After winning on Friday, Pascal Wehrlein (GER) won the second night race at the Diriyah E-Prix while operating the brand-new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 vehicle. Porsche has enjoyed a successful weekend in Formula E. He now has the lead in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as a result of his two victories in Saudi Arabia.
The season's opening is ideal for the new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 due to the double strike in Diriyah. The Weissach-developed electric racing vehicle has won every race so far in season nine. After Porsche customer team Avalanche Andretti won the season opener in Mexico, Pascal Wehrlein led the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team to two triumphs there. On the city circuit in the capital of Riyadh, his colleague and reigning Formula E champion António Félix da Costa (POR) finished in eleventh place. Pascal Wehrlein currently holds the lead in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship's drivers standings with 68 points after round three of the championship's 16 races. With six points, António Félix da Costa is in 12th place. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is ranked second overall with 74 points.
Race 3 Pascal Wehrlein competed well in qualifying and started from position five for the second night race in Diriyah on Saturday. He moved up a spot soon after the race began and waited for his chance behind the small leading group. He had moved up to third place by lap 12 of the 40-lap race thanks to a faultless race strategy and his Porsche 99X Electric Gen3's incredibly economical powertrain, and then moved into second place shortly after. Wehrlein took over the lead and held off his challengers until the checkered flag on lap 17.
Comments on Race 3 of the Diriyah E-Prix Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, Thomas Laudenbach: "What a wonderful weekend. All of the team's effort is now being rewarded. I'm incredibly proud of each and every teammate. We've done our research; now it's time to maintain our focus. We are aware of how fierce the competition is in this global championship, and the season is still young. But now that we've had success, it's time to celebrate. "A sensational weekend for Porsche with two victories for the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3," said Florian Modlinger, Director of Factory Motorsport's Formula E program. Weissach's development team and the crew at the track deserve praise for once again flawlessly executing our plan today. Additionally, we improved our qualification in Diriyah. With P5, Pascal was able to start the day in a much better position, which he utilized to his fullest potential. He had a strong start, then patiently worked his way up the list to finally grab the lead and hold it. Porsche Works driver Pascal Wehrlein (#94): "I'll never forget this weekend. Two victories are an incredible accomplishment. Over the weekend, the entire crew put on a terrific display. Everyone put in a lot of effort to achieve this, and I couldn't be more pleased with the group. We had a flawless strategy and a scorching pace today. We utilized the attack mode at the ideal moment. That edge was clear-cut. I had to pass more vehicles when I won on Friday, but today's race was harder. It was evident that our competitors were catching up. That implies that we also can't take things easy. "Another fantastic day for Porsche," said António Félix da Costa, a work driver for Porsche (#13). Thank you to Pascal and the entire crew. Today went a little smoother for me. Even though we're improving every day, we're still not quite where I'd like us to be. However, it's just a matter of time. We drive a great vehicle. I have a great team supporting me, and I am really motivated. Success will manifest.