London: The 2025-26 Formula E World Championship concluded with a chaotic season finale at the ExCeL Circuit here on Sunday, crowning Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein world champion for the second time, the German having won his first in 2023-24.
The dramatic double-header in the British capital delivered spectacular racing amid fierce rivalries to cap an intensely competitive 17-race season.
Heading into the final weekend, the championship battle was tightly poised. Wehrlein arrived here third in the standings with 141 points. He trailed championship leader, Andretti’s Jake Dennis, who held 146 points, and Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans, who was second with 144 points.
However, Wehrlein achieved a brilliant turnaround this weekend. The momentum shifted dramatically during Saturday’s opening race when Wehrlein, 31, delivered a masterclass in precision and energy management around the tricky indoor-outdoor 2km circuit for victory.
Despite a 14th place finish on Sunday, the German snatched the title as he finished with 169 points, ahead of Dennis (164) and Evans (160).
On Saturday, starting from pole he had capitalised on a flawless team strategy and a well-timed full course yellow to claim a decisive victory. By securing 25 points for the win and three points for pole, Wehrlein was catapulted to the top of the standings, taking a five-point lead over Dennis.
Sunday’s season finale though was fraught with tension and controversy. Jaguar deployed strategic team orders to beat Porsche, resulting in a fierce on-track rivalry that reached boiling point.
A late-race collision involving Wehrlein and Dennis sent both title contenders spinning to the back of the pack. Wehrlein ultimately crossed the finish line a disappointing 14th as he and Dennis failed to score any points.
Evans could only manage fourth, which meant Wehrlein’s 169-point tally proved just enough as he was crowned the world champion, proudly joining Jean-Eric Vergne as the only two-time title winners in the all-electric series.
Beyond the intense championship drama, Sunday’s London E-Prix was a historic weekend for DS Penske’s Taylor Barnard. Just 22, the British driver delivered a remarkably mature performance to navigate the frantic battles to become the youngest driver ever to win a race in Formula E.
Double podium for Mahindra
The weekend also marked a significant milestone for Mahindra Racing as the Gen3 era drew to a close. The Indian manufacturer, which secured the first pole position of the Gen3 era in 2023, fittingly claimed the era’s final pole position when Nyck de Vries topped Sunday’s qualifying session.
Although Mahindra could not convert that pole into a race victory, the team enjoyed a spectacular double podium finish with de Vries claiming second and Edoardo Mortara finishing right behind him in third.
This end-of-season result secured third place for Mahindra Racing in the team championship. It was a momentous achievement for the squad, matching their best-ever championship finish in the 2016-17 season.
“We came into the weekend with a very clear objective, which was to finish third in the team’s championship. We raced as a team today, we executed as a team today. Of course, we are a bit disappointed to lose out on the win, but we achieved the most important objective, and that was to finish third. So, happy to be on the podium together,” said De Vries after the race.
Jaguar TCS Racing won the teams’ championship with 288 points ahead of Porsche (271).
