– Preview: Misano E-Prix, 13 and 14 April 2024, rounds 6 and 7 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
– On the back of the debut race in Tokyo, Formula E now celebrates another premiere in Misano.
– World championship leader Pascal Wehrlein (GER) and António Félix da Costa (POR) compete for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
– The Porsche customer team Andretti Formula E also fields two Porsche 99X Electric for reigning champ Jake Dennis (GBR) and Norman Nato (FRA).
– Matt Campbell (AUS) competes for the works team as a part of his rookie training.
What a contrast: on Easter Saturday, the Japanese metropolis of Tokyo hosted Formula E. Now, season 10 continues with a double-header event in Italy’s rural Emilia-Romagna region.
The five races of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season so far have yielded five different winners – the last time this happened was in the 2019/2020 season. However, when it comes to the winning cars, the Porsche 99X Electric leads the way: With the electric race car developed in the net CO2-neutral facility in Weissach, Pascal Wehrlein won the season opener in Mexico and Jake Dennis crossed the finish line first in Saudi Arabia.
Pascal Wehrlein’s teammate, António Félix da Costa, will helm the second Porsche 99X Electric entered by the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team in Misano. For Andretti Formula E, the racing team owned by American motorsport legend Michael Andretti, Norman Nato will compete alongside Jake Dennis.
The drivers’ standings also reflect just how fierce the competition has been during the first five races. Pascal Wehrlein leads this classification with 63 points followed by Nick Cassidy (NZL, 61 points), Oliver Rowland (GBR, 54 points) and Jake Dennis (53 points). António Félix da Costa (20 points) ranks eleventh, with Norman Nato (17 points) on P14. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team lies second in the team standings with 83 points and managed to reduce the advantage of team leader Jaguar to 17 points. Andretti Formula E ranks third with 70 points.
The schedule for the double-header event in Misano includes an additional free practice session, known as FP0, for which teams are only permitted to enter rookie drivers who have not yet contested a Formula E race. Taking part for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, Matt Campbell will get his first laps in the Porsche 99X Electric. For many years, the Australian has been one of the most successful Porsche drivers in the various racing series. At the wheel of the Porsche 911 RSR, he notched up class victories at Le Mans (2018) and Sebring (2021). One of his greatest successes to date was the overall victory in the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona in January, where he triumphed with Porsche Penske Motorsport in the Porsche 963.
Comments on the Misano E-Prix
Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: « Unlike the street circuit in Tokyo, Misano is a permanent racetrack which is adapted to motorbike racing. We’re looking forward to it, especially since we’ve already shown this season that we’re competitive on all types of circuits. The field is very tight with four manufacturers having won so far. However, Porsche is the only manufacturer with two victories. In Tokyo recently, all four Porsche 99X Electric cars finished in the top six, which was a very strong result. We’re eager to see how Matt Campbell performs in our car during rookie practice and look forward to hearing his impressions. »
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94): « The pace was good throughout the weekend in Tokyo. We have to build on that in Misano. The track has fewer bumps and faster corners than a street circuit. I’ve raced there before in DTM but it’ll be a completely different story in a Formula E car. This will be an important weekend because there are two races and thus double the points up for grabs. The fact that I’m leading the drivers’ standings shows that we’re doing a good job as a team. But we’re aware that the season is still long. »
António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver (#13): « We shifted the momentum in our favour in São Paulo and Tokyo. We made progress in qualifying and also improved in the race. We’ll build on this for the rest of the season. Misano should be a good race for the team. Energy management will play a bigger role on this track, which is good news for us, and so far we’ve always looked good on new circuits. As a doubleheader, Misano offers the opportunity to take home a lot of points. »
Yannick Bitzer,