Wehrlein wins second Formula E title amid team orders controversy in London finale

Title decided at ExCeL

Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) secured his second Formula E world championship at the London E-Prix on Sunday, the season finale held at the ExCeL circuit over 35 laps. Wehrlein entered the race with a five-point lead over Dennis and a 21-point gap over Evans. He finished 15th and failed to score, but clinched the title because Dennis also finished outside the points after a late collision. Wehrlein ended the season with 169 points, five ahead of Dennis on 164 and nine ahead of Evans (Jaguar) on 160, becoming only the second driver after Jean-Eric Vergne to win two Formula E titles.

The race win went to Taylor Barnard (DS Penske), who became the youngest winner in Formula E history in his second season. Nyck de Vries (Mahindra) finished second, 0.614 seconds behind, with teammate Edoardo Mortara third, 6.087 seconds back. Evans took fourth, not enough to overhaul his deficit.

Team orders shape the race

Both Porsche and Jaguar deployed team orders throughout the weekend. Porsche used Nico Müller to block rivals and protect Wehrlein, repeating a tactic from Saturday. Jaguar responded with António Félix da Costa, who passed Müller on lap 5 and ran as high as third before shifting to a defensive role, holding up Wehrlein to help Evans close the gap. Evans overtook Müller on lap 17, then on lap 26 passed both da Costa and Wehrlein to reach fourth. Da Costa then intensified pressure on Wehrlein, who dropped out of the points.

Da Costa, who finished 14th, 48.737 seconds behind Barnard, said Jaguar was simply matching Porsche's approach after deciding to activate a "plan B" on the first lap.

The objective was one: to win the Teams' World Championship, and we managed to achieve it. To do that, we had to finish ahead of the Porsches. We knew we were going to have to run a very disruptive race.

Jaguar defended its five-point lead over Porsche in the teams' championship. Da Costa added that Porsche "played a game yesterday that I didn't like" and that Jaguar "played their game" in response.

Late collision and fallout

On lap 31, Wehrlein made contact with Dennis and Joel Eriksson, sending both title contenders to the back. Wehrlein fell from fifth to 12th in four corners before spinning, and received a three-place grid penalty for the next race. Stewards had not penalised da Costa's defensive driving, nor Müller's throughout the weekend, judging both as fair. Neither Wehrlein nor Dennis scored, while Evans's fourth place left him nine points short.

Wehrlein was furious on team radio and criticised da Costa, his former Porsche teammate, in the post-race press conference.

I think that, given the circumstances and what we faced today, it makes it all the more enjoyable. The bitterness of some people and how far they would go makes me feel even more pleasure in the victory.

Dennis called the manner of Wehrlein's title "shameful" and argued the championship should be decided on track, not through team orders. Da Costa, in turn, accused Wehrlein of deliberately causing the collision with Dennis.

I was clear in my intention to defend the position and hold up Wehrlein. What happened with Jake was unacceptable.

Race milestones

Barnard's victory came on DS Automobiles' final race in Formula E, as the manufacturer departs the championship. The Mahindra pair of de Vries and Mortara secured a double podium, allowing Mahindra to overtake Andretti in the teams' classification. Evans's fourth place marked his last race with Jaguar.