André Lotterer scores more points at race two in Berlin with the Porsche 99X Electric

15/05/2022

At the wheel of his Porsche 99X Electric, André Lotterer (GER/No. 36) earned important championship points again this weekend for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, in race 8 at the Berlin E-Prix.

Race 8

On the apron of the historic Tempelhof Airport, he took the flag in eighth place after narrowly missing out on a podium finish the day before. His teammate Pascal Wehrlein (GER/No. 94) finished 12th. In the drivers’ classification of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, André Lotterer ranks seventh after 8 of 16 races with 59 points. Pascal Wehrlein is eighth with 51 points. In the team classification, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team lies in fifth place with 110 points.

Starting the race from the fourth spot on the grid, André Lotterer got away well in the world’s first electric racing series. On the 2.355-kilometre Tempelhof Airport street course, he drove with the leading pack over a long stretch and at times was on course for a podium result. In the second half of the race, however, he lost contact with the frontrunners. Starting from 19th, Pascal Wehrlein drove a decent race. Launching a breathtaking charge through the field, he advanced to seventh place but ultimately crossed the line in 12th, missing out on earning points.

99X Electric, Berlin E-Prix, 2022, Porsche AG

Comments on the Berlin E-Prix, Race 8

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “Once again, André did very well in the qualifying. He’s the only driver to have made it into the duels at all races so far this season. That’s a great achievement. Pascal, however, didn’t feel comfortable in the car and was unable to build sufficient grip. This prevented him from achieving a better lap time. But considering he started from P19, he drove a solid race. André started the race from fourth and initially matched the pace of the leading group, even in attack mode. But as the race progressed, he lost contact with his rivals. We’ll analyse this in detail when we return to Weissach. We have some homework ahead of us and we’ll work hard to do better in the next races.”

André Lotterer, Porsche works driver (#36): “After the semi-final in qualifying, I’d hoped for a little more, but the race was tough. The car’s balance wasn’t ideal and that affected the efficiency. Consequently, I dropped from fourth to eighth. Race 7 yesterday went well so we now have to look at the reason behind this. On the positive side, I earned points in both races. We have a good basis for the second half of the season.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94): “The qualifying didn’t go well for me, unfortunately. I lacked grip and the balance was off. Still, our race speed was okay and I managed to make up seven places but I couldn’t do more from this position. It’s a shame because we could’ve definitely taken a few points home.”

Next up

The next race for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is the Jakarta E-Prix, round 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on 4 June.

Race 7

At the wheel of his Porsche 99X Electric, André Lotterer (GER/No. 36) clinched fourth place, narrowly missing out on a podium spot at round seven of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. His teammate Pascal Wehrlein (GER/No. 94) took the fastest race lap and was rewarded with an extra point. He crossed the finish line in sixth place. On Sunday, race 8 of the innovative electric racing series will be contested on the apron of the historic Tempelhof Airport.

In the drivers’ classification of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, André Lotterer ranks sixth after 7 of 16 races with 55 points. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team advanced to fifth place in the team classification with 106 points.

André Lotterer started race 7 on the 2.355-kilometre Tempelhof Airport Street Course from the fifth grid spot. At the wheel of his Porsche 99X Electric, he drove the entire distance among the leading group and even briefly led the field twice. In a dramatic final phase, Lotterer was only fractions of a second shy of a podium place. Starting from P6 on the grid, Pascal Wehrlein, the winner from the Mexico Formula E race this season, put in a solid performance in the second Porsche 99X Electric - he also maintained the pace of the frontrunners over long stretches. Along with his team mate, earned critical championship points today.

Comments on the Berlin E-Prix

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “It’s wonderful to drive in Berlin with such a setting. The qualifying was very close, we’re talking about thousandths of a second for André. And the race treated fans to everything that makes Formula E so exciting. We were up there at all times today and scored 21 points, plus Pascal took the fastest race lap. We’ll now turn out attention to tomorrow’s second race and work hard at getting even further up the front.”

André Lotterer, Porsche works driver (#36): “We made the best of our opportunities today. Obviously, I’m disappointed that it wasn’t enough for a podium result, especially after having been among the leading pack over the whole distance. We’ve achieved a top level, we now just need to improve a little more, then an even better result is possible tomorrow.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94): “Apart from the duels, the qualifying was very promising. So the race was a little disappointing for me. It wasn’t easy, there was a great deal of strategy involved. Still, I took my first fastest race lap in Formula E. Hopefully we’ll be able to earn some more points in tomorrow’s race.”

Next up

Race 8 in Berlin gets underway on Sunday, 15 May, at 3.05 pm. The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E event is available on: https://www.fiaformulae.com/watch/ways-to-watch.

The preview: Porsche wants to wow fans in Berlin

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team aims to use its home race to close the gap to the top contenders in the overall standings. At the wheel of the two Porsche 99X Electric race cars are Pascal Wehrlein (GER/#94), who this year in Mexico clinched the first victory for Porsche in the innovative electric racing series, and André Lotterer (GER/#36).

With Formula E, Berlin showcases itself as a metropolitan city at the forefront of electromobility. It is the only city where the world’s first all-electric racing series has been a regular fixture on the calendar every season. “We want to wow fans with thrilling racing,” says Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E. “And thereby help boost the popularity of Formula E in Germany.”

Florian Modlinger (Director Factory Motorsport Formula E)

Two different track layouts are used in Berlin. What does that mean in terms of race preparation?
“It’s as if we’re preparing for two separate race weekends. For the team that adds more stress, not only in preparation but also on the race weekend itself. Our goal is to be competitive on both track variants.”

What experience and insights are you taking to Berlin from the races so far this season?
“What we’ve seen more than anything is that, since the second race, we’ve been able to fight for podium placings and victories. We want to continue that in Berlin.”

How well did the team cope with the retirements in Monaco?
“Monaco is behind us. We’re professional enough to know that such setbacks are a part of motorsport. That’s why we’re looking ahead. The team will do everything in Berlin to regain the points that we lost in Monaco.”

André Lotterer (Porsche works driver #36)

You managed to secure a podium spot in Porsche’s first Formula E season in Berlin 2020. What do you expect this time?
“We’ve always looked really good in Berlin. With the progress we’ve made, I’m certain we have a successful weekend ahead of us. What I’m looking forward to the most is the enthusiasm of the fans. Although I live in Monaco, Berlin is a real home race for me. I love this city.”

How do you view the previous races this season and how are you handling the disappointments in Monaco?
“We experienced highs and lows, and sometimes a few points slipped through our fingers but we’re doing a good job as a team. We’ve improved enormously, especially in qualifying. The Formula E is a very competitive world championship, and nobody makes it onto the podium at every race. We mustn’t let setbacks like in Monaco deter us from continuing to work hard towards our goal. Then the successes will come again.”

Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche works driver #94)

What makes the races in Berlin so special and what has to happen so that everything runs as well as it did when you won in Mexico?
“We’re all looking forward to this race. In Berlin, there will be a lot of Porsche fans at the racetrack supporting us from the sidelines. This will be a real home game and a special motivation for the whole team. The competition in Formula E is extreme, you can’t win every weekend. In Mexico, we gave a very strong performance, and even in Monaco a podium finish would’ve been possible, maybe even a win. Everything was coming together. The car felt great right up until we retired, we had the right strategy and our setup changes were good. If this is also the case in Berlin, we have an excellent chance to secure our second win of the season.”

What are your thoughts on driving one way on Saturday and the opposite way on Sunday in Berlin?
“Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the idea. We have to prepare for two track variants, and all that in the short timeframe between Monaco and Berlin. However, it won’t be a big problem to get used to, particularly because we’ve often driven both variants in the past. I don’t particularly prefer one over the other. We need to try to be fast on both tracks.”

The racetrack

This unique feature is something Berlin is keen to retain: On the 2.355 kilometre Tempelhof Airport Street Course with its ten turns, race 7 takes off on Saturday, with race 8 on Sunday contested in an anti-clockwise direction. This ensures variety and extra excitement on the apron section of the historic airport, which, with its old concrete surface, is particularly punishing on the tyres. While the circuit is not a traditional street course, fans still add a lively atmosphere.

Live TV and Internet coverage

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

Porsche Taycan Turbo S as the new safety car

Porsche is committed to Formula E safety: With the all-electric Taycan Turbo S, the sports car manufacturer supplies the official safety car this season and underlines 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: emissioni CO₂ combinato (WLTP) 0 g/km, consumo elettrico combinato (WLTP) 23,4 – 22,0 kWh/100 km, Gamma elettrica combinata (WLTP) 440 – 467 km, Gamma elettrica in aree urbane (WLTP) 524 – 570 km), Porsche’s first all-electric sports car is the ideal choice as a safety car in the first and only all-electric motorsport world championship. With Launch Control, the flagship model of the Taycan range accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 260 km/h. The striking paintwork incorporates the colours of all eleven competing teams as well as the FIA and Formula E colours. The design symbolises the joint commitment to the future of all-electric motor racing as well as social values such as diversity and community.

Porsche Taycan revealed as new safety car

The Porsche Taycan is the new safety car in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship this season.

The Media Service

The first photos from Berlin will be available on the Porsche press database on 13 May. Race reports follow on 14 May (race 7) and 15 May (race 8). 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 updated 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

With the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche returned to open-wheel single-seater racing in 2019 after 30 years. 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. Energy management and efficiency are important factors for success in Formula E and in the development of production cars. For the 2021/2022 season, the 99X Electric has a maximum output of 250 kW in qualification mode and 220 kW in normal race mode. Attack Mode boosts the output to 250 kW. Maximum recuperation is 250 kW; the usable battery capacity is 52 Kilowatt-hours.

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 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 race all take place on one day. Each race usually runs over 45 minutes plus one lap. Eleven teams tackle the 2021/2022 season with 22 drivers. This makes for interesting and hotly contested races. This marks the third season for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team campaigning the Porsche 99X Electric.

Porsche in Formula E

With a historic 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. The team contests its third season in the world’s first all-electric racing series. At the debut event in November 2019, André Lotterer scored second place at the season-opening race in Diriyah: a dream start and proof that with the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche had a competitive vehicle right from the outset. Last season, Wehrlein claimed pole position in Mexico City. Two podium results followed with Wehrlein finishing third in Rome and Lotterer securing second in Valencia. 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, Porsche supplies the safety car this season, underlining the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport.