The Mexico City E-Prix produced yet another competitive and dramatic Formula E race as last lap drama shuffled the field.
Here are ten major talking points from the third round of Formula E Season 8.
1 – Free Practice 1
From the start, it looked as though the field was in for a shuffle coming out of Diriyah. The Porsches led the way in FP1, a sign of things to come. But, it was seeing both Nissans in the top six that really indicated Saturday might prove quite competitive. Brake lock-up issues heading into Turn 1 seemed like a potential talking point for the E-Prix, but it proved to simply be a natural part of the learning curve.
2 – Mercedes Go Missing in FP2
The second session was headlined by DS Techeetah as much as it was by who wasn’t there. Stoffel Vandoorne could only manage the 12th quickest time, but his teammate and reigning World Champion, Nick De Vries, languished back in 20th. Would Mercedes be locked out of the Qualifying Duels after being so strong during the opening weekend?
3 – The Spin
Another successful outing for the new Qualifying Duels format. We saw both Mercedes knocked out in the quarterfinals and the first-ever teammate battle between the DS Techeetahs. The fireworks came in the final and in the final turn. Edoardo Mortara spun while still managing to cross the line and nearly took a spectacular pole. While Pascal Wehrlein deserved both the pole and his first win, could those lost three points in the Driver’s Standings come back to cost Mortara when the series reaches Seoul?
.@Michelin_Sport caps on for a podium selfie with @PWehrlein, @Andre_Lotterer and @JeanEricVergne! 🧢🤳
🇲🇽 2022 #MexicoCityEPrix pic.twitter.com/wrThRRYCYU
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) February 13, 2022
4 – Wehrlein Redemption
Of course, the main story of the weekend was Wehrlein finally getting his moment in Mexico. After running out of energy to lose the race to then seeing a victory taken away due to a paperwork error, you would forgive Wehrlein if he felt Mexico was cursed for him. On Saturday he proved his dominance, regardless of which Mexican track the series visits and took his maiden E-Prix victory.
5 – Porsche Domination
Forget the talk of the Mercedes powertrain. The two Porsches finished in the top three in Practice 1, Qualifying, and the E-Prix. Wehrlein’s 7th quickest time in FP2 was the team’s lowest mark of the day. Porsche found the right setup and strategy to control the weekend and potentially change the trajectory of their season. Despite finishing 8th last season, the team had double-point race finishes in three of the final four races of Season 7.
6 – Formula E Parity at its Finest
17 drivers have earned points from the first three rounds. Three different teams have dominated the podium each E-Prix. Dubbed as the most competitive racing series in the world, Formula E has lived up to its tagline thus far. When the series arrives in Rome in April, you wouldn’t be surprised to see a fourth team lead the way. Will DS Techeetah or Envision get their first win of the season? Or could we see a surprise from Andretti or Jaguar?
Your 60 SECOND HIGHLIGHTS have arrived! 🇲🇽⚡️
Relive all the action from the #MexicoCityEPrix here ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/kiCoYITbYO
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) February 13, 2022
7 – DS Techeetah
While Porsche took the headlines, DS Techeetah walk away from Mexico feeling confident. After a slow start in FP1, both cars were at the top of the boards for FP2 and qualified in the top five. Their 3-4 finish more than triples their tally from the opening two rounds combined, lifting them into 4th place in the Team Standings. Both drivers now find themselves in the top ten, with Jean-Éric Vergne one of just four drivers to score points in all three races so far this season.
8 – Extra Lap Formula E Madness
The Porsche cars had the 1-2 locked up, but they decided to push the field anyway. The result was one lap more than most teams and drivers had planned for – and chaos. Teams that had been aggressive found themselves struggling to even reach the finish line. Mitch Evans was in 7th place when the realization hit that the race would have two more laps rather than one. He would end the day in 19th, out of the points, and out of energy. Both Nissan cars and Jake Dennis benefited as they pushed up into the final points positions.
9 – Points for Nissan
That last lap drama pushed both of the Nissan e.dams cars into the points for the first time this season. Their finish now means only Nio 333 and Dragon Penske are without points after the first three rounds. The Nissans were strong in both practices, but struggled to find a place in the top ten until the end. A hopeful sign heading to Rome in a few weeks.
10 – Formula E Championship Battles
The third race with a third team dominating the podium leaves Formula E with tight races in both battles. Third through ninth in the Driver Standings are separated by just 6 points. Meanwhile, Mercedes, ROKiT, & Porsche are within eight points at the top of the Team Standings.
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
