- Formula E Team eager to extend recent sports car victories in Florida
- All-electric world championship’s debut at the Homestead-Miami Speedway
- Home event for Porsche customer teams Andretti Formula E and Cupra Kiro
Highlight for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team after a break of nearly two months: For its fifth race of the season, Formula E returns to Miami in the US state of Florida. The last time Miami hosted a race was in the premiere season in 2014/2015. António Félix da Costa contested that race. The Portuguese, currently ranked third in the world championship standings and teammate of World Champion Pascal Wehrlein, celebrated a double victory in the US last year, winning both races at the event in Portland.
Homestead-Miami Speedway on the calendar for the first time
Unlike the first edition ten years ago, this time the Miami E-Prix is being held at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The permanent racetrack south of Miami is used for the NASCAR series, among others. A 3.551-kilometre track variant comprising 15 turns will be used, and will be driven anti-clockwise. The two US Porsche customer teams Andretti Formula E and Cupra Kiro will contest their home event in Miami.
Porsche has enjoyed success in Florida
For Porsche Motorsport, the Miami E-Prix is the fourth event in Florida within eleven weeks. The Miami International Autodrome hosted Formula E’s Evo Sessions at the beginning of March. Celebrities and influencers were given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the current world championship cars as part of a media event. The Porsche 99X Electric was driven by former world-class footballer Sergio Agüero.
Also in Florida, Porsche Penske Motorsport claimed the overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona at the end of January. In the Porsche 963, the endurance racing factory team also secured a one-two result at the 12 Hours of Sebring in mid-March. Teams that win both Daytona and Sebring claim the unofficial 36 Hours of Florida title, also known in English jargon as the Florida 36 – an extraordinary triumph that the Porsche Formula E team is eager to extend with an E-Prix victory.
Da Costa and Wehrlein in Le Mans
Pascal Wehrlein will also have the opportunity to do battle for a prestigious victory in the Porsche 963 this year. As the Formula E world champion, he has the privilege of making his Le Mans debut in June, with a seat in the additional third factory car of Porsche Penske Motorsport. Da Costa has also been given the green light to take part in the sports car race of the year: The Portuguese driver, who already has Le Mans experience, will be competing in a privateer LMP2 car.
Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “Finally back in action. We’re looking forward to racing in the US and can’t wait to get back on the track. We fine-tuned our package during the break to build on the pace from the first four races. We want to continue our previous performance in qualifying and show that we are capable of starting from the front row of the grid in almost every race. But the goal for Miami is to come home from the race with the points that we were denied in the last few races due to rear-end collisions. We’re excited for the track in Miami: You have to keep an eye on the track limits and the first turn because this is where things could get critical.”
Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche factory driver (#1): “So far I would say that we have the pace, but we haven’t been having any racing luck. Hopefully this will change in Miami. At any rate, we are in good shape after the break from racing. I was also able to use the time to prepare for Le Mans. But I’m 100 percent focused on Formula E. We aren’t making any compromises here. I’m looking forward to the coming weeks when I will be putting in a lot of time behind the wheel.”
António Félix da Costa, Porsche factory driver (#13): “After Jeddah we are keen to go on the attack again. The result aside, there were some positives in the races there. We had a good pace. The competition in Formula E is incredibly tough, but we made use of the break and are confident that we have further improved our overall package. We have enjoyed great success in the US in the past and are looking forward to returning to action there.”
ABB FIA Formula E World Championship – standings after 4 of 16 races
Drivers’ classification
1. Oliver Rowland (GBR), 68 points
2. Taylor Barnard (GBR), 51 points
3. António Félix da Costa (POR), 39 points
8. Pascal Wehrlein (GER), 25 points
9. Jake Dennis (GBR), 25 points
16. Dan Ticktum (GBR), 6 points
17. Nico Müller (SUI), 2 points
21. David Beckmann (GER), 0 points
Teams’ classification
1. Nissan Formula E Team (JPN), 68 points
2. NEOM McLaren Formula E Team (GBR), 67 points
3. TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team (GER), 64 points
8. Andretti Formula E (USA), 27 points
10. CUPRA KIRO (USA), 6 points
Manufacturers’ classification
1. Nissan, 130 points
2. Stellantis, 83 points
3. Porsche, 80 points
Formula E Live on TV and online
Race 5 of the season gets underway at 14:05 local time (20:05 CEST) on 12 April, qualifying starts at 9:40 local time (15:50 CEST).
The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E events is available at fiaformulae.com/en/ways-to-watch.
