RIYADH: The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship returns this weekend for the Sao Paulo E-Prix, which marks the competition’s fourth round of season 10.
Last year, the Sao Paulo E-Prix delivered some of the most exciting racing of the championship. The Anhembi Sambadrome circuit saw 114 overtakes and 11 lead changes, with a nail-biting finish that had the top three drivers cross the line just 0.5 seconds apart — one of the closest in Formula E history.
Last year’s event was a milestone in particular for Jaguar TCS Racing, with Mitch Evans leading Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy and teammate Sam Bird to a powertrain podium sweep.
With Cassidy now part of the Jaguar TCS Racing team, he currently leads the drivers’ championship, with the British-born outfit also sitting at the top of the teams’ table. The team will be aiming to build on their strong start and replicate last year’s success in Brazil.
James Barclay, team principal for Jaguar TCS Racing Formula E Team, said: “We’re in a really positive position to have two world-class drivers in the team. We wanted a driver pairing that would give us a chance at scoring maximum points on any given weekend — and that’s clear in Formula E — the level is so high that you have to have two drivers at a comparative level to really put yourself in a strong position to win the World Championship. And that is the fundamental goal that everyone in the team, including the drivers, is working towards.”
The Jaguar team seem to be on top form, but with three different winners in the first three races of season 10, the question is who will be this weekend’s victor.
For Lucas Di Grassi, this race holds special significance: The Brazilian driver will be eager to perform well in front of his home crowd and add to his impressive record of a podium in every season of Formula E so far. Similarly, Sergio Sette Camara will be looking to make an impact, hoping to secure a strong result in front of his compatriots.
Meanwhile, Sebastien Buemi has his sights set on beating the total wins record in Formula E. The Swiss driver has been a dominant force in the championship since its inception and will be aiming to add another win to his overall tally.
The 2023 FIA World Champion Jake Dennis comes into the race off the back of a win and a fastest lap in Diriyah and will be looking to continue this strong form, while Tag Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein has been a model of consistency, scoring points in 14 consecutive races, a record only three drivers have ever surpassed.
The second season of the GEN3 era kicked off with three rounds across Mexico City and a Diriyah double-header in Saudi Arabia. The competition has been fierce, with each of the first three rounds producing a different race winner. Seven drivers have graced the podium, and eight different teams are represented in the top 10 of the drivers’ standings.
The current driver standings are as follows: Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing leads the pack, followed closest by round one race winner Pascal Wehrlein of Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
Jean-Eric Vergne of DS Penske Formula E Team sits in third, with last year’s defending champion Jake Dennis of Andretti Formula E Team and Mitch Evans, Cassidy’s teammate at Jaguar TCS Racing, rounding out the top five in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Maximilian Gunther of Maserati MSG Racing and Envision Racing’s Robin Frijns currently sit sixth and seventh, with Frijns’ teammate Sebastien Buemi, Oliver Rowlands of Nissan Formula E Team, and NEOM McLaren Formula E Team’s Jake Hughes tailing closely on equal points to complete the top 10.