Oliver Rowland made the crucial move to win Formula E race in Mexico EPrix from Porsche pair of Antonio Felix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein.
Wehrlein started sharply to lead the pack away through a tight Turn 1, with the top six mostly as you were off the line except Jaguar’s Evans dropping places to seventh and Rowland passing Vergne for third with a smart move at Turn 1 on Lap 2. Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren) was the first to take ATTACK MODE on Lap 3. That’s the first of two mandatory 50kW, four-wheel drive boosts that drivers must take in the race, totalling eight minutes.
The Porsche pair of Wehrlein and da Costa led Rowland, Vergne, Dennis, Guenther, Evans, Mueller, Mortara and de Vries to round out the top 10 on Lap 7 while the McLarens of Barnard and Bird orchestrated their teamwork to allow Bird to step ahead to P10 with his first dose of ATTACK MODE now active. Come Lap 9, none of the top nine had made their move through the activation zone – the rear half of the field electing to go earlier with ATTACK.
Mueller was the first to blink of the front-runners on Lap 10 from P8, dropping to 10th. By Lap 13, Mueller had made his way as high as sixth, just behind teammate Dennis – both fighting hard with Vergne for fourth position. Andretti played a smart tactical game with Mueller’s first ATTACK MODE coming to an end, he held the pack back for Dennis to take his initial activation – meaning the Season 9 champion held fifth and track position.
The Brit swiftly made it by Vergne, and set about hassling Rowland for third on Lap 14, with leader Wehrlein taking ATTACK number one – holding the race lead while teammate da Costa tried to keep Rowland and Dennis at bay. The Portugese’ sacrifice saw him slip back to fifth as Rowland made a stunning move stick at Peraltada for P2, while Dennis also sliced by for third. The trio shuffled through Sector 1 on Lap 15, though, with Dennis taking P2 from Nissan’s Rowland and Vergne following by.
Wehrlein led Dennis through Lap 15 but the Brit had some seconds remaining on his first ATTACK MODE boost, and made expert use of it with a bold move into the Foro Sol, slipping and sliding but placing his Andretti perfectly to prise P1 from Wehrlein in front of 40,000 fans. Lap 19, and Dennis led Wehrlein, Rowland, da Costa, Vergne, Guenther, Mueller, Evans, de Vries and Bird.
Da Costa was next to make use of his first 50kW boost, to bypass Rowland and his teammate to set about leader Dennis – the Andretti powerless to resist beyond the opening couple of turns on Lap 19. Dennis’ teammate Mueller took ATTACK number two, and profited up to fourth with a brave move inside Rowland’s Nissan at Peraltada onto the back straight. Wehrlein was the first of the top five to take his second 50kW boost on Lap 20, dropping to fifth behind da Costa, Dennis, Mueller and Evans.
Six minutes of 4WD and a 50kW power output advantage to make pay with 15 laps to run – making it by Evans’ Jaguar moments later into the chicane on Lap 21. Dennis was next into ATTACK, winding up at the head of the pack on Lap 23, with teammate Mueller making it easy and moving aside as the American squad’s tactics came to the fore once again. That lead wouldn’t last long, though, with da Costa retaking P1 with a move into the stadium – the Porshe driver now also into his second ATTACK MODE activation on Lap 23.
Da Costa led Dennis and Wehrlein – all with that 50kW boost active – and Wehrlein caught the Brit unawares with a leap by the Andretti for P2, and a provisional Porsche one-two. The Stuttgart team seemed keen to keep it that way, over the radio to Wehrlein to tell the German to hold station. The DS PENSKEs of Vergne and Guenther were the last of the top 10 alongside Rowland to take their second ATTACK MODE boosts, and had six minutes to use apiece with eight laps to run.
Their plan was foiled by a late Safety Car, however, with CUPRA KIRO’s David Beckmann coming to a stop on the way into the Foro Sol. Lap 31, and we were racing again. Rowland still had just over a minute of ATTACK to use and sliced by Dennis for third into Turn 1, and Wehrlein for second into the chicane before making it a hattrick of moves with a pass on leader da Costa into the Foro Sol. Fourth to first in half a lap. Unbelievable.
No sooner had Rowland made it to the front, than Evans came into contact with a slowing Mueller, forcing another Safety Car. A lap later, on Lap 33, we were racing again with Rowland leading da Costa, Werhlein, Dennis, Vergne, Guenther, Vandoorne, de Vries, Mueller and Hughes. With a lap to go Rowland was able to hold the Porsches at bay, despite da Costa and Wehrlein having energy in-hand to seal a first win in Mexico City.
Result: https://x.com/MsportXtra/status/1878183779547635867
[The story is as per press release]