Pascal Wehrlein took victory in Race 1 at the London E-Prix, giving himself a huge platform to take his second Formula E Drivers’ Championship.
The German utilised an early strategic game from Porsche, and a well-timed Full Course Yellow, to take victory from Jake Dennis, who maintains his own title hopes with second place.
Mitch Evans was the unfortunate driver to lose out from the FCY, finishing eighth, the three men now mathematically the only ones who can now become World Champion.
Porsche play team game
At lights out, Wehrlein held his lead at Turn 1, with Mueller second and Evans third.
Dennis held fifth place with Ticktum just ahead, keeping Porsche’s interest for the Teams’ Championship strong.
Da Costa could not get further ahead to help Evans, being stuck in eighth for some time, as Mueller began to hold up the pack with Wehrlein now three seconds ahead.
On Lap 6, the race was briefly halted by a Full Course Yellow as Zane Maloney’s left-rear suspension bent, sending him out of the race.
Racing quickly resumed and Wehrlein’s gap to Mueller lessened, but began to stick at two seconds, with Evans still third, Ticktum fourth, Dennis fifth and Jean-Eric Vergne sixth.
With the championship on a knife edge, and Porsche’s strategy dictating the pace and play of the race, proceedings were largely dull. Vergne became the second driver to take Pit Boost after Felipe Drugovich, having been overtaken by da Costa for sixth.
Evans was now in, leaving Ticktum third and Dennis fourth. Both Envisions were behind da Costa, with Joel Eriksson sixth and Sebastien Buemi seventh.
With the Porsche-powered Andretti of Drugovich appearing to potentially pit early to hold up Evans, the Jaguar stayed ahead after re-entering, and in clear air, he took his first Attack Mode.
The Kiwi was now right over Mueller’s tail and overtook him for 11th on the road. The Swiss immediately took his own Attack Mode straightaway too. All the while, Wehrlein led Ticktum by 3.7s, yet to pit. Da Costa was now into play, also on Attack Mode – along with Wehrlein and Ticktum – in third place.
The race took another turn with another Full Course Yellow, as Lucas di Grassi – in his final weekend as a Formula E driver – was in the wall. Wehrlein was able to take Pit Boost, and could reemerge as the Pit Boost leader. When informed, Evans, whose Attack Mode was rendered useless as a result of the FCY, rued: “We’re f***ed”.
Ticktum loses out as Wehrlein cruises to victory
Mueller, in the final seconds of his Attack Mode, retook Evans, for 10th place. Whilst it was rendering Mueller’s championship chances more mathematically finished, for Wehrlein, it was superb luck.
He resumed the lead fully on Lap 26 when Marti finally pitted. Guenther followed suit one lap after, leaving Ticktum in second place.
This was now a fully Porsche team game, as da Costa in third was sandwiched by the Kiro and Dennis – the two Porsche-powered cars looking capitalise. But Dennis had his own battle to think of.
He muscled his way through on the outside at Turn 1, as da Costa complained of Ticktum moving under braking. He was now under threat from Dennis too, as Wehrlein stretched his lead to nine seconds.
Dennis used the inside of the same corner to displace Ticktum this time. Dennis was able to bring the gap to Wehrlein down to under seven seconds, as da Costa now placed Ticktum under extreme pressure.
Further back, Evans was now ahead of Mueller, and in eighth place, with Mueller remaining 10th, with Nick Cassidy in the middle in ninth. Edoardo Mortara, who crashed out in qualifying, was having a remarkable race, sitting sixth, with Taylor Barnard seventh.
Da Costa divebombed Ticktum for third at Turn 1, but with the pair on the same energy, the battle seemed far from over.
The Jaguar was creating a small train behind him, with Ticktum, Buemi, Mortara and Barnard all getting in on the action.
Ticktum, at the penultimate corner, tried to overtake da Costa around the outside, but was squeezed out. That gave Buemi a chance to take fourth, which he duly did, and with Ticktum trying to take the place back, Mortara edged through, nudging Ticktum towards the wall. Stopping short of that, he stayed out of danger, but lost sixth to Barnard. A horrible few seconds for the Kiro driver, looking to keep his seat in the team, and therefore, in the championship.
Now on the final lap, it was all good news for Wehrlein, who could coast to the line, and took victory by 5.5 seconds from Dennis in second, his title chances still well and truly on.
Da Costa took third, with Buemi fourth, Mortara fifth, Barnard sixth, Ticktum seventh, Evans – the biggest loser of the day – in eighth – with Cassidy ninth and Oliver Rowland 10th, the Brit’s chances of retaining the title now over.
The nine-man title fight was cut to three in what promises to be an enthralling titanic battle in Race 2.
READ MORE – Formula E 2026 London E-Prix – Race 1 results
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