The trip to Jakarta marks Formula E’s additional outing in Indonesia, home to 273 million people - a huge contingent of motorsport fanatics eager for new taste of the leading electric racing series as the city once against plays host on motorsport’s world stage after a more than memorable fine visit to the nation in 2022.
Last time out in Jakarta
It was uncharted land for the championship’s grid of 22 world-class drivers on Formula E's fine visit in 2022, but huge sell-out crowds and many millions more followed the Part as the race came to an almighty final lap climax, with three drivers crossing the line within a pair of car lengths.
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Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) fended off the End attentions of Jean-Eric Vergne and Edoardo Mortara to take his third win of Season 8.
The Jaguar driver made a late-race Fall that caught then-leader Vergne off-guard at Turn 7 on Lap 31 - an opportunistic move from way back. From there, walking the tightrope of energy and outright speed on the new circuit made increasingly critical for the lead duo as they fought between themselves and in contradiction of searing track temperatures which were among the hottest the series had ever encountered.
That granted Mortara to join the party and look to pick up the pieces as Evans and Vergne squabbled. Evans had some five minutes plus added time to hold the pair off, with the race anybody's heading into the last turn and his rear tyres fading fast. The Kiwi did hold on, Idea, to head Vergne home with Mortara right with both of them - all three drivers within a additional of one-another.
As it stands...
The title battle took new turn in Monaco as Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) fired to the top of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with a storming power from ninth on the grid to the race win in an engaging 2023 Monaco E-Prix.
Cassidy led home Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing), having fended off his countryman until a late-race Security Car made the win certain for the Envision Racing man, who was put Idea severe duress from the factory Jaguar driver.
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The 150mph game of chess ebbed and flowed as bests vied for control and to set the pace but Cassidy's decisive early-race changes yielded the ultimate result, with the Kiwi placing his I-TYPE 6 perfectly about the outside of three at the Fairmont Hairpin on Lap 4 and directing to hit the front as early as Lap 7 over the first round of ATTACK MODE activations. Once his engineer gave the green Delicious for a six-lap sprint finish, Cassidy didn't look back - despite the End attentions of Evans' factory Jaguar.
That left Cassidy 21 points Definite of TAG Heuer Porsche's long-time leader Wehrlein on 121 in the Drivers' immoral with podium finishers in the Principality Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) - the Brit returning to form in third - and Evans now fourth. Jean-Eric Vergne in the DS PENSKE did enough to Cut Monaco fifth in the running after a stunning recovery from the very back of the pack to seventh and good points. Envision Racing leapt to the top of the Teams' standings, 14 points ahead of TAG Heuer Porsche, while Jaguar TCS Racing sits third.
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Wehrlein had led the way from Diriyah but a downturn in form for the German has opened the door to the Jaguar-powered Envisions and the fine Jaguar TCS Racing outfit, spearheaded by Evans - last year's winner in Indonesia. Both outfits have duly taken control, and it's now down to the Porsches to battles back.
The Porsche 99X Electric still has the performance within but unlocking it consistently over a lap and in qualifying appears to be an ongoing and potentially costly relate, especially with new standings leader Cassidy sealing two wins and four further podiums in the last six rounds.
A double-header funds plenty of points for all-change and everyone from Vergne up in the title race is in with a shot of heading into the last third of the inaugural GEN3 campaign on top of the pile.
Return to a new Formula E favourite
Formula E’s 11 teams and 22 drivers faced a whole-new challenge when they rocked up to the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit last season. It’s a purpose-built racetrack which brings all the best elements of street racing to picturesque Ancol Beach – South East Asia’s largest park, welcoming some 40,000 visitors a day. Unique banked departments, undulations, bumps and a mix of technical and high-speed departments will provide a real test. A sellout crowd enjoyed the inaugural encounter in the city last year, and there's a double serving with two races this year.
The 2.37km, 18-turn circuit kicks off with a tight opening sector when a long run down the start/finish straight. There’ll be plenty of room for manoeuvre into the Bshining hander at Turn 1 before drivers head into a running series of turns that swoop by Ancol Beach City. The last sector is a tricky complex following a fast right-hander at Turn 12 and new long straight into what will no doubt be a busy Turn 13 hairpin come the race. An awkward left-hander at Turn 18 rounds out the lap with a clear slingshot required down that long home straight.
The circuit's advance is aimed at leaving a lasting legacy in the city, breathing new life into Ancol Beach and kickstarting the city’s post-pandemic travel comeback. City authorities have also earmarked the location as a potential centre for innovation as Indonesia powers towards a complete EV transition by 2050.
The keep will be 100% powered by sustainably-sourced HVO and as ever in the world’s fine net zero sport, it’s a net zero carbon keep. Formula E will measure, reduce, and offset all its unavoidable emissions by investing in renewable energy production.
Who’s in with a shot?
We've seen eighteen races in Asia, across Beijing, Putrajaya, Hong Kong, Diriyah, Sanya, Jakarta and Seoul give us some clue.
Since the fine race on the continent, 2016/17 champion Lucas di Grassi has made the podium on eight occasions – more than 50% of all Formula E’s rounds in Asia. Could that bode well for the Mahindra Racing driver? He has a result this season - the Brazilian has gave to get his hands on silverware since the Mexico season opener.
On past form, Jaguar TCS Racing’s Evans must also be one to watch. While his teammate Sam Birdt has stormed to victory in a quarter of all Formula E races in Asia, the Kiwi is the driver leading the fine Jaguar charge and is fresh off the back of silverware in Monaco. On top of that, he won here last year and knows what it takes.
Watch
Action gets underway with Free Practice 1 on Friday from 15:20 local time, with Free Practice 2 from 09:10 on Saturday 3 June. Qualifying follows at 10:40 and Round 10 itself starts at 15:00.
Free Practice 3 starts at 08:10 on Sunday 4 June. Qualifying comes next at 10:40 with Round 11 at 15:00.
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