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The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team head to Jakarta this weekend for an all-important double-header, on the back of having lost the lead of both championships at the Monaco E-Prix three weeks ago.

Even Monaco’s beauty couldn’t make up for what was a dark and gloomy weekend at the Circuit de Monaco for the German manufacturer, with the side having left the ninth round of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship having scored just a single-point. That came thanks to Pascal Wehrlein after António Félix da Costa was forced to pit due to a puncture, adding to the team’s woes.

Their abysmal performance at the legendary venue saw Wehrlein lose the lead of the Drivers’ Championship, whilst Porsche lost the lead of the Constructors’. The Germans now find themselves thirteen points behind Envision Racing ahead of a vital Jakarta E-Prix, where the Stuttgart-based outfit must ensure they don’t allow Envision to build a sizeable advantage.

With this weekend being a double-header the standings could change considerably come the end of Sunday, with Team Principal Florian Modlinger noting that “very little” separates Envision, Porsche and Jaguar TCS Racing.

“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 have to combine what we’ve learned in the first nine races of this season and continue to implement that knowledge. At the inaugural E-Prix last year, we adapted well to the extreme conditions.”

This weekend’s Jakarta E-Prix double-header marks a significant moment in the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for Pascal Wehrlein, after the German lost the lead of the standings three weeks ago in Monaco.

Wehrlein remarkably led the standings from the end of January in Diriyah until the start of May in Monaco, with him having led virtually half of the season so far. A recent run of poor performances has seen him lose a comfortable advantage, with him now suddenly finding himself twenty points behind Nick Cassidy. Wehrlein finished tenth in Monaco and hasn’t finished on the rostrum since he took the lead of the standings in Saudi Arabia, highlighting that he needs to find some considerable pace.

With seven races remaining, Wehrlein isn’t too worried just yet about having lost the championship lead, especially as he’s certain the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team still have “huge potential” this season.

“Not a huge amount, there are still too many races ahead of us. 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 heads to Southeast Asia this weekend having finished eighth in Jakarta last season, giving him hope that he can replicate his points finish from last year across both races. Rounds ten and eleven will likely be the two most physically demanding of the season for the drivers, with the air and surface temperatures set to be scorching. It could very well be a case of ‘survival of the fittest’ this weekend, and not just in regard to the drivers.

The ABT CUPRA Formula E Team head to this weekend’s Jakarta E-Prix double-header with a real sense of momentum following recent races in Berlin and Monaco, due to having competed on merit amongst the top ten.

Throughout the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, ABT CUPRA have very much been the backmarker on the grid; however, the Germans have shown scintillating progress recently. The side claimed a shock front row lock-out at their home event in Berlin, before Nico Müller finished amongst the top ten in the same race. Müller would’ve claimed back-to-back points finishes in Monaco three weeks ago had he not been hit by Sam Bird on the penultimate lap, forcing him to retire.

Despite the disappointment of what happened in Monaco, ABT CUPRA certainly head to Jakarta for the first time on the right path, something which’ll hopefully push them into the top ten this weekend. It will be a challenging few days for the team, given that ABT CUPRA and Müller have never raced in Jakarta, whilst Robin Frijns could only manage seventeenth last season.

Team Principal Thomas Biermaier is aware that Jakarta is “quite a challenge for man and material”, but believes it gives the outfit a great opportunity to show the progress they’ve made.

“The whole team can hardly wait to finally get back on the track. We drove into the points in Berlin, we were on the way to the points in Monaco – we are continuing this path with concentration. We have heard that this event will be quite a challenge for man and material. All the more reason for us to look forward to presenting our brand to the world at this venue as well.”

Following a three-week break since the Monaco E-Prix, the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is back this weekend with the Jakarta E-Prix, an event which Nico Müller is expecting to “work up quite a sweat” at.

Müller is incredibly excited for this weekend’s double-header given that he’s never been to Indonesia before, with the nation having made its first appearance on the calendar last year. It’s a physically challenging event for all the drivers, with the air and track temperature likely to be as hot if not even hotter than they were in Hyderabad, with the added challenge of having to race twice.

Things have been looking up for Müller in recent races, with the Swiss driver having come close to scoring back-to-back points at the recent round in Monaco, until he was hit by Sam Bird on the penultimate lap. The collision saw Müller hit the wall and retire from the race, much to his and the team’s agony.

Despite this, he’s hopeful that “another step forward” can be made this weekend, especially with the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit boasting multiple “overtaking opportunities”.

“I’ve never been to Indonesia before and I’m looking forward to getting to know a new country, a new culture and of course a new racetrack. The circuit in Jakarta looks very fluid, seems to have a good rhythm and also some overtaking opportunities. As far as the temperatures are concerned, we’re sure to work up quite a sweat.

Jaguar TCS Racing head into this weekend’s Jakarta E-Prix double-header right in the mix for the Constructors’ Championship, with the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship starting to reach the business end of the campaign.

Jaguar head to Southeast Asia on the back of another podium in Monaco three weeks ago after Mitch Evans finished second, whilst Sam Bird finished sixteenth following a five-second time penalty. The result kept Evans right in the fight for the Drivers’ Championship, whilst the Coventry-based team sit third in the Constructors’ Championship – twenty-five points behind Envision Racing.

The British side will be feeling confident ahead of the double-header not only because they’ve claimed five podiums in the last four races, but also because Evans won the inaugural race in the Indonesian capital last season.

Given that Evans’ win in Jakarta last season came whilst driving Gen2 machinery, Team Principal James Barclay has admitted that the team “cannot rely” on how they claimed victory in 2022, with the team boss noting that compared to last season, this weekend is a “reset”.

 “While we’ve had some fantastic races recently – both for Jaguar TCS Racing and our customer team, we are not complacent and our focus is firmly set on having two strong races in Jakarta. It’s a difficult race to manage as it can be physically tough for the drivers, the team and the car with high temperatures and humidity.

Mitch Evans heads to the Jakarta E-Prix this weekend right in the title fight, with the Kiwi having claimed three podiums from the last four races ahead of the tenth and eleventh rounds of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Evans is certainly one of the most in-form drivers on the grid ahead of the race he won last season, something which will likely fill him with confidence ahead of this weekend’s double-header. The Jaguar TCS Racing driver heads to Indonesia having finished second in Monaco once again three weeks ago, with victory at the Circuit de Monaco continuing to elude him.

It was nevertheless another impressive performance by the New Zealander, who moved to fourth in the Drivers’ Championship at the Principality. Evans finds himself twenty-seven points behind Nick Cassidy with seven races remaining this campaign, with the double-header in the Indonesian capital representing a great chance to reduce his fellow native’s advantage.

Looking ahead to the hot and humid weekend in Southeast Asia, Evans recognises that his current form has given Jaguar “some healthy momentum”, with him being keen to keep the team’s spirits high at the “physically challenging” venue.

“The last run of races has been positive for us, and we’ve been able to close the gap in both the teams’ and drivers’ championships. It’s given the team some healthy momentum as we head into the next double-header. Jakarta is a physically challenging race, but I performed well there last season, so we’re feeling positive and we’ll push to bring home some strong points and podiums this weekend.” 

Otmar Szafnauer reflected on a ‘brilliant’ Monaco Grand Prix for the BWT Alpine F1 Team as they secured their first podium finish of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season on Sunday.

Esteban Ocon took third place around the Circuit de Monaco despite rain playing havoc and pressure from Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s Lewis Hamilton, while Pierre Gasly backed up his team-mate by taking seventh place as Alpine secured their best points haul of the year so far.

Szafnauer, the Team Principal of the Enstone-based team, praised everyone within the team for their hard work in building a car capable of fighting for the top three in Monaco, and for staying calm despite the weather making pit call decisions tricky to get right.

The American also praised the ‘world class drives’ of both Ocon and Gasly, and he says everyone at Alpine must look at this result as motivation to ensure this becomes a more common occurrence for the team as they look to regain their place within the elite teams in Formula 1.

“What a brilliant day for the team here in Monaco,” said Szafnauer.  “Congratulations to everybody today, from those trackside, to our staff members across Enstone and Viry for their hard work in delivering a car that has proved its capability to fight for the podium.

Mike Krack said Fernando Alonso’s second place finish in the Monaco Grand Prix was a ‘tremendous result’ for the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team and proof of just how far the team has come.

Alonso started on the front row for Sunday’s race at the Circuit de Monaco and was Max Verstappen’s closest challenger throughout the seventy-eight lap race, with the Spaniard securing his best result of the season despite an extra pit stop, needed when the rain intensified around the circuit a lap after he had switched to another set of dry tyres.

Krack, the Team Principal of the Silverstone-based team, said the additional stop to switch to intermediates did not affect the final result as he felt Verstappen and Oracle Red Bull Racing were out of reach on Sunday, but second place was a fantastic outcome for everyone at Aston Martin.

“Starting from the front row and finishing second with Fernando in the Monaco Grand Prix is a tremendous result for the whole team – and a significant marker for how far we’ve travelled together,” said Krack.

“This was a difficult race to manage: we fitted Fernando with the Hard compound, hoping to use the strategy to jump Max later in the race. Then the rain came! Initially, the downpour wasn’t too heavy, and we fitted Mediums because an old, worn Hard tyre is incredibly difficult to manage on a wet track.

Lewis Hamilton was happy with his fourth place finish in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, but the Briton says it is too early to know whether the updates the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team brought to the principality are a step in the right direction.

Mercedes brought a heavily revised car to Monaco, particularly with the reintroduction of sidepods to the W14, but the unique nature of the track meant they were unable to learn as much as they would like to see just where the updated car sits compared to their rivals.

Hamilton praised his team back at the factories for the updates, and he rewarded them with a top four finish amid difficult conditions in Monaco, but it will only be in Spain next week when the team begin to understand just what the upgraded car is capable of.

“I’m really happy with today’s result,” said Hamilton.  “We moved forwards in the race and that’s not an easy task here in Monaco.

“Coming into the weekend, I didn’t know where we would stand. To come out with fourth and fifth is great points for the Team. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone back at the factories for pushing and bringing these upgrades.

Esteban Ocon was one of the stars of the Monaco Grand Prix, with the BWT Alpine F1 Team driver securing a well-earned third place finish and a place on the podium on Sunday afternoon.

Ocon started third after an excellent lap during Saturday’s Qualifying session at the Circuit de Monaco, and he and his team made all the right decisions during the race, even pitting for intermediate tyres at the right time when the rain began to fall.

He withstood pressure from Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s Lewis Hamilton in the final laps to secure that final position on the podium, with Ocon becoming the first Frenchman since Olivier Panis back in 1996 to finish inside the top three in the principality.

“What a feeling! I’m so happy for the team for this amazing achievement of finishing third on this fantastic circuit and legendary event in Monaco,” said Ocon.  “Thanks to the entire team both at Viry and Enstone and here at the track for what we have achieved together.

“Everyone has been working so hard and this result is for them. This must serve as motivation to keep progressing as a team and keep updating the car throughout this season.

Fernando Alonso secured his best result of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season on Sunday, with the Spaniard taking second place behind Max Verstappen in a tricky Monaco Grand Prix.

The Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team driver finished where he started at the Circuit de Monaco, but a late race rain shower made life difficult for all drivers, and Alonso was caught out by the conditions after pitting for dry weather tyres just a lap before it was clear that intermediate tyres were needed.

Alonso says the decision to remain on dry tyres had felt the right one on the lap he entered the pits for the first time, but the rain intensified enough to warrant a second trip to the pit lane a lap later to put on the intermediate tyres.

Even with the additional pit stop, Alonso does not feel he was in with a chance of fighting against Verstappen for the victory on Sunday, but he was delighted to have secured the best finish of the season for both himself and Aston Martin.

“I’m really happy with this result,” said Alonso.  “The race was not easy – and the rain made it difficult for everybody, and very risky strategically.

After a long winter break for the teams to recharge and refresh, the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship is back. The second season of the all-electric era of the sport launches at Montalegre, Portugal on 3/4 June. With a few driver, calendar, and rule changes for the new year, here is your guide of what to look out for in the upcoming season.

Calendar

The 2023 calendar features a wealth of returning favourites and rallycross classics. After such a lengthy break, the championship crams a lot of action into a relatively short space of time. Kicking off at Montalegre, the championship then heads to Scandinavia for rounds at Hell, Norway, and then the Magic Weekend at Höljes, Sweden. This year’s event promises to be doubly special, as it will be World RX’s 100th event.

Then we see a quartet of returning favourites, conspicuous by their absence from the 2022 calendar. Firstly, rallycross returns to its birthplace on 22/23 July for the British round at Lydden Hill. This will be World RX’s first round on the newly reconfigured track layout and will also feature some classic rallycross machinery in action, so it promises to be an event not to be missed. After that, the championship returns to Mettet, Belgium, scene of some spectacular battles over the years, before heading to the legendary Estering, Germany, home of World RX’s most famous opening turn. After a break, the championship heads to the southern hemisphere for the World RX of Cape Town in October, before culminating at the first ever World RX street circuit in Hong Kong. With 10 rounds over 8 events, and a mix of rallycross classics and new territory, this calendar promises to provide thrilling racing all season long.

Rule Changes

Much like its European relative, the biggest change in the rules comes with the reshaping of the weekend format. Rallycross fans, rejoice: the progression race has gone. The series is returning to a more traditional format as enjoyed from 2014-2021. The SuperPole shootout remains to determine the grid for the first heat race. There will then be four heat races spread over the two days (three races in the case of double-header events, with two rounds happening over two days). The top three drivers overall will receive championship points (3 for 1st, 2 for 2nd, and 1 for 3rd), and the results will also determine the semi-final grid.

Those grids have returned to a staggered formation, with six cars spread over three rows, making the results of the heats much more important. The top three from each semi will progress to the final. The winner of the final will be declared the overall event winner and will walk away with 20 points. 2nd will receive 16, then descending from 14 for 3rd position. The promoters hope that this combination of a small amount of points in the heats and the grand prize at the end will encourage the drivers “to push as fast as possible in the early stages of the competition while preserving the ‘winner-takes-all’ anticipation ahead of the final.“

Max Verstappen achieved his second-career Monaco Grand Prix victory for Red Bull Racing, converting his pole position after contending with unexpectedly tricky conditions in the latter half of the race.

Verstappen’s first stint saw him well in the lead, but he said that he had to take into account the strategy of Fernando Alonso chasing from behind– forcing him to extend his stint on his starting mediums.

“It’s super nice to win here again in Monaco! It was actually quite a difficult race, we were on the medium to begin with and Fernando on the hard compound, so we didn’t want the first stint to be that long but we had to stay out.”

What would have been a relatively uncomplicated run to the finish for the championship leader quickly turned questionable when a light rain began in certain sections of the circuit. 

Soon after being told by his team on the radio to come in for intermediates whenever he felt it was becoming difficult to stay on track, Verstappen elected to move onto the treaded tyres. The decision was a favorable one, as it suddenly started full-on raining in the race’s closing stages, leading to ice-like conditions which lead Verstappen and several others to come into contact with the barriers on several occasions. 

In a surprise announcement ahead of next weekend’s Jakarta E-Prix double-header, Mahindra Racing have revealed that ex-Manor Marussia F1 Team driver Roberto Merhi will be replacing Oliver Rowland, who has departed the team after spending eighteen months with the Indian manufacturer.

It was announced by the team Sunday morning that a “mutual agreement” had been reached between Rowland and the side for the Briton to vacate his seat for the remaining seven races of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, starting next weekend in Indonesia.

Having joined Mahindra at the start of Season Eight, Rowland has enjoyed minimal success, with his best result with the team having been second in the first race of the season finale double-header in Seoul last August. This year has been a disaster so far for Rowland, who’s reportedly not been pleased with the progress made by Mahindra’s Gen3 powertrain, which is arguably the weakest on the grid.

Rowland has claimed just two points finishes this year, with the Briton having finished sixth in Hyderabad and tenth in the second of two races in Berlin. His departure perhaps shows some of the frustrations amongst the team, who have failed to build on from Lucas di Grassi‘s podium at the season-opener.

Merhi enters the side having driven for them in the recent Rookie test in Berlin, where he impressed Team Principal Frederic Bertrand. The experienced Spaniard will at least have more time to get up to speed than normal next weekend given that it’s a double-header, with him being “determined” and “up for the challenge” of competing in the challenging series.

The high pressure of Saturday Qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix has once again proven to be intense and dynamic, with Max Verstappen ultimately taking pole position after a nail-biting final minute of running, now set to start alongside Fernando Alonso on the front row on race day. 

As per usual around the streets of Monte Carlo, drivers were pushing for every fraction of a second while fighting to avoid a clash with the barriers– and this year Sergio Pérez was the one to see his qualifying come to an early end. 

Q1: Sergio Perez crashes out, both Haas cars eliminated

The field’s lower runners were first out to take on the 3.337km long circuit, looking to squeeze as much time on track as possible during the session’s first fifteen minute segment. As the first laps came through, the contenders for the front rows were already asserting themselves, with Verstappen putting in a 1:13.784 to take an early lead, followed by team-mate Perez and the drivers of Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. 

With just over eleven minutes left, Pérez endured a high speed crash at Sainte Dévote, putting him out of the running early on and causing a red flag. His time of 1:13.850 placed him fifth in the standings when the flag was flown, but he would drop down into the relegation zone soon after the session resumed and the circuit continued to grip up.

Track evolution allowed for a constant shuffling of the field as the session continued, with the likes of Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda holding the top spot at some point in Q1. Verstappen’s next time of 1:12.644 allowed him to set the pace with about five minutes left.