A stand-out drive from Mitch Evans resulted in him earning his maiden points of the season. Evans kick-starts Season 12 for Jaguar TCS Racing by gifting them their maiden win of the season. Starting in ninth position, a race of strategy and smart racing earns him the crown in Miami. Joining him on the podium, Porsche score double changing the trajectory of the Teams Championship standings.
Lap One.. Or Five?
With an untraditional start to the race, the all-electric cars mark their entrance at the Miami International Autodrome. A turn in events in the weather called for a safety car start as the drivers take on a drying track with all-weather tyres. We saw 4 laps under the safety car before Lap 5 commenced with a standing start.
The lights went out, and our Porsche-powered front row of Nico Müller and Felipe Drugovich fought for the lead. Wasting no time in the opening lap, Müller pulls ahead from the grid, but our first strategic move of the race was made. Drugovich activates his first attack mode early on, and with maximum traction and grip, the Brazilian driver leads the race after a smart overtake.
Our top two break away from the grid and we are truly racing in Miami!
A Turning Point for the Jaguar
Mitch Evans showed his experience in the sport, remaining level-headed during a fast-paced race. The Kiwi was in a constant battle with the Porsche of Müller, catching him after starting in P9 after Qualification. After two laps, he was rewarded with a race lead into the last turn. Falling under the pressures of leading the race, Müller found himself late braking, resulting in a fantastic switchback from Evans.
Mid-Race Collision Ends a Top 5 Finish
A calm race was disturbed when a Turn 13 collision between Drugovich and António Félix da Costa cost Drugovich his chances for a top 5 finish. The Brazilian driver underestimated his speed heading into Turn 13, leaving little to no room to brake in time, colliding into Da Costa. Drugovich suffered with front wing damage and headed into the pits for a change. Joining the track again, his opportunity for victory comes to an end, but Da Costa was still in contention for a podium.
In his post-race interview, Da Costa reflects on the incident.
”This is the second time a rookie has hit me. Luckily, I was able to keep going and salvage something. We are in it to fight for it but picked up a damage.” Da Costa continues, ”Our pace has never been the issue. Super happy for the team and double points for the team is good.”
Strategy Invites Chaos and Early Retirements
Viewers saw the rewards of activating attack mode earlier on in the race, despite the weather. Wehrlein was a good example of this gamble, making up 10 positions during attack mode, soaring through the grid as he had more traction. The Miami E-Prix showed us how influential Attack Mode can be. Creating battles for the win when done right, it shapes the championship.
On the flip side, fans saw the latter end. Dan Ticktum, for the third time this season, was forced into an early retirement as CUPRA KIRO’s strategy was weaker. The team kept the British driver on dry tyres, limiting his chances of climbing back up the grid. With no heat in his tyres, the British driver was called into the pits.
Porsche Are Back on the Podium
For the first time this season, Porsche Formula E Team take home a 1-2 finish in Miami. Müller converted his pole position into a P2 finish and Pascal Wehrlein managed his energy well, gaining a crucial edge in the race. Both drivers displayed skills of winners, defending well from other contenders whilst choosing the right moments to attack. This weekend highlights the Porsche powered engine is one to watch out for.
We head to Jeddah in two weeks for another exciting race, stay tuned!