Credit: Sam Bagnall courtesy of FIA Formula E
Another season of Formula E has come and gone, with a brand-new era of the sport having been successfully introduced, just about. Whilst season nine was slow to really get going, a four-way fight for both championships blossomed.
At first, Porsche’s initially dominant powertrain made it look like Jake Dennis and Pascal Wehrlein would duel for the crown, only for Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans to join the fight mid-season, as Jaguar started to work their magic.
It was a year for the underdogs, as customer Jaguar team Envision Racing snatched the Constructors’ Championship, whilst Dennis did the job in the Drivers’ Standings for customer Porsche side Avalanche Andretti. It was a record-breaking season with the Gen3 machinery, as Formula E continued to push the limits of EV technology.
Season nine saw more overtakes than ever before, with the sport’s inaugural trip to Portland alone featuring 403 overtakes, whilst the American venue also saw the sport’s highest speed. There were some issues along the way, but nobody can argue that what the all-electric series lacks in noise, it makes up for in quality racing.
Above: The class of 2022/23 – Credit: Sam Bloxham courtesy of FIA Formula E
Jake Dennis – World Drivers’ Champion
It seems only appropriate to start this season review with a few words on the first British Formula E World Champion, Dennis. His rise to the top in just three seasons in Formula E is unprecedented, especially given the depth of talent in the paddock.
Many wondered if Dennis would be able to carry his strong form at the end of the Gen2 era into Gen3, a question he more than answered from the get-go. Dennis cruised to victory in the season-opener by over eight seconds, something which is very rarely seen in Formula E.
It was an immediate answer as to whether he’d be a title contender, something he most certainly was. Not only did Dennis become the 2022/23 World Champion, he did so in record-breaking fashion.
11 podiums in 16 races saw him eclipse the previous record for most rostrums in a season, proving that his title glory was more than deserved. He was pushed all the way though, most notably by Cassidy and Envision.
Credit: LAT Images courtesy of FIA Formula E
Envision Racing – World Constructors’ Champion
After nine seasons in Formula E, Envision finally triumphed in the Constructors’ Championship, having come so close on so many occasions. The Silverstone-based outfit were brilliant in 2023 and always looked like they’d end the season towards the top.
Even in the opening rounds of the season when it appeared that Porsche would dominate, the Jaguar customer team were within touching distance, something which was crucial to claiming the title. With an incredible amount of help from Cassidy, Envision pounced whenever Porsche faltered.
This gave them the edge in the end, with Cassidy’s deadly consistency having toppled the German manufacturer. Cassidy ended the campaign second in the standings but somewhat robbed of a real push at the title, given what happened in Rome.
Four victories, a pole position and a further four podiums was a sensational return by the Kiwi though, who is arguably responsible for the team claiming the crown. Sébastian Buemi’s campaign was in many ways a mediocre one, with a poor mid-season run having tarnished what was a solid season on the whole.
Two pole positions in 2023 saw him break the record for most poles in Formula E, although neither resulted in a podium. Consistency was ultimately the key for Envision, who have since waved goodbye to Cassidy for 2024.
Above: Cassidy after winning the second race in Berlin – Credit: Simon Galloway courtesy of FIA Formula E
Jaguar TCS Racing
Jaguar TCS Racing will perhaps reflect on 2023 as a massively missed opportunity to become champions, yet it was still a successful season for the Coventry-based team. Second in the Constructors’ Championship on paper is a great result, but considering some of their fortune in season nine, they could’ve won the title.
Evans led the team once again and came so close to the Drivers’ Championship for a third consecutive season, only to have his chances evaporate partly through his own doing. A costly error at his beloved Rome ended any realistic hope of becoming World Champion; however, being taken out twice by Sam Bird certainly did him no favours.
Seven podiums, including four victories, and three pole positions marked a season worthy of a Champion, yet a slow start to the season, plus the incidents with Bird left him with too big a mountain to climb. Bird’s season was, again, a disappointing one.
Whilst he did return to the podium on four occasions, his season was ridiculed by driver errors, two of which cost Evans and the team. He showed that he does still have the pace to be at the front, but his form just isn’t consistent enough.
Seven top 10 finishes in 16 races isn’t the standard for a Jaguar driver, something he’s perhaps discovered with his exit for 2024. Jaguar can be proud of their efforts and most certainly be pleased with the performance of their powertrain, which proved to be the package to have in season nine.
Seeing their customer team claim the crown and not them will sting, but with Cassidy joining for season 10, the side can certainly enjoy the off-season.
Above: Evans and Bird leading the field in Rome – Credit: Sam Bloxham courtesy of FIA Formula E
Avalanche Andretti Formula E
For the time being, Avalanche Andretti Formula E were the top Porsche-powered team in third, but the star of the Andretti show was Dennis. The World Champion was very much the lead driver at the American side, with André Lotterer having been disappointing, to say the least.
Compared to Dennis’ record-breaking 11 podiums, Lotterer managed a season-best result of fourth in the season-opener. That result was one of only five points finishes in 2023, leaving him a staggering 206 points behind Dennis.
That really hurt Andretti in the Constructors’ Championship, as they had a package which could’ve taken the fight to the Jaguar-powered teams. Lotterer was really the team’s only weakness, given that Dennis was claiming podiums at virtually every round.
It also meant Dennis had very little support in the final rounds of the season, although he hardly needed it after Buemi and Cassidy collided in London. Andretti consistently managed to get the Porsche powertrain to work, something which the factory side struggled to do.
With the exception of the opening race in London where Dennis sealed his title, the second race in Rome was a highlight for the side. After miscalculating the length of the first race in the Italian capital, Dennis and Andretti responded in the second race by completing the perfect day.
The Briton claimed pole, victory and the fastest lap, something which only Evans also achieved in season nine. If only Lotterer had been more competitive, because if he had, Andretti would’ve likely done the double. It gives them something to work towards next season, with Dennis getting a new partner.
Above: Dennis celebrating victory in Mexico City – Credit: Sam Bagnall courtesy of FIA Formula E
TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
What can be said about the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team? Oh, what could’ve been for the Germans, who fell at the final hurdle in dramatic fashion. Porsche slipped from first to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship in the last four races, or did they?
The Stuttgart-based team’s season isn’t technically complete, as they’ve gone to the Court of Appeal after António Félix da Costa was slapped with an almighty three-minute time penalty in London. This robbed him of a podium, and saw Porsche slip below their customer team, Andretti.
Regardless of the outcome, Porsche’s loss of both championships overshadows what was the manufacturer’s best season in the series, having previously been a sleeping giant. Wehrlein’s two wins from the opening three races saw him labelled as an immediate title favourite. He even led the series from the end of January until the start of May.
His approach to fighting for the title was arguably too conservative though, as he often finished around P6-P8. Whilst he was collecting consistent points, Dennis, Cassidy and Evans were picking up regular podiums. The German only claimed four podiums in 2023, three of which were victories.
However, it should also be noted that three of his podiums came in the first three races of the season. Da Costa only claimed one less podium than his team-mate, in what was a mixed first season with Porsche. His season will be remembered for his win in South Africa, where the season six Champion was at his very best.
Porsche were so dominant at the start of the season that many assumed they’d win the title in Red Bull-esque fashion; however, Jaguar’s rapid progress saw the Germans playing catch-up. They had potentially the strongest and most efficient race car on the grid, but they just couldn’t get it to work over one-lap.
Too often, Wehrlein and Da Costa qualified in the midfield or, even worse, towards the back, simply leaving them with too much work to do to get to the leading places. If Porsche can solve their qualifying woes with some software changes, then they will challenge again next season.
Above: A euphoric Wehrlein after a dominant win in Diriyah – Credit: Simon Galloway courtesy of FIA Formula E
DS Penske
DS Penske entered the season as many people’s favourites for the title, not only because they boasted an incredible pairing of Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne, but due to the fact they looked a step ahead of the other powertrain suppliers in pre-season.
Season nine ended up being a very disappointing one, with the Stellantis powertrain having been at best third in the pecking order. Whilst Vergne did well to finish fifth in the Drivers’ Championship, both drivers lacked any real conviction, mostly due to a car which just seemed to not have the pace.
Both Vergne and Vandoorne were regular top 10 finishers, albeit around P5-P9. It resulted in DS Penske losing touch with the Porsche and Jaguar-powered teams relatively quickly, but they did at least survive a late scare and finish ahead of their customer team, Maserati.
Vergne’s defensive masterclass to claim victory in Hyderabad was by far the side’s highlight of the season, but even then, they didn’t look convincing. Efficiency was at times a problem, as was qualifying.
Similar to Porsche, DS Penske often started the races from the midfield, making their fight for points more challenging in many ways due to their pace struggles. The less said about Vandoorne’s title defence, the better. DS Penske were also involved in their fair share of controversy in 2023, most notably in Portland.
Both drivers were sentenced to pit-lane starts after the FIA discovered that the side had been using an illegal scanner, to gain information on the tyres being used by their competitors. That incident summarised what can only be seen as a disappointing season for the team.
Above: Vergne putting on a defensive masterclass in Hyderabad to defeat Cassidy – Credit: LAT Images courtesy of FIA Formula E
Maserati MSG Racing
If it weren’t for Maximilian Günther having one of the most remarkable second halves of the season, then this review of Maserati MSG Racing’s season would’ve been extremely different.
Having successfully rebranded from ROKIT Venturi, Maserati started life in Formula E by looking unbelievable in pre-season testing, where Günther topped almost every session. This form was certainly not carried into the start of the season, which couldn’t have gone any worse for the Monte-Carlo-based team.
Three points courtesy of Edoardo Mortara in the opening six rounds of 2023 left Maserati P10 in the Constructors’ Championship, in what was an embarrassing start to the season ridiculed by driver errors and bad luck. That all changed in Berlin, as Günther showed exactly what he’s capable of.
A podium at his home race kickstarted his and Maserati’s season, which reached new heights in Jakarta. With the exception of the opening race of the Jakarta double-header – where he finished third – Günther topped every session in the Indonesian capital, to claim Maserati’s first win in single-seater racing since 1957.
He secured another rostrum at the manufacturer’s home race in Rome, leaving many to wonder what the German would have achieved in season nine had he started the season in this form. Despite having not scored his first points of the season until Berlin, Günther salvaged seventh in the standings.
Mortara could only manage P13, following a very underwhelming campaign. Günther’s second half brilliance was enough to claim Maserati a solid sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, but knowing that if they can start 2024 in the form they boasted in the second half of 2023, then they could be real title contenders.
Above: Günther topped every session bar one in the Jakarta double-header – Credit: Andrew Ferraro courtesy of FIA Formula E
Nissan Formula E Team
45 points behind Maserati in seventh were the Nissan Formula E Team, who spent the start of the Gen3 era either right at the front, or towards the back. It was a massively inconsistent season for the Japanese manufacturer, who at times were superior over all the other powertrain suppliers in qualifying.
Rookie Sacha Fenestraz stormed to pole in Cape Town and would’ve been on pole in Monaco, had it not been for an overuse of power. The rookie was often a star in qualifying but had a tendency to fall backwards in the races. This wasn’t always his fault, with Nissan’s energy efficiency needing significant work.
The rookie’s highlight was a P4 finish in Monaco and Jakarta, whilst the rest of his season was predominantly spent outside the points. Team-mate Norman Nato was able to score points more consistently than the rookie in his comeback season, with the 31-year-old having built in confidence throughout the year.
Nato struggled in the first half of the season and didn’t really show much until Monaco, where he qualified third. However, a run of six consecutive points finishes at the end of the season saw Nato back at his very best, as he also claimed Nissan’s first podium as a powertrain supplier in the series.
His form came too late for a future with the team though, as Nato is in need of a seat elsewhere for 2024. It’s unknown who’ll partner Fenestraz next season, although ex-Nissan driver Oliver Rowland is the rumoured favourite.
Nissan do have potential with the package they’ve got, but if they really want to make progress going into next season, then they must find a way to become consistently efficient. With their often-sublime qualifying pace, the Japanese side would then possess a very strong package.
Above: Nato’s podium in Rome was Nissan’s first as a powertrain supplier – Credit: Simon Galloway courtesy of FIA Formula E
NEOM McLaren Formula E Team
The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team – Nissan’s customer team – had a season which capitulated in the final seven races, where they scored three points. McLaren had sat sixth in the standings for the bulk of the season, only to fall to eighth towards the end of their first Formula E campaign.
Life in the series started brilliantly for the Woking-based team, with rookie Jake Hughes having had an instant impact. The Brit claimed pole on his third attempt, before going on to claim a second pole position in Monaco.
Hughes deserved a podium for his immense efforts but was only capable of claiming a season best result of fifth on three occasions. McLaren did taste champagne just the once, as the returning – and now departing again – René Rast finished third in Diriyah.
Similar to Nissan, McLaren looked at their best in qualifying, before suffering from a mixture of bad luck and poor efficiency. There is clearly a link between Nissan’s and McLaren’s struggles. McLaren’s woes were amplified though, by the fact that they were the lowest-scoring team in the final seven races.
Three points in seven races was a poor return, although not as bad as Rast failing to score a point in the final 10 races of the season. With the side having a lot of employees from Mercedes-EQ, McLaren have got the potential to make progress next season, something the expected arrival of Sam Bird will support.
Above: Hughes led the opening laps in Monaco after starting on pole – Credit: LAT Images courtesy of FIA Formula E
NIO 333 Racing
Having been the backmarker team throughout the Gen2 era, NIO 333 Racing’s return to the midfield was a welcomed one, as was Dan Ticktum’s progression during his sophomore campaign.
Considering NIO are the only powertrain supplier in the sport without a customer team, the fact they finished above both Mahindra-powered teams is a huge achievement, which shouldn’t be looked over.
Given how close customer teams have worked with their supplier, NIO have had access to significantly less data than every other team, yet this didn’t stop them from making great progress. Ticktum was comfortably the team’s best driver, with him having scored exactly double the number of points Sérgio Sette Câmara managed.
The Brazilian achieved just two points finishes, whereas Ticktum finished in the top 10 seven times in total. Little can be said about Sette Câmara’s campaign because of how poor it was, something which is disappointing given the glimmers of talent he showed in season eight.
Ticktum’s qualifying pace was particularly impressive, with him having made seven appearances in the duels, the same number as Cassidy and Wehrlein. What let him down was NIO’s efficiency, which in many ways was the worst on the grid.
A target for NIO over the off-season will be to try and improve their efficiency by looking at their software, with that really being the only thing stopping the Chinese team from becoming regular points finishers.
Above: Ticktum ended his sophomore season with back-to-back top 10 finishes in London – Credit: Sam Bagnall courtesy of FIA Formula E
Mahindra Racing
Mahindra Racing were very much led into a false sense of hope at the season-opener in Mexico City, where Lucas di Grassi claimed pole position and a podium on his debut for the team. From then on, the season was an exhausting and demanding affair for the Indian manufacturer.
Efficiency wasn’t a huge problem for Mahindra, but their one-lap pace was dreadful. The team managed just three duel appearances all season, the lowest of any outfit. Mahindra were often right at the back of the grid, leaving Di Grassi in particular too much ground to make up.
The Brazilian was one of the strongest drivers when it came to the races, with him having claimed the ABB Driver of Progress award. He was very much the team’s leader, after Oliver Rowland departed mid-season ahead of the Jakarta E-Prix, reportedly due to being unimpressed by the uncompetitive Mahindra powertrain.
Roberto Merhi completed the season. Cape Town was by far the lowest of lows for the Banbury-based side, after all Mahindra-powered cars withdrew from the E-Prix, amid concerns about the safety of their rear suspension. It was a deeply saddening moment for the team, who just couldn’t catch a break.
Just three points finishes followed for the team after Mexico City, although Mahindra are aware that they’re embarking on a long-term project to get back to the front. The way the team stuck together and scored points in Rome – Di Grassi claimed seventh in the opening race – was admirable, but a repeat of 2023 can’t be seen in 2024.
Above: Di Grassi converted pole in Mexico City into a podium – Credit: Sam Bloxham courtesy of FIA Formula E
ABT CUPRA Formula E Team
Whilst the ABT CUPRA Formula E Team did finish a distant last in the Constructors’ Championship, the Kempten-based side’s return to the sport was in many ways one of the stories of the season.
ABT CUPRA’s return to the sport as a Mahindra customer team couldn’t have started any worse, after Robin Frijns was ruled out for four races following a nasty crash in the opening round. The Dutchman broke his hand and his wrist, resulting in a lengthy surgery and a period on the sidelines.
Kelvin van der Linde was brought in to replace Frijns until he returned in São Paulo, with the South African having performed admirably given that he had no prior single-seater experience. It really was a miserable start to the season for ABT CUPRA, who were the other team to withdraw from Cape Town.
However, the German side’s second half of the season was mesmeric and a joy to behold, as they defied the odds to score several points. Nico Müller finally found some form and was a star of the second half of 2023, which saw him score 15 points, enough to finish the season ahead of Sette Câmara.
Frijns could only manage six points, although he was responsible for the side’s most memorable moment. Frijns claimed a famous pole position ahead of the second race in Berlin, with Müller astonishingly completing the front row. The duo came to life in wet conditions, before Müller held on for P9 in the race.
The Swiss driver’s personal highlight of the year was arguably his sixth-place finish in Rome, which was completely on merit. ABT CUPRA’s second half of 2023 was so strong that they scored more points in the final 10 races than McLaren and Mahindra.
Significant progress with their package was clearly made, giving hope that ABT CUPRA can move off the bottom next season, albeit without the departed Frijns.
Above: Frijns and Müller claimed a shock 1-2 in qualifying at ABT CUPRA’s home E-Prix – Credit: Sam Bloxham courtesy of FIA Formula E
Looking ahead to 2024
Despite season nine having concluded just three weeks ago, all eyes are already set on next year and Formula E’s centurion campaign. 16 races are scheduled with the full calendar yet to be confirmed, although the sport’s inaugural trip to Tokyo has been finalised. Pre-season testing for season 10 is also just around the corner, with it taking place at the end of October in Valencia.
With Cassidy having moved to Jaguar, the Coventry-based team are perhaps already seen as the side with the greatest expectations for 2024. Will it be enough, though, to dethrone Dennis and Envision?
Keyword: 2022/23 season review: A record-breaking year for Formula E