The Gen3 era of Formula E has begun. Qualifying for the opening round of the Mexico City E-Prix took place on Saturday, January 14th, with Lucas di Grass (Mahindra) taking the memorable first pole position of Season 9.
The final was a battle between Lucas di Grassi and Jake Dennis (Andretti), both drivers made mistakes, but Di Grassi prevailed and put his car on pole position.
In the garage opposite Mahindra, Oliver Rowland failed to set a lap in the group stage, resulting in an extreme start from the back.
The biggest shock of the session came in the DS Penske garage, where both season 8 champion Stoffel Vandoorne and teammate Jean-Eric Vergne failed to make it past the group stage. Although they actually showed their pace, they will start from 14th and 11th on the grid respectively.
Neither Maserati, who showed speed in the test, might advance to the duel phase. Eduardo Mortara and Maximilian Gunther will start from 16th and 17th.
Andretti qualified as an undeniably fast car following a pessimistic test of the Porsche-supplied car’s potential. Andre Lotterer faced pole-sitter Lucas di Grassi in the semi-finals.
Jake Dennis was lucky enough to come through following hitting the wall in a duel with Pascal Wehrlein in the quarter-finals, which damaged his front wing.
Rookie Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz will start eighth on the grid following losing out to Andretti’s André Lotterer in the quarter-finals by 0.044 seconds.
Fellow rookie Jake Hughes (McLaren) was third in Group B, beating Daniel Ticktum (NIO 333) by 0.02 seconds in the quarter-finals. Hughes will line up third on the grid for the Mexico City E-Prix, while his teammate Rene Rast will start 15th.
NIO 333, following years of struggling at the back of the grid, are very positive with Daniel Ticktum finishing 2nd in Group B and 5th in the quarter-finals with a time in the 1’12s Gen3 era However, Sergio Sette Camara, unfortunately unable to participate in the Group A Duel, starts from 13th.
Formula E 2023 Mexico City E-Prix Qualifying Results
1. Lucas Di Grassi (Mahindra Racing)
2. Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti)
3. Jake Hughes (NEOM McLaren)
Four. André Lotterer (Avalanche Andretti)
Five. Daniel Ticktum (NIO 333 Racing)
6. Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche)
7. Sebastien Buemi (Envision Racing)
8. Sasha Fenestraz (Nissan)
Ten. Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing)
11. Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske)
12. Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing)
13. Sergio Sette Camara (NIO 333 Racing)
13. Antonio da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche)
14. Stoffel Vandoorne (DS Penske)
15. Rene Last (NEOM McLaren)
16. Edoardo Mortara (Maserati MSG Racing)
17. Maximilian Gunther (Maserati MSG Racing)
18. Nico Muller (ABT CUPRA)
19. Robin Frijns (ABT CUPRA)
20. Norman Nato (Nissan)
twenty one. Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing)
twenty two. Oliver Rowland (Mahindra Racing)
