The second race of the 2026 Berlin E-Prix delivered one of the most remarkable comeback drives in this season. Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) surged from 17th on the grid to claim a stunning victory in a race defined by energy management and perfectly timed ATTACK MODE.
Behind him, Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) mirrored the feat from 18th to second. Meanwhile, polesitter Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche Formula E Team) salvaged a hard-earned podium after a turbulent afternoon on home soil.
Energy Games Dominate the Early Phases
Despite starting from pole, Wehrlein’s advantage proved largely symbolic in the opening stages. On a circuit described as ‘energy sucking’, drivers were in no rush to lead, instead forming a tightly packed grid. Wehrlein initially held off Taylor Barnard before running wide and relinquishing the lead. In a clear tactical move, he then allowed multiple cars through, prioritising efficiency over track position.
The field rolled through the opening laps, with drivers lifting early into corners and lap times hovering around the conservative 1:10–1:12 mark. A dramatic early incident reshaped the order. As Nyck de Vries made contact with Nick Cassidy, collecting Sébastien Buemi and Edoardo Mortara in the process. Cassidy suffered a broken front wing and was forced into the pits, while de Vries’ race ended prematurely.
Buemi’s Charge and Strategic Uncertainty
Buemi delivered a standout early performance, climbing from 16th on the grid to second within just three laps. This showed a perfect illustration of this race’s unusual dynamics.
Envision briefly controlled the race, with Joel Eriksson leading ahead of his teammate Buemi. However, their positioning came at an energy cost, a theme that would prove decisive later on. Further back, drivers like Rowland, Evans and Nico Müller conserved energy, quietly positioning themselves for a late surge. This pace let teams’ strategists struggle to read the evolving race.
Attack Mode Triggers the Turning Point
The race pivot came in the second half, as ATTACK MODE activations injected speed into the race. Rowland, Wehrlein and Evans all timed their boosts to perfection. By Lap 24, Wehrlein had fought back to second, while Norman Nato briefly led after an ATTACK MODE activation.
Evans, however, executed the defining strategy. Having conserved more energy than most, he deployed his ATTACK MODE decisively, slicing through the field and taking the lead by lap 32.
The closing laps were far from straightforward. As Evans and Wehrlein traded the lead in a tense duel. Meanwhile, Rowland surged into contention with his final activation. A slippery track surface triggered a red and yellow flag, during which Rowland overtook Wehrlein. Many recognised the flag as just yellow, which initially raised questions.
A collision between António Félix da Costa and Müller brought out a Full Course Yellow, briefly threatening to neutralise the race before a final sprint to the flag. Therefore, the grid didn’t change on the last two laps.
Evans Seals ‘Drive for the Ages’
On the last lap Evans held firm to secure his second win of the season and the 16th of his Formula E career, in extraordinary fashion. His reasoning for securing the victory was rooted in, “Patience, mate, patience. Thanks to the team for getting me through this one. It’s a collective effort. Full credit to the team. It was a team effort.”
Rowland followed just 0.822 seconds behind, completing a remarkable double comeback, while Wehrlein crossed the line third, capping a recovery after dropping as low as 11th. Buemi finished fourth despite early energy struggles, while Nato secured a crucial fifth place, delivering a major points haul for Nissan’s strategic gamble.
Jake Dennis came home sixth ahead of Mortara, with Jean-Éric Vergne, Felipe Drugovich and Eriksson completing the top ten. For Müller, the previous day’s winner, it was more a race to forget, finishing 13th. Berlin presented a tight second race, with only two drivers, Cassidy and de Vries, retiring.
A Defining Weekend for Porsche and the Title Race
Wehrlein’s third place ensures he leaves Berlin as championship leader with 101 points. Therefore, capping a strong weekend for Porsche that included a victory, pole position and podium. Meanwhile, Evans’ triumph, coming in the same week he confirmed his departure from Jaguar at the end of the season, adds a compelling narrative to the championship fight.
With momentum shifting and confidence surging, the championship now moves to Monaco in two weeks. A place where qualifying pace, as Evans noted, will become far more critical on the tight street circuit. If Berlin proved anything, however, it is that in Formula E, no position, no matter how far back, is ever truly out of contention.