Porsche Drivers Shine in Challenging Tokyo Wet Race

In a thrilling and rain-soaked race at the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Tokyo, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team drivers António Félix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein showcased their skills, finishing 7th and 13th respectively. The race was marked by challenging weather conditions that led to the cancellation of qualifying, forcing teams to adapt their strategies on the fly.

Key Takeaways

• António Félix da Costa finished 7th after starting from 11th position.

• Pascal Wehrlein moved up from 17th to 13th, demonstrating resilience in poor visibility.

• Heavy rain caused the cancellation of qualifying, impacting race strategies.

• Dan Ticktum from Cupra Kiro achieved a notable 5th place, contributing to Porsche's points in the manufacturers' standings.

Race Overview

The race began under challenging conditions, with heavy rain leading to the cancellation of the qualifying session. The starting grid was determined by the results of Free Practice 2, where both Porsche drivers faced difficulties due to red and yellow flags. Despite these setbacks, both drivers managed to gain positions during the race.

António Félix da Costa, starting in 11th, made significant progress to finish 7th, while Pascal Wehrlein, who began in 17th, climbed to 13th. The race featured various strategic elements, including the use of Pit Boost and Attack Mode, which added complexity to the already difficult conditions.

Driver Insights

Florian Modlinger, Director of Factory Motorsport Formula E, commented on the race, stating, "It was tough and challenging with wet conditions here in Tokyo all day. We had to adapt our race strategy. António gained from 11th to 7th, which was good progress, and Pascal moved up from 17th to 13th. With qualifying or dry conditions, we would have done better."

Pascal Wehrlein expressed his thoughts on the race, saying, "P17 wasn’t an easy position to make progress from. Visibility was poor, but we managed to move forwards. Once we were in clear air, we were quick. I’m looking forward to tomorrow when it should be dry and a more normal day."

António Félix da Costa reflected on the challenges, stating, "It feels like we’re just ‘wrong time, wrong place’. Today we salvaged points. I had a bad lap one and went backwards, but we had good pace in the wet and could go forwards. P7 was what we could do, but maybe a P6 was on the cards."

Standings After the Race

After the Tokyo race, the standings in the championship are as follows:

Position	Driver	Points
1	Oliver Rowland (GBR)	133
2	António Félix da Costa (POR)	73
3	Taylor Barnard (GBR)	69
4	Pascal Wehrlein (GER)	66
8	Jake Dennis (GBR)	44
12	Dan Ticktum (GBR)	28
16	Nico Müller (SUI)	24
22	David Beckmann (GER)	0

Looking Ahead

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, along with Andretti Formula E and Cupra Kiro, will return to the track for race 9 at the Tokyo E-Prix on May 18, 2025. With hopes for improved weather conditions, the team is eager to capitalize on their performance and continue climbing the standings in the championship.

As the season progresses, Porsche remains committed to leveraging its participation in Formula E to enhance its electric vehicle technology, providing valuable insights for future production sports cars.