Five things we learned from the Mexico City E-Prix

Oliver Rowland became the second different Formula E winner in as many races after surging to an unexpected victory in the closing stages of the Mexico City E-Prix.

But while the Briton’s overtaking prowess handed him the win, the outright performance of Porsche drivers Antonio Felix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein was an ominous warning sign for its rivals.

After another exhilarating race in the 2024-25 season, here are five things we learned from the Mexico City E-Prix:

1. Porsche’s dominant pace a warning to rivals despite lack of wins

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City has been a happy hunting ground for Porsche. Pascal Wehrlein claiming his and the German manufacturer’s first Formula E victory at the venue in 2022, before another dominant win followed 12 months ago.

Reigning champion Wehrlein underlined the dominance of the new Gen3 Evo package by claiming back-to-back pole positions this season, his top spot last weekend at the wheel of a newly built chassis after his spectacular shunt in Sao Paulo.

It marked the first time a driver had taken four Formula E pole positions at the same venue while team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa ensured Porsche claimed a first Formula E front-row lockout.

In the race the pair dominated proceedings, leading 26 of the 36 laps between them, and until a later safety car put them on the backfoot against the Attack Mode-powered Rowland, they likely had the top two positions locked in.

“I thought we had a 1-2 today for the team and then that safety car, I still have to go back and look at it,” said da Costa. “Maybe Oliver would have had enough to come back to the front or not, I guess we’ll never know, but it ruined our party a little bit.”

Despite not having recorded a victory yet, a second runner-up spot in two races means da Costa leads the drivers’ standings for the first time since his title-winning season in 2019-20, 12 points clear of Rowland and Mitch Evans, while Porsche already leads the teams’ table by 31 points from McLaren.

Based on current form, Porsche victories seem inevitable and given that da Costa went on a win-streak of four from five races last season, there’s every possibility that such a feat will be repeated over the remaining 14 races, all of which will have other teams rightly concerned.

2. Rowland proves a genuine threat after impressive victory

Rowland showed that he will take advantage of any opportunity to win and must be considered a factor this season

Photo by: Andreas Beil

“I think I would have got back to them [the top three], but I think had I passed them [with Attack Mode] I would have consumed too much and struggled to maintain the lead is my gut feeling.”

Whether or not Rowland would have had enough in hand even with a full six minutes of Attack Mode to make up several seconds to the leading trio ahead of him, overtake and then hold on for the win in Mexico remains open to debate.

But what is not in doubt is how the Briton was merciless in his pursuit of victory when given a sniff courtesy of a late safety car, which was quickly retracted and meant Rowland had essentially a single lap to launch his assault with extra power.

Dispatching Jake Dennis immediately at the restart, launching up the inside of an unsuspecting Wehrlein at Turn 5, then going wheel-to-wheel with da Costa and taking the lead with just seconds of his extra power remaining showcased Rowland at his very best.

It also served as a reminder to the rest of the grid that, while the Rowland/Nissan combination had been something of an outside bet for the championship last season, they are even more of a potent threat this campaign in the Gen3 Evo era.

But for a technical infraction victory might have also gone Rowland’s way in Sao Paulo, and with the last two champions in Dennis and Wehrlein having won in Mexico en route to their title successes, Rowland could prove to be the biggest thorn in the side of Porsche this season.

3. Jaguar faces uphill battle as it lags behind

Cassidy scored no points again, but says Jaguar has reason to be hopeful in the second half of the season

Photo by: Oscar Lumley – Motorsport Images

Reigning teams’ champions Jaguar endured a torrid Mexico City event after failing to score any points and appears to be on the backfoot compared with Porsche and Nissan, lacking the outright efficiency and pace of its rivals.

Sao Paulo winner Evans admitted the British manufacturer has “definitely got some work to do”, with the Kiwi unable to keep up with the leading runners during the race having qualified fifth.

Any hopes of a vital points finish ended with just five laps remaining, Evans breaking his suspension in a collision with Nico Muller as the Andretti driver suffered a momentary loss of power ahead.

The weekend fared even worse for team-mate Nick Cassidy, who has now failed to score in either of the first two races. Forced to start from the back of the grid after being stripped of his qualifying time due to a throttle pedal map infraction, he was unable to make any significant progress through the field like Evans had done in the season-opener. Last year’s title challenger was eventually classified only 12th.

“I think we’re a little bit behind where we want to be with this car,” said Cassidy. “We’ve got some really cool, exciting things in the pipeline where I think we’ve got to wait until the break after [the next round in] Jeddah to see how that kind of comes on. I’m probably more hopeful for the second half of the season than I am right now.”

4. McLaren’s weekend to forget shows Formula E’s brutal nature

Post-race penalty for Barnard capped a tough weekend for McLaren, scoring no points

Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images

Entering the Mexico City E-Prix, McLaren occupied top spot in the teams’ standings courtesy of Taylor Barnard’s Sao Paulo podium – the youngest driver ever to feature on an FE rostrum – and fourth place for Sam Bird. But the papaya machines left the second round of the season pointless, signifying how fortunes in the all-electric championship can swing from one round to the next.

Bird was left aggrieved by Nyck de Vries having been blocked by the Mahindra driver in qualifying, costing him a place in the duels as the Dutchman was handed a three-place grid penalty. The pair found themselves together again in the race, de Vries lunging up the inside of Bird into the double-right of Turn 5 in the early running with the Briton then making contact and giving a puncture to the second Mahindra of Edoardo Mortara ahead.

“I feel like, no offence, but Nyck’s destroyed the weekend whether he meant to or not”, said Bird, who was handed a five-second penalty for the contact with Mortara and eventually classified 18th.

The wrong tyre pressures on a damp but drying track in qualifying ensured Barnard started only 19th, but the Briton was able to climb into 10th before the chequered flag having just completed his full allocation of Attack Mode in time.

“I had to brake right before the line to make it, so it was very close. The team were counting me down, but I saw it and was aware,” said Barnard.

It was all for nought, though, as the 20-year-old was handed a five-second post-race penalty for “leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage”, which dropped him down to 14th as McLaren dropped to second in the standings on a weekend to forget.

5. Mexico City’s track and fans deliver again

Mexico has earned its place as a favourite of both fans and drivers alike

Photo by: Andreas Beil

Utilising a shortened layout compared to the full configuration Formula 1 uses, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has nevertheless become a firm favourite on the Formula E calendar for drivers, teams and fans – with 2025 the ninth edition of the race.

Not only capable of providing great racing, with its mix of high and low-speed corners, the track’s unique stadium section also creates a carnival atmosphere seen nowhere else on the schedule.

This year’s event was once again a sell-out with over 40,000 fans in attendance, hordes of which diligently lingered behind the garages in the hope of getting a picture or autograph with their favourite drivers.

“I wish it was a double-header, I’ve been asking for it for a couple of years now,” said Wehrlein after his podium finish. “I love coming here because of all the fans, I feel like they are the best fans in our racing calendar.

“So enthusiastic, they love motorsport, they love racing, they love us drivers, so many presents and gifts, I just enjoy being here.”

It’s little wonder the Mexico City circuit is a favourite for defending champion Wehrlein after his latest strong showing at the track

Photo by: Joe Portlock / Motorsport Images