Porsche-driven teams have swiftly conquered the first two races of the Formula E season. Pascal Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche won the first of two Formula E races in the CORE Diriyah E-Prix in Saudi Arabia with his Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 on January 27. Based on Formula E’s recently released results, the win came after a tense second-place victory in Mexico City on January 14.
Porsche-powered vehicles took 1st and 2nd spot
German racer Pascal Wehrlein and British racer Jake Dennis of Avalanche Andretti Autosport alternated first and second place in the first two races of Formula E in Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
Dennis won first place in the opening race of the electric world championship’s ‘Gen3’ era in Mexico with his Porsche-powered vehicle. He recorded 26 points, a significant advantage over Wehrlein’s 18 points. It is worth noting that they both have a similar vehicle, the Porsche 99X Electric.
| Contestant | Points |
| Jake Dennis of Avalanche Andretti Autosport | 26 |
| Pascal Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche | 18 |
However, Dennis fell to the second spot in Saudi Arabia, trailing behind Wehrlein with just a 0.531-second advantage.
After a close race under the spotlights, Jaguar’s Sam Bird took third place. Notably, it was also Bird’s 100th Formula E race and his first podium in almost two years.
Meanwhile, René Rast of NEOM McLaren finished in fifth place. He managed to record the quickest lap, giving his team bonus points.
Overall leaderboard points
Jake Dennis currently holds the overall points lead over Wehrlein with 44 to 43 points. Meanwhile, Sebastien Buemi is in a distant third with 23 points.
| Contestant | Points |
| Jake Dennis of Avalanche Andretti Autosport | 44 |
| Pascal Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche | 43 |
| Sebastien Buemi of Envision Racing | 23 |
The Team standings, where Avalanche Andretti enjoys a dominating lead of 58 points over TAG Heuer Porsche in second position with 49, appear to mirror these results.
Nonetheless, there is still much room for progression in the team standings, making it conceivable for significant change.
About the event
“The ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s first fully-electric international single-seater street racing series, returns to Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, where all 11 teams and 22 drivers will take to the grid once again for the fifth time in the Kingdom. Driven by the latest innovations in electric vehicle technology, alternative energy solutions and thrilling racing in the heart of the Saudi capital of history Diriyah, Formula E redefines the very boundaries of what a sport can be through the unique fusion of entertainment, sustainability, technology, and innovation.”
CORE Diriyah E-Prix 2023
Interestingly, the third generation of vehicles’ technological advancement has improved Formula E as a whole. With a smaller footprint than previous generations, cars are visibly faster. Overall, it was a far more thrilling spectacle, and many eagerly anticipate the upcoming races.
The fourth round of the season will take place in Hyderabad, India, on February 11.
