Berlin isn’t just another stop on the calendar; it’s where everything starts to shift. For Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2025/26 season Formula E, this wasn’t just another race weekend.
Because Berlin, held at the vast, historic Tempelhof Airport, has a way of revealing where the championship really stands. Not where it looks like it stands, but where it actually is. And after this weekend, there’s already a sense that things are starting to move.
FP1: Barnard Fires Early Warning Shot as Berlin’s Concrete Jungle Bites Back
Taylor Barnard topped a chaotic FP1 session at the Berlin E-Prix, setting a late 57.470s lap to put DS Penske fastest around Tempelhof’s unforgiving concrete circuit. The evolving grip levels caught multiple drivers out, with lock-ups, half-spins and traffic disrupting runs throughout the session.
Pascal Wehrlein stayed close behind for Porsche at his home race, while Jean-Éric Vergne completed the top three to give DS Penske an early boost. Drivers immediately attacked the circuit aggressively despite it only being practice, leaning on kerbs and pushing the dusty outer lines as Berlin’s narrow margins quickly became clear.
Barnard’s session also included an impeding investigation involving Lucas di Grassi, highlighting the constant pressure of Formula E practice traffic. Meanwhile, Jaguar endured a quieter start to the weekend as the reigning Berlin winners focused more on setup experimentation than outright pace. Overall, FP1 delivered the familiar signs of a classic Berlin weekend: unpredictable grip, tiny margins and a field already operating on the edge.
FP2: Wehrlein Turns Up the Pressure as Berlin Weekend Begins to Take Shape
Pascal Wehrlein took control in FP2 at his home Berlin E-Prix as cooler conditions transformed the Tempelhof circuit into a faster and more unforgiving challenge. Drivers immediately switched into qualifying-style runs, with Wehrlein looking especially comfortable through the middle sector while balancing Porsche’s rear stability over the bumps.
The session carried the usual Formula E chaos, with traffic, aborted laps and drivers desperately searching for clean air around the wide Tempelhof layout. Taylor Barnard continued to show strong pace for DS Penske alongside Jean-Éric Vergne and Edoardo Mortara, while Jaguar appeared to recover from a quieter FP1 after overnight setup changes improved the car’s rotation in slower corners.
More than anything, FP2 highlighted just how tight the field was heading into qualifying. Around Berlin, even the smallest mistake can unravel an entire weekend — and the early signs suggested another unpredictable and chaotic double-header was on the way.
Mortara Strikes Late to Deny Wehrlein Pole in Berlin Duel Shootout
Qualifying for the Berlin E-Prix began with two group sessions, where Pascal Wehrlein, Felippe Drugovich, Oliver Rowland and Nick Cassidy advanced from Group One, while Dan Ticktum, Edoardo Mortara, Zane Maloney and Nico Müller progressed from Group Two.
The duels saw Wehrlein defeat Cassidy and Rowland beat Drugovich, while Mortara and Ticktum overcame Maloney and Müller, respectively. That set up semifinal battles between Wehrlein and Rowland, alongside Ticktum versus Mortara.
Wehrlein and Mortara eventually reached the final duel, where Mortara secured pole position at Tempelhof Airport Circuit, adding another three valuable championship points to his weekend.
Energy Saving, Strategy, and Late-Race Drama Shape the Berlin ePrix
As the drivers went two-by-two into Turn 1, the Berlin ePrix got underway. Right from the start, drivers focused heavily on energy saving, knowing that managing battery usage would be crucial later in the race.
By Lap 2, di Grassi had already climbed from 19th to 13th place. A few laps later, he continued his charge up to 11th, making up significant ground early on. At the front, Edoardo Mortara was battling whoever challenged him for the lead.
On Lap 6, Maloney made an impressive move, overtaking multiple drivers; including Rowland and Mortara to take the lead of the race, while his teammate ran in fifth place. However, Maloney soon dropped back strategically to save energy, allowing Mortara to retake first position.
By Lap 9, Cassidy overtook Mortara for the lead, with energy conservation continuing to shape the race. On Lap 10, Di Grassi surprisingly moved into the lead in what is his final season in Formula E, heading a tightly packed group of cars with Maloney right behind him in second. Di Grassi stayed near the front until Lap 16, when he dropped back, promoting Maloney into first place. Soon after, Cassidy reclaimed the lead from Maloney.
On Lap 20, Wehrlein saw his race unravel after suffering a puncture, while several drivers began taking their Pit Boost stops. Meanwhile, Ticktum continued to fall down the order, dropping from a second-row starting position to 19th place. From Lap 25 onward, drivers started activating Attack Mode while still trying to save energy and maintain track position. By Lap 30, Müller had taken the lead of the race.
Later in the race, Dennis struggled with activating Attack Mode, failing on three attempts. Since drivers are only allowed five activation attempts, the situation became increasingly costly. During one of those attempts, Dennis also got a puncture after contact with another driver. Despite the setback, Dennis fought back brilliantly on Lap 36, overtaking multiple cars to climb into sixth place.
Ticktum’s difficult race finally ended with retirement on Lap 37. At the chequered flag, Müller won Round 7 of the Berlin ePrix, with Cassidy finishing second and Rowland completing the podium in third.
Top Ten
- Nico Muller
- Nick Cassidy
- Oliver Rowland
- Edoardo Mortara
- Jake Dennis
- Mitch Evans
- Pepe Marti
- Taylor Barnard
- Nick de Vries
- Antonio Felix da Costa
Mortara Edges Ultra-Tight FP3 as Berlin Pace Battle Intensifies
Edoardo Mortara topped the final Formula E practice session in Berlin after an incredibly close FP3 at Tempelhof, where the top three drivers were separated by less than a hundredth of a second. The Mahindra driver delivered a 57.581s lap late in the session to edge out Maximilian Günther and Taylor Barnard as teams completed their final preparations before qualifying.
The session began cautiously, with Felipe Drugovich initially setting the pace before the track rapidly evolved as more drivers switched into full-power qualifying simulations. Günther briefly moved to the top in the closing minutes before Pascal Wehrlein responded for Porsche, only for Mortara to steal fastest time right at the chequered flag.
Barnard continued his strong Berlin weekend with another top-three result for DS Penske, while Wehrlein stayed firmly in contention at his home race in fourth ahead of Jean-Éric Vergne. The session also highlighted just how competitive the field has become around Tempelhof, with minimal margins separating the leading runners heading into qualifying.
Wehrlein Edges Barnard in Tempelhof Duel to Secure Pole Position
Qualifying for the Berlin E-Prix began with two group sessions, where Nick Cassidy, Taylor Barnard, Felippe Drugovich and Jean-Éric Vergne advanced from Group One, while António Félix da Costa, Joel Eriksson, Zane Maloney and Pascal Wehrlein progressed from Group Two.
The duels saw Cassidy defeat Vergne and Barnard overcome Drugovich, while Wehrlein and Eriksson beat da Costa and Maloney respectively. That set up semifinal battles between Barnard and Cassidy, alongside Wehrlein versus Eriksson.
Wehrlein and Barnard eventually reached the final duel, where Wehrlein secured pole position at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit, earning another three valuable championship points.
Evans Emerges From Berlin Energy-Saving Chaos as Rowland Faces Late Controversy
As Formula E headed into Round 8 of the Berlin E-Prix, qualifying had already shaken up the grid. Maximilian Günther received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Jake Dennis, dropping the German from 11th to 14th before the race had even begun.
When the lights went out, the usual Berlin energy-saving chaos immediately unfolded into Turn 1, with drivers bunching together as nobody wanted to lead too early. Taylor Barnard led the opening lap, but the entire field focused heavily on energy management. Meanwhile, reigning champion Oliver Rowland found himself down in last place after getting caught behind a slowing Cupra Kiro car in the early stages.
Drama arrived on Lap 4 when Edoardo Mortara, Nick Cassidy and Nyck de Vries made contact at Turn 6. The collision caused damage for all three drivers, with de Vries eventually retiring from the race. Cassidy’s front wing damage also sent him tumbling down the order. While the chaos unfolded behind, Joel Eriksson briefly moved into the lead on Lap 5 before quickly being swallowed back into the pack as strategy battles intensified.
By Lap 11, the race had turned into a full energy-saving contest, with drivers running three-wide into corners while desperately trying to avoid leading the pack. Rowland’s recovery drive became one of the biggest stories of the race, climbing from last to sixth by Lap 13 before taking the lead for the first time on Lap 15. Around the halfway point, Attack Mode strategy became critical, with teams carefully choosing when to deploy their extra power.
Another major flashpoint came on Lap 25 when Wehrlein and Günther made contact, allowing Rowland to slip past both drivers and move into second place. Just two laps later, Mitch Evans surged from the middle of the field into the lead as the constantly shifting strategy battle continued to reshape the order.
With ten laps remaining, the race remained impossible to predict. Drivers not using Attack Mode were often gaining time on those who were, creating constant position changes throughout the field.
A yellow flag was deployed on Lap 33 due to debris and slippery conditions in the pit lane area, but controversy quickly followed as Rowland completed an overtake under yellow flag conditions. Questions immediately emerged over whether the Nissan driver would receive a penalty that could cost him a podium or even the win. Racing resumed on Lap 36 with no immediate punishment issued, while Evans reclaimed the lead ahead of Rowland and Wehrlein as the closing laps approached.
Top Ten
- Mitch Evans
- Oliver Rowland
- Pascal Wehrlein
- Sebastian Buemi
- Norman Nato
- Jake Dennis
- Edoardo Mortara
- Jean-Eric Vergne
- Felipe Drugovich
- Joel Erikson
Feature Image Credit: E-Formula
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