No team has won more races than Porsche’s three victories this season in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, but with no podiums in the last five rounds of action, both Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix da Costa are aiming to reignite their championship fight this weekend.
Very hot weather is expected in Jakarta across both races, and Pascal Wehrlein is ready to tackle the difficult conditions.
“It’s going to be a hot weekend in every respect. Last year, we adapted well to the conditions, which don’t only affect the drivers and teams, but also the equipment – especially the tyres. After Monaco, we had a little longer to prepare for the double-header in Jakarta and to analyse what we perhaps didn’t do quite so well in the last few races. Now, we’re back on the attack.”
Having led the championship since Round 3 in Diriyah, Wehrlein is now second in the standings behind new leader Nick Cassidy. But after scoring points in eight out of nine races this season, the German driver is not too bothered about losing the championship lead after Monaco.
“Monaco was just a snapshot in the middle of a long season. In Formula E, every race is fiercely contested and, as banal as it sounds, it’s only the points standings after the final race that are decisive. We got off to a great start to the season but didn’t score as well in the last races. Still, with the huge potential of the team and the car, we can turn things around very quickly. In Jakarta, we get two chances to do so.”
Wehrlein’s teammate, Antonio Felix da Costa, started on the front row of the grid in Jakarta last year before finishing in fourth place, and the man currently sixth in the championship has fond memories of his debut race in Indonesia.
“Although I just missed the podium with fourth place, there are a lot of good memories. The crowds were very receptive to Formula E and their enthusiasm created a great atmosphere. The heat and high humidity put you under extreme physical stress. But as an athlete, you train for races like this.”
Da Costa has only qualified for the Duels twice this season, and the Season 6 Formula E Champion knows that record has to be improved going forward.
“We have a fast racing car. We can’t use this advantage in qualifying at the moment. But we know what we need to work on. It’s only a very small step. We don’t have to try to reinvent the wheel. Even if we manage to qualify in the top 8 or 10, we’d make our lives a lot easier in the race. That’s what we’re aiming to achieve in Jakarta.”
With both drivers confident, Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport, is equally ambitious that the team are returning to form at the right moment.
“The top teams are separated by very little in the championship. The teams are extremely evenly matched, and every tenth of a second counts. Jakarta will be a big challenge for us. We’ll work hard to continue to have a say in the battle for the championship titles, for both teams and drivers. We’re expecting to take another big step in Jakarta and bring home significantly more points again.”