P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Pascal Wehrlein’s hopes of retaining his Formula E title already looked remote. Then Shanghai race one made it all a lot worse
Porsche failed to score a point in a Formula E race at Shanghai, marking their first non-scoring race since Misano last April, further distancing reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein from the points leader Oliver Rowland.
The race brought radio friction between Porsche drivers Antonio Felix da Costa and Wehrlein following a confused race, leaving both without points and Wehrlein 87 points behind Rowland, making a title defense seem unlikely.
Wehrlein briefly led the race but dropped back, encountering conflicts with Da Costa during the race, with reported incidents of contact and disagreements over team tactics.
Porsche’s race disappointment was attributed to unexpected early losses for Wehrlein, causing them to deviate from their plan and struggle with tire issues and traffic pace.
Post-race, Porsche’s Motorsport Director Florian Modlinger mentioned analyzing feedback and onboard data to understand the drivers’ interactions and performance, acknowledging the need for improvements after the challenging race in Shanghai.
