What are the stakes of the Madrid E-Prix?

This weekend, the Formula E The all-electric category is back in action. After a double-header in Saudi Arabia, marked by Pascal Wehrlein's victory and António Félix da Costa's first win, the category has made its mark on the Jarama circuit. This marks a first for the category during a race weekend, although the Madrid track had already hosted testing following the Valencia floods last year.

Usually reserved for a double-header, Pit Boost will be used during the Formula E Madrid E-Prix. Introduced last season, it forces drivers to stop in the pits to recharge part of their electric battery. While the stop takes about thirty seconds, it offers a strategic advantage of 600 kW of additional energy.

On the other hand, Attack Mode can only be used once, as in other events featuring Pit Boost, for a period of six minutes, with drivers free to activate it before or after the 10% battery recharge allowed by the pit stop.

The local idol under pressure

During the Madrid round, all eyes will be on local star Pepe Martí. Having had a solid first season so far with 17 points, the Cupra Kiro driver will have to deal with the pressure from his home crowd. Ideally, we would like to confirm this upward trend, both in terms of our performance and our results. For my part, the objective is clearly to score points. », assures the Spaniard.

Winner of the second race in Jeddah, António Félix da Costa will be aiming to continue his winning streak. In Saudi Arabia, the Portuguese driver became the fifth driver to win in as many races, setting the stage for a season full of surprises. Thus, the first Formula E race held on the Jarama permanent circuit is guaranteed to deliver a truly spectacular show.

On the French side, Nick Cassidy, who staged a superb comeback in Mexico, gave Citroën its first victory in car, just two races after the French brand's debut in Formula E. Less sharp in Miami and then in Jeddah, the Kiwi arrives in Madrid with the obligation to climb back up the slope to put his team back at the top of the electric hierarchy.

A duel at the top

However, Pascal Wehrlein leads the championship and will try to extend his lead over his closest rival, Edoardo Mortara. Third overall, reigning world champion Oliver Rowland is still chasing his first victory of the season. With three podium finishes but no wins, the Briton hopes to reach the top step in Madrid and prove he can defend his title against Pascal Wehrlein, whose ambitions for the championship are clear.

The paddock arrives in Spain, however, in a tense atmosphere. Off the track, the spotlight will indeed be on the FIA, to whom all the Formula E drivers have addressed their grievances in a letter to the president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

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