MEXICO CITY — Pascal Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche displayed masterful driving to clinch the first win of the season in an electrifying start to the 10th season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Mexico City.
Wehrlein further solidified his renowned prowess at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez by leading from the start and converting his now-fourth pole position in Mexico to a second race win in the country.
“It was a tough race because we were leading most of the race and that’s not so efficient for energy – but every lap was like a qualifying lap, trying to maximise speed,” Wehrelin said. “I saw a small mistake behind me which created a small gap, and from then I think it was pretty controlled. Thanks a lot to my team and thanks to all the fans here, it’s always a great to be here in Mexico; it’s a great atmosphere. I’m already looking forward to coming back next year.”
Although briefly ceding the lead during an attack mode charge under full course yellow conditions, the German-Mauritian driver showcased his skill and resilience before a well-timed overtake to take back his lead and cross the finish line first.
Wehrlein’s win also solidifies the success of the Porsche powertrain as the third Porsche-powered winner in each of the last three Mexico City E-Prix events. Joining Wehrlein on the podium were Sébastien Buemi for Envision Racing in second and Nick Cassidy, Jaguar TCS Racing’s new signing, in third.
The race also saw strong performances from Maximilian Guenther and Mitch Evans, with the latter engaging in a fierce, defensive battle with Jean-Éric Vergne, who made an impressive climb from 10th to sixth.
Jake Hughes, Stoffel Vandoorne, championship-defender Jake Dennis and Norman Nato also put in notable performances, navigating through the pack to round out the top 10 and secure points.
A relatively clean race was only interrupted on lap nine, after Robin Frijns found the wall on the exit of the Foro Sol. A full course yellow would be required for the car’s removal, forcing Wehrlein to delay his attack on the then-leader Buemi.