At the top of the championship and with more E-Prix wins to his name this season than in his entire Formula E career to 2023 combined, it’s no wonder Pascal Wehrlein is currently riding high and is positive about his prospects in the Gen3 car.
The Porsche driver last took back-to-back victories in Saudi Arabia and now focuses his attention on Hyderabad as FE prepares for his debut in India.
It turns out to be a fairly typical approach of the German: enjoying the moment as it is, but constantly looking ahead and imagining the challenges and successes that are yet to come.
Take, for example, his comments about the brand new electric series vehicle. With 71 points over the course of last season – the last year he used the Gen2 car – he has already nearly surpassed that tally after just three rounds this season. Two wins and a second place finish have Wehrlein on 68 points, six ahead of early rival Jake Dennis, and the speed with which he and his team have adapted to the Gen3 is clearly cause for admiration.
But rather than just stop praising the leap forward the championship has made with the upgrade, Wehrlein is already looking ahead: the next improvements, the next possibilities, the next reasons to be excited about the direction it is heading. sports and even its relevance. in the broader process for manufacturers.
“I really like the new car – overall it’s definitely a big step up from Gen2: more power, lighter car, front drivetrain where you can recover energy and be much more efficient in the race,” he said. the independent during a media conversation. “Going forward, I think we can expect fast charging pit stops and a big opportunity for the race format.
“A slick tire and a wet tire can be cool for the future. I think you can find a lot of achievements there.
“But the changes are going in the right direction and you’re seeing a big step in terms of technology – fast charging is very relevant for road cars and I’m happy to be a part of that journey.”
The last sentence is of course correct. Many of the manufacturers have already been able to use data from their Formula E teams to influence real-world changes in commercial vehicles, including for software updates and battery improvements.
Fast charging in a racing environment will only underline the reliability of the technology for everyday electric vehicle users, an important tool in combating the global climate crisis. An important market for automakers is, of course, India with a population of 1.4 billion people – where Formula E team Mahindra is finally ready for their home race this weekend.
Hyderabad will be a new track for the drivers and an even new car, so continuity is everything for those looking to replicate recent successes.
“The approach will be similar: [initially] simulator preparation, which will be the first time I see the track in India, and then we will find a good baseline setup,” Wehrlein said. .
“It’s about finding a groove as quickly as possible and being happy with the car.
“We are happy with the first three races and we were very successful, so we want to continue with that. With the positive results of the last few races I am really looking forward to it.”
And that’s Wehrlein in a nutshell – looking ahead. It goes without saying, then, that his last word should be on the exact same theme, taking his eyes to the horizon of the season and another brand new challenge ahead.
“I’m really looking forward to Cape Town. I’ve never been there and I always enjoy going to new tracks, exploring them and seeing what they’re like.
“I’m also looking forward to Monaco – it’s a highlight on the calendar, as well as my home race in Berlin. Those are my favorites to go to; overall I look forward to every track and every race! But those will be special.”
::Buy tickets for the Hankook London E-Prix 2023 on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July by visiting the Formula E website.