The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship continues this weekend for the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix with a double-header at the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit.
As the all-electric series heads into its European leg, the battle at the top of the standings is heating up with Pascal Wehrlein (Tag Heuer Porsche) looking to stretch his lead on home soil.
Here are all the talking points ahead of the weekend:
Porsche targeting home success
TAG Heuer Porsche are flying at the top of the Teams’ World Championship and have both of their drivers comfortably sitting in the top five of the Drivers’ World Championship.
The Stuttgart-based outfit head into their home race knowing they have an impressive record at the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, which has included one podium and four top-four finishes since the debuting in the all-electric racing series in Season 6.
The GEN3 era has so far been dominated by the Porsche powertrain, which is used by the two current leaders in the driver’s standings Wehrlein and Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti), and on a familiar track the team will be confident of extending their lead.
Jaguar on the prowl
It had been a mediocre start to the season for Jaguar TCS Racing, but they will be galvanised by a sensational performance in São Paulo that saw both of their drivers, Mitch Evans and Sam Bird, standing on the podium after registering a P1 and P3, respectively.
Evans had been firmly involved in the Season 8 title battle and was one of the pre-season favourites for the World Championship crown in the first year of GEN3. However, he registered just 14 points in the opening five rounds, and it looked like the Kiwi was heading towards a disappointing season, until he rediscovered his form at the 2023 Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix to take the chequered flag.
The Kiwi’s brilliant performance at Formula E’s Brazilian debut will provide optimism that he’s still capable of a title charge as the all-electric series approaches the second half of the season.
Meanwhile, third place in São Paulo has propelled Bird up to sixth in the standings and sees the veteran within reach of a podium spot with a strong result this weekend.
Pressure on for Dennis
Jake Dennis came flying out of the traps at the start of the GEN3 era, recording a victory and two second place finishes in the opening three races. However, the 27-year-old has failed to register a single point since and has allowed his title rival Wehrlein to extend his lead at the top of the Driver’s Championship to 24 points.
That drought included an incident with Dan Ticktum in São Paulo in which Dennis was forced out of the race after being smashed from behind by the NIO 333 driver. The incident spilled out into a clash between the two on Instagram after Dennis branded Ticktum “a plonker” in his interview after the race.
Dennis’ drought also means just four points separate the British driver in second and Antonio Felix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche) in fifth.
A poor performance in Berlin could see the Nuneaton driver slide further down the table, especially considering the experience and pedigree da Costa and fourth-placed Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske) have at the Tempelhof track.
GEN3 proving most exciting season to date
The GEN3 era is just six rounds old but has already produced some of the most exhilarating races in the series’ history.
The São Paulo E-Prix featured 114 overtakes in total and delivered the most lead changes in Formula E history, with the lead changing three times in a single lap on two occasions. São Paulo also saw NIO 333’s Sérgio Sette Câmara deliver the fastest ever top speed of 264.1kph in a race, with four drivers all topping 260kph.
The Cape Town E-Prix, meanwhile, saw the fastest lap in Formula E with Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz averaging 154.987kph. Cape Town was also the fastest race at an average speed of 132.199kph.
Furthermore, nine races in a row – a Formula E record – the polesitter has been overtaken to lose the race, underlining the series’ unparalleled unpredictability.
Rookie test driver announcement
Ahead of the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix, Formula E announced its full line-up of 23 drivers confirmed to participate in the first rookie test for the GEN3 race car.
The test will take place on Monday 24th April at the Tempelhof Airport circuit, following this weekend’s double-header.
The test is exclusively for drivers with no previous experience driving a Formula E car on-track and who hold a minimum International Grade B license.
Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing), teammates Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato (Nissan Formula E Team), Jake Hughes (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team) and Sérgio Sette Câmara all participated in the last rookie test held in Marrakesh in 2020. See here for full details of the line-up.
Brilliant Berlin promises wheel-to-wheel action
Having hosted more Formula E races than any other track (16), and the only city to have hosted a race in every season, the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit in Berlin is a staple of the World Championship’s calendar.
The 2.4km track on the outskirts of the German capital city is a unique challenge for the teams and drivers and takes place on the fast-paced giant apron of the terminal building. The track’s high-grip concrete is likely to have an impact on energy and race strategies.
Watch the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix live on terrestrial television on Channel 4 at 13:30 BST on Saturday 22 April and Sunday 23 April.
