Five takeaways from the Berlin E-Prix
- Lucrezia Marano
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
The 2026 Berlin Formula E race was a double-header weekend hosted at the iconic Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit. The race weekend delivered a masterclass in strategy, history-making performances and home-turf heroics.
As the championship moved into the heart of Season 12, the concrete slabs of Berlin once again proved to be the ultimate test of energy management and tactical patience.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from a weekend that reshaped the title race and the history books.
Mitch Evans rewrites the record books
Sunday’s Round 8 belonged to Mitch Evans, who produced what might be the drive of his career. Starting from a dismal 17th on the grid, the Jaguar TCS Racing star slides through the field with surgical precision. By timing his 350 kW Attack Mode activations to perfection, he surged into the lead on Lap 27 and never looked back.
This victory was more than just a comeback; it was Evans’ 16th career win, officially making him the most successful driver in Formula E history.
The feat was especially poignant, coming just days after Evans announced his upcoming departure from Jaguar, proving that while his future may be elsewhere, his hunger for the title remains absolute.
Nico Müller’s maiden win in the “Pink Pig”
Saturday’s Round 7, though, marked a fairy-tale afternoon for Nico Müller and the Porsche Formula E Team. Sporting a striking “Pink Pig” throwback livery to celebrate 75 years of Porsche Motorsport, Müller delivered an energy management clinic to claim his first-ever Formula E victory.
Starting from 11th, Müller navigated the chaotic mid-pack of Tempelhof to finish nearly five seconds ahead of the competition. For a driver who has often been the “underrated” workhorse of the paddock, securing a maiden win at Porsche’s home race was a career-defining moment that vaulted him into the top tier of the Drivers’ Championship standings.
Pascal Wehrlein’s consistency reaps dividends, reclaims the lead
While he didn’t stand on the top step of the podium this weekend, Pascal Wehrlein was perhaps the biggest winner in the context of the world championship. After a scoreless Saturday, Wehrlein bounced back on Sunday to secure pole position and a hard-fought third-place finish.
This podium, combined with the struggles of his closest rivals, boosted Wehrlein back to the top of the Drivers’ Standings with 101 points. In a season defined by its unpredictability, Wehrlein’s ability to maximise points on difficult days is becoming his greatest weapon in the hunt for the Season 12 crown.
The end of an era: Lucas di Grassi announces retirement
The paddock was struck by a wave of nostalgia as Season 3 Champion and Formula E legend Lucas di Grassi announced his retirement from professional racing. As one of the found pillars of the series, di Grassi’s impact on electric racing cannot be overstated.
His final appearance at Tempelhof, a track where he has seen immense success, was met with tributes from every team on the grid. While the Lola Yamaha ABT team had a weekend of mixed results, di Grassi managed to briefly grab the race lead, becoming the only driver on the grid to lead a race in every Formula E season.
The focus remained on di Grassi’s legacy as the man who helped turn a radical idea into a global motorsport powerhouse.
Strategy over speed at Tempelhof
The 2026 Berlin E-Prix once again highlighted why Tempelhof is a “tactician’s playground”. The abrasive concrete surface and high-grip environment led to extreme tyre degradation, forcing the drivers to play a game of “wait and see”.
We saw a recurring theme: drivers who led early often fell victim to those who conserved energy in the slipstream. Both Evans and Müller won after starting outside the top 10 and “pulling the pin” late in the race. This “peloton-style” racing remains a divisive but thrilling hallmark of the GEN3 era, ensuring that no lead is safe until the final corner.
With the Berlin double-header in the rearview mirror, the championship heads toward the season finale with a leaderboard that is tighter than ever. If this weekend proved anything, it’s that in Formula E, history is just one well-timed Attack Mode away.
Edited by Grace Hobson
