and to help the team make headway together. He has not always experienced a teammate as an ally rather than a rival: “There are racing series where the main priority is to beat your teammate.”
Amiel Lindesay, Head of Operations Formula E, sums up the second season in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in our interview.
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team headed into its second season with the intention of winning races. The fact that not all expectations were met comes as no surprise to André Lotterer. “In the first season you usually familiarise yourself with the tracks and gain experience so that you can tackle the second season well prepared. But it was exactly these experiences that were missing because the pandemic threw a spanner in the works of our rookie season and we contested more than half of all races in Berlin.” The season for Pascal Wehrlein was positive. “The team made huge progress. We underlined that we can drive at the front and that we can win races on a good day.”
“Formula E has developed really well and it offers fans a fantastic show.”
André Lotterer
What mainly set Formula E apart this season was the intense rivalry and level of competition the likes of which André Lotterer has never experienced. “I don’t think 18 drivers have ever travelled to a season finale of a world championship with a chance to secure the title,” he states. While it proved challenging to always run with the leading pack, it also underlined just how electrifying the racing was. “Formula E has developed really well and it offers fans a fantastic show.”
When Lotterer and his team start preparing for season 8, full attention will turn to “finding the last hundredth of a second. To do this, we’ll leave no stone unturned.” Pascal Wehrlein can hardly wait to go racing again. “I believe the break doesn’t need to be that long,“ he says, and promises: “We’ll do everything to be successful.”
Info
The Porsche Formula E podcast is published in English and can be downloaded from the Porsche Newsroom. “Inside E” is also available on other platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.
“Inside E” Episode 21: Interview with André Lotterer and Pascal Wehrlein
The Hyderabad E-Prix in India on Saturday marks the 100th Formula E race for António Félix da Costa. In an interview, the Porsche works driver from Portugal talks about his series debut in Malaysia in 2014, his most memorable victories and the rapid development and bright future of the world’s first electric racing series.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is gathering momentum: With the Hyderabad E-Prix on 11 February, the innovative electric racing series celebrates its maiden outing in India. After a successful start to the season with two victories in Diriyah, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team heads to this premiere feeling very confident.
Porsche has celebrated an outstanding weekend in Formula E: after his victory on Friday Pascal Wehrlein (GER) won the second night race at the Diriyah E-Prix, at the wheel of the new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. Thanks to this double victory in Saudi Arabia, he takes the lead in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Porsche has made a strong start to the Formula E season: At the Mexico City E-Prix, the new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 achieved a brilliant one-two result. Porsche customer squad Avalanche Andretti won the opening round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Mexico City with driver Jake Dennis (GBR). For the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, works driver Pascal Wehrlein (GER) took second.