SECONDS OUT, ROUND TWO: GEN3 EVO SET TO AMP UP THE ACTION IN MEXICO’SHISTORIC CAPITAL
SECONDS OUT, ROUND TWO: GEN3 EVO SET TO AMP UP THE ACTION IN MEXICO’SHISTORIC CAPITAL
Following a captivating curtain-raising contest in Brazil, sparks look sure to fly once more in the secondLatin American race of the season.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is Mexico-bound for the second instalment of its 2024/25 campaignthis weekend (11 January), with a thrilling fight in prospect at one of the most popular tracks on the all-electricsingle-seater series’ calendar.
Formula E’s new GEN3 Evo era got off to a scintillating start last month in São Paulo, where the upgraded AttackMode for Season 11 – providing competitors with the benefit of all-wheel-drive throughout its exploitation – sparkedcountless crowd-pleasing overtaking manoeuvres. More of the same seems assured in Mexico.
The iconic Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was the first permanent circuit to welcome the championship back in2016, and the eight races held there to-date have produced some electrifying entertainment around its fast andtechnical 2.63km layout, which incorporates a section running through the legendary Foro Sol stadium. To add tothe challenge, its 2,250m altitude makes it the highest track on the calendar.
Over the past few campaigns, Porsche-powered drivers have dominated the Mexico City E-Prix, with PascalWehrlein in particular something of a specialist in the North American megalopolis. In 2022, the Germanspearheaded a commanding TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team one-two from pole position, prevailing again two years later and similarly vying for victory in 2019 and 2023.
Indeed, the reigning champion has not placed lower than second in the race’s most recent three editions. Havingbeen firmly in the mix for more silverware in the Brazilian curtain-raiser before his world turned quite literallyupside-down in a late clash, Wehrlein will be determined to reprise his winning ways and kick his title defence intogear in round two.
Mitch Evans was the star of the show in São Paulo, as the Jaguar TCS Racing driver played his cards to perfectionto blast from the rear of the grid to a record-equalling 13th career triumph, making history in the process.
The New Zealander’s second Formula E success came in Mexico in 2020, while Jaguar stablemate andcountryman Nick Cassidy finished third in the Americas’ oldest capital city – founded seven centuries ago in 1325 –on his Jaguar debut in Season 10. Having got caught up in the same accident as Wehrlein in Brazil, the Aucklandnative will likewise be eager to quickly bounce back.
Wehrlein’s own team-mate, António Félix da Costa, scooped the runner-up spoils in Mexico City in both 2019 and2020 – in the latter of those campaigns, going on to clinch the coveted crown – and the Portuguese ace heads intothe forthcoming battle sitting second in the standings, ahead of NEOM McLaren Formula E Team pairing TaylorBarnard and Sam Bird.
The British duo were arguably the surprise package in the season-opener as they converted lowly grid slots intothird and fourth at the chequered flag – Barnard becoming Formula E’s youngest podium-finisher in just his fourthstart in the series. The 20-year-old will be bidding to build upon that at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, whereBird reached the rostrum in 2017.
Others to have previously picked up trophies in Mexico are Mahindra Racing’s Edoardo Mortara – fifth in thecurrent classification – as well as former champions Sébastien Buemi (Envision Racing), Jean-Éric Vergne (DSPenske) and Jake Dennis (Andretti Formula E). The Swiss star wound up second in 2016 and 2024 and third in2018 and 2020, with Frenchman Vergne ascending the podium in 2017 and 2022 and Dennis dominating en routeto title glory two years ago.
Aside from Wehrlein, the only other repeat winner in the race is Lola Yamaha ABT Formula E Team’s Lucas DiGrassi. The Season 3 champion triumphed in 2017 and 2019, subsequently deploying all of his experience as heunleashed a defensive masterclass to secure third place in 2023. The ninth Mexico City E-Prix will get underway at 14:05 local time (21:05 CET) on Saturday, 11 January.
THE 2025 TRACK
MEDIA CENTRE
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2025 MEXICO CITY E-PRIX ENTRIES
2024 MEXICO CITY E-PRIX RESULTS
| 1. Pascal Wehrlein | Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E |
| 2. Sébastien Buemi | Envision Racing |
| 3. Nick Cassidy | Jaguar TCS Racing |