Last Lap Drama Sees Wehrlein Take Round 7 Win In Misano

TAG Heuer Porsche made amends for their race one strife in Misano with Pascal Wehrlein measuring a drive to his sixth Formula E win.

The German stealing by Oliver Rowland (Nissan) on the final lap of the race while reigning champion Jake Dennis (Andretti) wound up second with Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy pinching third at the flag.

Wehrlein played his hand perfectly, and looked to be in the box seat with 10 laps to go as the Porsche sat some 2& to the good on all those around him in terms of usable energy. The German had decided it more prudent to follow early leader and polesitter Jake Hughes through the early stages then Jean-Eric Vergne (DS PENSKE) and Nico Mueller (ABT CUPRA) before Nissan’s Oliver Rowland made the jump for P1 on Lap 20.

On an energy critical circuit such as Misano, this looked to be the best policy and entering the final stages it didn’t look possible that Rowland would be able to hold the lead and finish the race given Wehrlein’s energy advantage. Onto the final lap, though and over radio, Porsche had informed Wehrlein that his powertrain was derating – regulating itself in the heat – leaving the German seemingly unable to challenge Rowland’s lead.

The Brit was indeed holding fast but it wouldn’t last; Nissan seemingly miscalculating his usable energy remaining – through a technical issue rather than human error – seeing his car crawl to a half way around Lap 26 with the chequered flag seconds away – a reprieve for Porsche, and doubly so with Wehrlein taking Round 7 after the team’s Round 6 disappointment.

Dennis did well to clamber from ninth at the start to second at the flag for Andretti, with Cassidy jumping from eighth to third with a last-ditch, final corner move on ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller for the final spot on the podium – breaking the German team’s hearts with metres left to race. Mueller had earlier led the race – previously only sitting P1 across three laps in his Formula E career. Still, ABT’s best result since Lucas di Grassi won in London for the team in 2021.

Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz came home fifth, Sergio Sette Camara impressed again for ERT with sixth position – following up teammate Dan Ticktum’s fifth in race one, a six-season high for the Anglo-Chinese squad. Jean-Eric Vergne (DS PENSKE) followed in seventh, with polesitter Hughes only able to round eighth after running wide.

Maximilian Guenther continued his perfect Season 10 scoring streak with ninth for Maserati MSG Racing on home soil while teammate Jehan Daruvala scored maiden points with 10th. That marked the first points for an Indian driver since Karun Chandhok finished in the top six in Formula E’s first two races all the way back in 2014.

That victory draws Wehrlein level with Dennis at the top of the Drivers’ standings on 89 points with prior leader Rowland falling nine points back to third. Jaguar TCS Racing heads the way in the Teams’ table – 16 points clear of Andretti.