Preview: Formula E Heads to Sao Paolo for the Brazilian Battle
After a month off from the season due to race cancellations, the Formula E campaign heads to South America, competing in Sao Paolo, Brazil, for the fourth round of a 16-round season.
The first three opening races of the season had some drama tied in, and with the season beginning to kick off its technical second half, we will see if Nick Cassidy can grab his fourth straight podium and keep Jaguar TCS’s consistency going.
Jaguar TCS Racing hasn’t been the only consistent team so far to kick off 2024, with Envision Racing also finding themselves in the top ten, with Robin Frijns and Sebastien Buemi both scoring P2 finishes. But Jaguar TCS has been head and shoulders above everyone else.
It will be interesting to see how things will shape up for this weekend’s Sao Paolo Showdown.
The Challenger?
Coming out of Free Practice 1, Jaguar TCS continued to assert its control across the grid, but the question will be if someone can be the blockade in the team’s run towards a dominant season.
Pascal Wherlein in Tag Heuer Porsche has put together the best finishes outside of the points leader Cassidy, but his teammate, Antonio Felix Da Costa, just hasn’t been able to find the same success.
Obviously, through three races, three different teams took a victory (Andretti, Porsche, and Jaguar), but Jaguar has just provided better finishes through Cassidy and even Evans, who has kept himself in the top ten in the first three events of the season.
There are definitely challenges for the championship leaders and drivers/teams who can run for top podium spots, such as Jake Dennis, the defending champion.
But there haven’t been enough races to see if this Jaguar TCS run can be stopped.
As the season progresses, things should start to iron themselves out to allow the aforementioned teams and others, such as Envision or McLaren, to contend, and with the break, maybe this is their chance.
Find Rhythm
This weekend for drivers will be about finding rhythm.
Following a multi-week absence, Formula E kicks off a two-race, three-week slate with two of its more intriguing circuits on the schedule, including the Tokyo Street course debut.
For drivers heading into the weekend, getting their footing will be such a key as teams prepare for a more flowing calendar the rest of the season.
Tokyo may provide the most blurry of races leading up to the event, with it being a new track on the schedule, but there is a level of optimism.
Also, with the recent announcement of a manufacturer’s championship, there is going to be more to fight for as the season rolls towards the July weekend in London.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this weekend in Sao Paolo is a great opportunity for teams and drivers to get warmed up and prepared for the upcoming races, especially Tokyo.
Coming off a break, this will be a great starting point to progress into the traveling portion of the season and allow for changes that could enhance the car’s performance leading into this slate.
Coming out of practice, Jaguar seems to be the top team again, which is no surprise, but with it being a reset weekend, there could be some drama that may ensue.
Nevertheless, Sao Paolo should be quite intriguing for the season to kick off for the second part of the calendar.