London E-Prix Title Decider Highlights Team-Order Controversy

The penultimate round of the 2025-26 Formula E season unfolded at the ExCeL in London. Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein secured pole after teammate Nico Muller slowed during the qualifying duel, then converted the front row into a dominant win in race one. A mid-race virtual safety car allowed Wehrlein to complete his pit stop before the caution ended, giving him a further advantage. In race two, title-contender Jake Dennis collided with Wehrlein after a desperate overtaking attempt at Turn 16, sending both cars into the wall and dropping them out of the points. With Mitch Evans finishing fourth, Wehrlein clinched his second championship, leading Dennis by five points heading into the final Sunday race.

Jake Dennis: "Embarrassing" how Pascal Wehrlein became Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein responds to Porsche’s team tactics after dominant London win

Team orders were a recurring theme throughout the weekend. In qualifying, Muller deliberately backed off to hand Wehrlein pole, and later impeded title rival Mitch Evans, enabling Wehrlein to build a two-second lead while conserving energy. A similar tactic was attempted by Antonio Felix da Costa on Wehrlein in race two, but the German driver fell outside the points after the collision. Wehrlein acknowledged that Porsche’s tactics were “not my decision,” emphasizing that the team’s strategy aimed to maximize points when the championship was at stake.

Jake Dennis: "Embarrassing" how Pascal Wehrlein became Formula E champion

Jake Dennis described the outcome as “embarrassing,” arguing that the race was manipulated to favor Wehrlein. Dennis maintained that his team had executed perfectly and that the collision was inevitable given the circumstances. Wehrlein defended the approach, noting that similar tactics had been used at the 2024 Monaco E-Prix and that the weekend’s performance “went by plan” from practice through the race.

Jake Dennis: "Embarrassing" how Pascal Wehrlein became Formula E champion

• “Everything we did today, we executed perfectly,” — Jake Dennis, title contender

Jake Dennis: "Embarrassing" how Pascal Wehrlein became Formula E champion

• “I don't know, it's not my decision.” — Nico Muller

Pascal Wehrlein responds to Porsche’s team tactics after dominant London win

Going into Sunday’s final race, Wehrlein holds a five-point lead over Dennis, while Mitch Evans trails by 16 points. All three drivers have indicated that the priority is to win the race, with tactical calculations reserved for moments when a victory is out of reach.

Pascal Wehrlein responds to Porsche’s team tactics after dominant London win