Porsche's Rollercoaster Jeddah Weekend: Victory to Disappointment as Wehrlein Stays Optimistic
In a stunning display of highs and lows, Porsche's Formula E team experienced a thrilling yet tumultuous weekend at the Jeddah E-Prix, leaving fans and analysts alike questioning the team's consistency. After a dazzling triumph on Friday, where Pascal Wehrlein clinched a dominant 2.6-second victory from pole position, the team faced a stark reality on Saturday that felt like a crushing blow.
Wehrlein, who dazzled in the first race with an impressive use of attack mode that saw him extend his lead by over seven seconds, seemed poised to continue his winning streak. Meanwhile, his teammate Nico Muller secured a respectable fourth place, contributing to Porsche's commanding presence atop both the teams’ and manufacturers’ championship standings, with Wehrlein himself soaring to the summit of the drivers’ table.
However, the second day of racing was a dramatic departure from the first. As the sun rose over Jeddah, both Wehrlein and Muller found themselves stumbling in the qualifying rounds, finishing 11th and 16th respectively. Wehrlein's race was a struggle, culminating in an eighth-place finish that left him frustrated, while Muller lingered outside the points in 16th.
In a twist of fate, Porsche’s customer team, Cupra Kiro, emerged as an unexpected contender, with Dan Ticktum and rookie teammate Pepe Marti finishing fifth and sixth—an astonishing feat that placed them ahead of Wehrlein's factory car. The woes didn’t stop there; Andretti’s Jake Dennis, who had a front-row qualifying position in a customer Porsche, suffered a mid-race puncture, cutting his promising day short.
Reflecting on the weekend's dramatic shift, championship leader Wehrlein acknowledged a noticeable dip in grip levels during qualifying, attributing the lack of pace to a combination of missteps. “I think the car felt a tiny bit less grip in qualifying. Others were a bit quicker, and I think in the race, we kind of went too late to the ‘go’ moment,” he explained. “We progressed well in the first couple of laps from P11 to P6, but we ended up in the wrong attack mode cycle, and in the end, I just couldn't use my energy anymore. Pretty straightforward. We didn't optimise today, which is what it is. Nevertheless, it was a very positive weekend. The win on Friday, good points on Saturday. Taking the lead in the [drivers'] championship and also extending the other two championships [teams' and manufacturers']. Many things to be happy about.”
When probed about changes to the car, Wehrlein confidently stated, “Very good, very efficient as always. We didn't change the powertrain or anything.” This highlights the perplexing nature of Porsche's performance drop, leaving fans to wonder what went wrong overnight.
Muller, on the other hand, expressed his frustrations candidly. He had opted for a more daring strategy, conserving energy in anticipation of a safety car that never came. “We didn’t really make all the right choices in qualifying, didn’t quite have the performance, and the car was not feeling as good as the previous day,” he lamented. “In the race, we tried to bank a bit of energy to use later on, but that didn’t work out. The race became quicker, and we couldn’t benefit from that advantage, plus I had a bit of damage on the car, which slowed us down. No points today, which is frustrating, but it makes us hungrier to be back stronger in Madrid.”
As Porsche reflects on their rollercoaster weekend, one thing is clear: the team is ready to bounce back, and with a championship lead still intact, the road to recovery is set against the backdrop of a fierce and competitive Formula E season. Fans will be eagerly watching how they regroup for the upcoming races, especially as the stakes continue to rise!
