Cupra Kiro Secures Monaco Podium as Porsche Factory Drivers Face Setbacks

9 hours ago
2 min read

Customer team Cupra Kiro achieved a significant podium finish in Saturday's Monaco Formula E race, with Pepe Martí climbing an impressive fifteen positions to secure his maiden podium in the all-electric championship. Meanwhile, Porsche's factory drivers Nico Müller and Pascal Wehrlein were hampered by an on-track incident, missing out on valuable points.

Key Takeaways

Pepe Martí achieved his first Formula E podium, starting from 15th and finishing third.
Cupra Kiro's Dan Ticktum initially secured pole position but was demoted to 12th after a post-race penalty.
Porsche factory drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Nico Müller collided, resulting in Wehrlein suffering a puncture and Müller receiving post-race penalties.
Porsche continues its "Racing for Charity" initiative, donating €400 per lap completed by its factory cars.

A Mixed Day for Porsche-Powered Teams

While the Monaco E-Prix presented challenges for the Porsche factory team, customer teams showcased strong performance. Cupra Kiro's Dan Ticktum claimed pole position, but a late collision saw him finish 12th. His teammate, Pepe Martí, however, delivered a stellar drive, moving from 15th on the grid to secure a remarkable third place, marking a historic first podium for a Spanish driver in Formula E.

Factory Drivers' Misfortune

Qualifying fifth and sixth, Porsche's Nico Müller and Pascal Wehrlein were in contention for points early in the race. However, an incident heading into the Rascasse hairpin saw Müller collide with the rear of Wehrlein, causing a puncture for the latter. Wehrlein's race was further compromised by a pit stop penalty, ultimately leading to him finishing outside the points. Müller managed to recover to the points but received post-race penalties for collisions, dropping him to 11th.

"Racing for Charity" Continues

Porsche's commitment to social responsibility remains a key focus. Through its "Racing for Charity" program, the manufacturer donates €400 for every race lap completed by its two factory Porsche 99X Electric cars. Following the Monaco race, the total donation amount has reached €238,800, supporting various children's charities worldwide.

Team and Driver Reactions

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E, expressed disappointment with the factory team's outcome but acknowledged the strong results from customer teams. "This result was not what we wanted today, especially after good starting positions," he stated. "Well done to our customer teams Cupra Kiro and Andretti Formula E, after securing strong results."

Pascal Wehrlein commented on his difficult race, saying, "It was a tough day after suffering a puncture, where I couldn’t do much. Obviously, I am very unhappy with how this race went because the pace was good."

Nico Müller offered an apology to his teammate and the team: "First of all, I’m very regretful, and very sorry, to Pascal, his crew and the whole team after we ended up having contact."

Championship Standings

Following the Monaco E-Prix, Pascal Wehrlein remains second in the Drivers' Championship with 101 points, while Nico Müller is fifth with 75 points. The Porsche Formula E Team holds second place in the Teams' classification with 176 points, and Porsche leads the Manufacturers' standings with 255 points.

Next Up: Monaco Doubleheader Continues

The next race, round 10 of the season, will also take place on the streets of Monaco. This event will mark a significant milestone for Porsche as it celebrates its 100th race in Formula E.