One-two victory for Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 at the Formula E season opener

Race 1

Witnessed by 40,000 avid fans, the race marked the first outing for the spectacular third-generation (GEN3) cars at the season-opening round in the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. For Porsche, it was an outstandingly successful start to the new Formula E era: After 41 laps on the demanding circuit, four Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 finished in the top seven, with  André Lotterer (GER) scoring fourth for Avalanche Andretti and António Félix da Costa (POR) crossing the finish line seventh at his first race for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the legendary Foro Sol baseball stadium, Pascal Wehrlein lined up on the grid for the opening round of season 9 in P6. Thanks to a great team strategy and the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3’s extremely efficient powertrain, he put in a strong drive, particularly in the second half of the race. Wehrlein used Attack Mode to gain ground and position himself well for the decisive phase of the race. On lap 29, he squeezed past another rival to snatch second place. His new teammate António Félix da Costa, who was a mere two-thousandths of a second short of qualifying for the duels, started his first race for Porsche from P9 and finished seventh.

Comments on the Mexico City E-Prix, race 1

Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport: “What a tremendous start to the season. A one-two victory and four Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 in the top seven – that’s an outstanding result. We’ve shown that we can deliver. Now it’s about maintaining this level for as long as we can over the rest of the season. We’re delighted with this great performance. It can continue like this.”

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “That was a successful first race day of season 9. Both factory cars qualified in the top 10. In the race, Pascal quickly worked his way up the field and ended up scoring our team’s first podium result of the season. Antonio kept getting entangled in duels further back but also managed to progress. We now know where we stand on the racetrack like Mexico compared to the competition. Congratulations to our victorious customer team Avalanche Andretti. In the end, all four Porsche finished in the top seven – we can be very happy about this. It was an outstanding start to the season for Porsche.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94): “That was a super start to the season. I’m very grateful for the car that the team gave me for this race.  Everyone has worked so hard over the last few weeks to put us in a great position for the start to the new season. After this tremendous opening round, it’s now a matter of continuing to improve in the upcoming races. Our new car still has a lot of potential. For now, though, let’s enjoy what we’ve just achieved. Everyone in the team can be proud of themselves.”

António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13): “I’m happy with my first race as a Porsche works driver. This is a banner day for Porsche. It’s fantastic to see that we have a good package. I’m new to the team so I still have a few things to get used to, but we work very well together. I’m pleased to have earned some points for Porsche on the first outing. That’s definitely a good start. The team is highly motivated and I’m certain that we’ll continue to improve.” 

Next up

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will contest rounds 2 and 3 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the Diriyah E-Prix on 27 and 28 January. 

Porsche in Formula E

With a one-two result thanks to Pascal Wehrlein and André Lotterer in the Porsche 99X Electric, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team celebrated its greatest success to date in Mexico on 12 February 2022. In 2023, the squad contests its fourth season in the world’s first all-electric racing series with the new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. Avalanche Andretti fields two Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 as the first Porsche customer team in Formula E. As an accelerator for innovative and sustainable mobility technologies, Formula E has brought thrilling motorsport to people living in major cities since 2014. With the all-electric Taycan Turbo S, Porsche again supplies the official safety car, and thus underlines the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport.

Preview

With the Mexico City E-Prix on 14 January, Porsche heads into season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship fielding the new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. The opening round at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City marks a turning point for Formula E: the new third-generation (Gen3) cars make their debut in the innovative electric racing series and represent a significant step toward even greater efficiency and sustainability.

At the start of the new season, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team returns to the venue of its greatest success. Last year, the squad achieved a brilliant one-two result on the demanding Grand Prix circuit, part of which runs through the legendary Foro Sol baseball stadium. Pascal Wehrlein (GER), who clinched pole position and Porsche’s maiden Formula E victory at that event, returns this season at the wheel of the #94 Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. His new teammate António Félix da Costa (POR), the 2019/2020 season Formula E champion, will contest his first race with the sports car manufacturer in the #13 car.
 
A total of four Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 will line up on the grid in the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Two of the Weissach-developed electric racers are fielded by the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team factory squad, with the remaining two campaigned by Avalanche Andretti, who is determined to fight for victories and titles as Porsche’s first customer team. The permanent drivers of the US outfit founded by the motor racing icon Michael Andretti are Jake Dennis (GBR) and André Lotterer (GER).

The new Gen3 cars, which race for the first time at the Mexico City E-Prix, mark the beginning of a new era for Formula E. The Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 and its opponents are the fastest, lightest, most powerful and most efficient electric racing cars ever built. With all 11 Formula E teams starting the season more or less at the same technical level, Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E, expects exciting and fiercely contested races: “The cards in the world championship will be reshuffled with these cars.”

Q&A on the Mexico City E-Prix

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E

How well prepared is Porsche as it heads to Mexico and how important is a successful start to the season?

Florian Modlinger: “The preparation coming out of season 8 was very labour intensive. We had very little time to get familiar with our new car and refine it on the racetrack. At the end of the day, we’re satisfied with the development and we’re feeling well-prepared for Mexico. We won’t know where we stand in terms of performance until after the qualifying session. The better start you get to the season, the greater the chance of gaining positive momentum and riding the emotional wave that propels you to more successes.”
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Last year, Porsche celebrated its first Formula E victory in Mexico. What does this mean for the team – more pressure or more confidence? 

Modlinger: “With the one-two result, the team underlined what it’s capable of. We need to show more consistency with our performance in the future. We’re heading to Mexico feeling confident and optimistic. We are determined to win again this season and fight to the very end for the world championship title.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94)

How excited are you to start the season after a long break and how do you rate the team after the final tests in Valencia?

Pascal Wehrlein: “I’m really looking forward to racing again and being able to pit ourselves against the other teams. Our new car has a lot of potential. We’re still at the very beginning. We faced a lot of challenges at the Valencia tests because a lot of the Gen3 car is new, such as its second powertrain. Plus, we have a new tyre manufacturer. But at the same time, this gives us a lot of opportunities to improve. I expect we’ll make great headway as the season progresses.”

How are things going with your new teammate António Félix da Costa?

Wehrlein: “We have a great relationship. We’ve known each other for ages because we raced against each other in Formula 3 and the DTM. I’m thrilled to have him as my teammate. It’s great working with him. He is the most experienced driver in Formula E. Together, we will make every effort to advance the team.”

António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13)

Ahead of your first race for Porsche, how does the new 99X Electric Gen3 feel and how confident are you about this debut?

António Félix da Costa: “It has always been my dream to race for Porsche. I enjoy the anticipation in the lead-up to the season and I’m super excited. There can only be one goal with this brand - to win races. I’m feeling relaxed about my premiere with Porsche in Mexico. What matters is how we finish the season, not how we start it. I’m happy with my new car. I think we’ll definitely be competitive with it.”
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With 96 Formula E races under your belt, you’re one of the most experienced drivers in the field. How can your wealth of experience help the team?

Da Costa: “That will just happen naturally. I’ve been with Formula E since the very first race. I’ll lay all of my experience on the table and let the team decide what to do with it. We have a great team of engineers and every chance to work our way to the top. It all depends on how we use those opportunities. My goal as a driver is clear - I want to win races and the championship. I can’t say where we stand at the moment, but that’s our goal.”

Racetrack

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City was built in honour of the Mexican racing legends Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez. The season-opening Formula E race will be contested on a shortened 2.628-kilometre version of the Grand Prix circuit. At an altitude of 2.285 metres, it is the highest and one of the fastest racetracks on the Formula E calendar. With a new chicane at the end of the back straight, the unique infield section running through the Foro Sol baseball stadium is particularly demanding. The racetrack features 19 turns. With grandstand capacity of 40,000, the avid fans create a thrilling atmosphere.

Live TV and Internet Coverage

The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E event in Mexico City is available at: www.fiaformulae.com/watch/ways-to-watch.

Media Service

The first photos from Mexico City will be available on the Porsche press database on 13 January EST. The report from race 1 follows on 14 January EST. 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.

Porsche 99X Electric Gen3

Porsche contests season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. The new electric racing car featuring the Porsche E-Performance Powertrain – which was developed 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 in Porsche’s all-electric production cars. The maximum output of the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 is 350 kW (476 PS; Taycan Turbo S: émissions de CO₂ en cycle mixte (WLTP) 0 g/km, consommation électrique en cycle mixte (WLTP) 23,4 – 22,0 kWh/100 km, Autonomie électrique combinée (WLTP) 440 – 467 km, Autonomie électrique en zone urbaine (WLTP) 524 – 570 km), which is 100 kW more than the predecessor generation (Gen2). At least 40 percent of the energy used is recuperated via regenerative braking.

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), 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 Gen3. 

The races 2023

16 races in eleven metropolitan areas are on the calendar of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship 2022/2023.

Race 1
14 January – Mexico City (Mexico)

Races 2 & 3
27 / 28 January – Diriyah (Saudi-Arabia)

Race 4
11 February – Hyderabad (India)

Race 5
25 February – Cape Town (South Africa)

Race 6
25 March – Sao Paulo (Brasilia)

Races 7 & 8
22 / 23 April – Berlin (Germany)

Race 9
6 May – Monte-Carlo (Monaco)

Races 10 & 11
3 / 4 June – Jakarta (Indonesia)

Race 12
24 June – Portland (USA)

Races 13 & 14
15 / 16 July - Rome (Italy)

Races 15 & 16
29 / 30 July – London (Great Britain)