A new metropolis has been added to the Formula E world map with the Jakarta E-Prix on 4 June, as Indonesia hosts the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for the first time. At the wheel of the two Porsche 99X Electric race cars are André Lotterer (GER/#36), who earned points from both races at the Berlin doubleheader event recently, and Pascal Wehrlein (GER/#94).

The race on the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit marks the start of the second half of the season. The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team anticipates “a tough weekend with extreme weather conditions,” says Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E. “The team has to stay focussed on earning points to catch the competition.”

After 8 of 16 races, André Lotterer currently ranks seventh with 59 points in the drivers’ classification of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Pascal Wehrlein follows in eighth place with 51 points. In the team classification, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team lies fifth with 110 points.

Q&A on the Jakarta E-Prix

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E
Formula E heads into the second half of season 8 in Jakarta. What have been the highlights so far and what needs to improve?
“Obviously, a highlight has been the fantastic one-two in Mexico but also our strong qualifying performances. André is the only driver to make it into the duels at all races and, apart from one other team, we’ve been represented there more than any other squad. In addition to Mexico, our performances on other racetracks have been positive. We managed to be in the fight for a podium in Diriyah, Rome, Monaco and Berlin. At times we even led the races in Rome and Monaco. For the second half of the season, we not only need to get ourselves into a position to fight for podium places but to actually achieve them with the necessary degree of consistency.”

How much more preparation is needed to tackle a new racetrack like in Jakarta?
“There are, of course, additional challenges when you compete on a new track. With the help of the information available to us, we’ll prepare to the best of our ability. Moreover, we’ll try to anticipate what we’ll face on this newly built circuit, for example, how will the new asphalt respond to intense sunlight and high temperatures? We’ll tackle such questions in our preparations.”

André Lotterer, Porsche works driver (#36)
You’re the only driver this season to progress into the knock-out qualifying duels at all races. What makes you so strong and how do you feel about this record?
“Of course, I’m pleased with this statistic. It means that I have a fast car and that my engineers work well together. Without them and the team, I couldn’t have achieved something like this. We’re doing everything we can in our preparations to create the conditions for such performances in the simulator. So far we’ve managed to take what we’ve learned and implement it in all qualifying sessions. I’m very pleased about that.”

How would you sum up your first half of the season and what do you expect for the remaining races?
“So far, the season has shown me, first and foremost, that we have the potential to regularly score points. If everything comes together on a weekend, as it did in Mexico, we can also win races. For the second half of the season, I expect that we’ll learn our lessons well from races like the one in Berlin and grow stronger. We need to keep progressing if we want to be in contention for the title.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94)
This is the first outing in Jakarta for Formula E. Are you excited about the new track?
“It’s always fantastic to experience a new racetrack. The first laps are particularly exciting. I find it fascinating to feel the grip on the track and the balance of the car. I’m very much looking forward to it.”

You claimed the first Formula E victory for Porsche in Mexico. Are you satisfied with the first half of your season?
“I look back with mixed feelings. We won in Mexico, and we retired in Monaco. We need to be more consistent in tapping into the potential. I think we’ve forfeited too many points in the first half of the season. Compared to last year, we’ve made good progress but not yet on all tracks. We have to work on that.”

The racetrack
The Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit is located in the Ancol district with Jakarta Bay as the backdrop. It is not a typical street circuit - most of the track is flanked by walls, and it more closely resembles a permanent racetrack. While the purpose-built circuit is just 2.37-kilometres long, it features 18 turns. The start-finish straight is one of the longest on the Formula E calendar. In addition to the high humidity, teams and drivers must be prepared for temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius. The likelihood of rain is extremely high at this time of year. Heavy downpours and thunderstorms are to be expected, especially in the afternoon – and this can have an impact on the race.

Live TV and Internet coverage
The worldwide broadcasting schedule of the Formula E event in Jakarta is available on: https://www.fiaformulae.com/watch/ways-to-watch.

The Porsche 99X Electric
With the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche returned to open-wheel single-seater racing in 2019 after more than 30 years. The fully-electric racing car sporting the Weissach-developed Porsche E Performance Powertrain also serves as a development platform for the sports car manufacturer’s fully-electric production models. Energy management and efficiency are important factors for success in Formula E and in the development of production cars. For the 2021/2022 season, the 99X Electric has a maximum output of 250 kW in qualification mode and 220 kW in normal race mode. Attack Mode boosts the output to 250 kW. Maximum recuperation is 250 kW; the usable battery capacity is 52 Kilowatt-hours.

Porsche Taycan Turbo S as the safety car
Porsche is committed to Formula E safety: With the all-electric Taycan Turbo S, the sports car manufacturer supplies the official safety car this season and underlines the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport. Thanks to its driveability and safety as well as an output of up to 560 kW (761 PS), Porsche’s first all-electric sports car is the ideal choice as a safety car in the first and only all-electric motorsport world championship. With Launch Control, the flagship model of the Taycan range accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 260 km/h. The striking paintwork incorporates the colours of all eleven competing teams as well as the FIA and Formula E colours. The design symbolises the joint commitment to the future of all-electric motor racing as well as social values such as diversity and community.

Formula E
Formula E is the world’s first fully-electric racing series bringing thrilling motorsport to people living in major cities since 2014. As an accelerator for innovative and sustainable technologies of mobility, it promotes the worldwide acceptance of electric vehicles with the aim to counteract climate change. The format is compact: practice, qualifying and race all take place on one day. Each race usually runs over 45 minutes plus one lap. Eleven teams tackle the 2021/2022 season with 22 drivers. This makes for interesting and hotly contested races. This marks the third season for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team campaigning the Porsche 99X Electric.