The Porsche Formula E Team leaves Madrid on a rather positive note. A podium finish from Pascal Wehrlein and Nico Müller, scoring solid points, was a great result from the team. Their progress was strong across the entire weekend, leaving much to be anticipated ahead of Berlin in five weeks’ time.
Wehrlein Keeps the Championship Lead
The inaugural Madrid E-Prix treated Wehrlein well, the German champion coming home with a podium finish. After a strong finish in FP1, the 2023/24 season champion once again saw himself in the duels during qualifying. His lap was impressive but just shy of progressing any further than P6, where he started Saturday’s race.
Once the five lights went out, it was clear Wehrlein was on a different strategy to his teammate. Hungry for a podium, he made up two places immediately on the opening lap, with two more on the following. Drama quickly caught up to the German when he made contact with Nyck de Vries. The Dutch driver received a time penalty, and Wehrlein remained unscathed and undamaged.
Lap 18 is when he decided to take his Attack Mode and eventually crossed the line, securing third place. His P3 finish marks his third podium finish so far this season. Though the result was good, the course of the race showed there was potential there for another win. On attack mode, the Porsche had more pace to compete at the front.
“I was clear I was not in the fight for the win today – but yeah, even more happy with a podium today” – Pascal Wehrlein reflecting on his podium finish.
Müller’s Race Finish Makes Up for Qualifying
Compared to his teammate, Müller’s weekend wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. In both Practice sessions, his pace was good. No major incidents resulted in Top 10 finishes: P8 in FP1 and P6 in FP2. However, qualifying was disappointing for the Swiss driver. He missed out on duels and only managed to qualify 13th fastest.
The race was where he managed to turn his misfortune around, however. He and the team executed a risky but rewarding strategy that allowed him to make up five places by the chequered flag. Taking an early attack mode meant Müller cut his way through the order sooner before taking a later pit stop than his rivals. The Pit Boost played into their strategy, allowing him to defend later into the race with the energy he saved.
The risk came with reward, and the team pulled off a successful strategy. A few minor incidences with second-place finisher Mitch Evans created tension in the paddock, but ended the race cleanly. An eighth-place finish means Müller maintains sixth in the championship standings.
A Lot to Reflect On Before Berlin
Overall, the weekend results for Porsche were positive. While the goal was for both drivers to be front runners, the podium finish from Wehrlein and the turnaround from Müller are good steps in the right direction. Madrid showed that while not in the best circumstances, the team is still able to produce competitive results.
With their home race next on the calendar, for both Wehrlein and the team, keeping the lead of both championships is a great position for Porsche. The team this weekend demonstrated how a risky but well-calculated strategy can be executed well. Both drivers complemented the team’s strategy after the race, with Wehrlein commenting that he “didn’t expect to be in that position”. Whether this will be a factor they bring forward to Berlin is unknown.