Pascal Wehrlein of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team steered his 99X Electric GEN3 car to two wins over two days at the 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix, once again pipping Avalanche Andretti Formula E Team driver Jake Dennis to the line, while Rene Rast secured a first podium for NEOM McLaren in Formula E.
Qualifying in fifth rather than ninth in the first day’s race (Round 2), Wehrlein made things easier on himself ahead of Round 3 under the bright lights of Diriyah, venue of the street circuit in Saudi Arabia for the all-electric Formula E series. This year, the more than 35,000 fans who attended the race weekend saw the Middle-Eastern debut for the all-new GEN3 car – the world’s fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric racing car.
Constant threat from start
From fifth the German always looked a threat to those ahead. Mitch Evans of Jaguar TCS Racing had taken the lead from polesitter Jake Hughes of NEOM McLaren through the first corner on the opening lap, before Hughes and Rast managed to pass the Jaguar driver during ATTACK MODE.
Rast then briefly took the lead through his first round of 50-kW boosts before Wehrlein stepped up a gear, having bided his time behind the lead trio and managing his energy. Passes on Hughes then Evans just a lap apart, each down at Turn 16, put him right with race leader Rast before Wehrlein undercut the McLaren driver through ATTACK MODE and skipped into a two-second lead.
Dennis and Bird were making moves of their own as Wehrlein clambered into the lead. The Avalanche Andretti driver took fifth from Edoardo Mortara (Maserati MSG Racing) on Lap 21, while Bird following suit, thanks to an audacious trademark manoeuvre at the final corner.
Just a lap later, pre-race standings leader Dennis sliced by Hughes for fourth and in quick succession saw off Evans and made it three on the spin by taking second from Rast – with the Jaguar of Bird matching Dennis up to take third.
Safety Car made no difference
Wehrlein had by then drawn out a lead and looked peerless. A late-race Safety Car (a Porsche Taycan) could have upset the outcome but there were no such problems for the Porsche driver who stretched his legs again to win by a margin of just over a second and become only the fifth driver to take to the top step of the podium in both races of a Formula E double-header.
Bird had looked to be in the box seat for third, but lost the position and couldn’t gain it back after taking ATTACK MODE and not converting a late attempt to displace Rast out of position.
Hughes couldn’t quite capitalise from taking pole but yet again scored good points to maintain his consistent start to the campaign with fifth. Sebastien Buemi (Envision Racing) needed no second invitation to steal sixth from Mitch Evans of Jaguar after the Kiwi spoilt a move on Hughes over the line – getting caught with the McLaren and allowing the Swiss to nip in.
Good show by rookie
Sacha Fenestraz produced the best drive of his rookie season to-date with eighth for Nissan Formula E Team, while Edoardo Mortara got points on the board with ninth – something to show for Maserati MSG Racing’s tireless efforts on a testing race weekend. Dan Ticktum brought home his NIO 333 in 10th for his first points of the season – well deserved given the team’s pace over a lap in Diriyah.
Next month sees the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship being run for the first time in India with the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix as the fourth round of the world championship. With a second place in Round 1 and two wins in Rounds 2 and 3, Wehrlein has amassed 68 points, 6 points ahead of Jake Dennis. However, a strong finish by the Avalanche Andretti Team in Round 1 in Mexico and high placings in the subsequent two rounds gives them 78 points to lead the championship by 4 points ahead of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
