Pre-season testing round-up: Crashes, reliability issues and Gen 3 concerns

Maximilian Guenther and Pascal Wehrlein made Jakarta a German fiefdom last weekend as the Maserati MSG and Porsche drivers stole the show with a win apiece. Sam Smith and Andrew van de Burgt decipher how they did it and how Guenther in particular dominated so many sessions and then the second race in the sultry Indonesian conditions. Nick Cassidy’s messy weekend is also dissected, as is Mitch Evans’ herculean third place, which came just a day after he was drop-kicked out of contention by his own teammate Sam Bird, for a second time this season. Jake Dennis’ recent form has looked ominous and with his happy hunting ground of the London ExCeL Arena track to come at the end of July, Sam and Andrew discuss whether or not this makes him the title favourite. The recent departure of Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle is also mulled over as the all-electric world championship now enters a new epoch under the stewardship of new CEO, Jeff Dodds. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Monaco EPrix review majors on Nick Cassidy’s shock emergence as a title contender after claiming back-to-back wins with a convincing performance on the streets of the Principality. Host Jack Nicholls and Formula E correspondent Sam Smith are joined by Andretti’s group commercial director officer Jim Wright for some lively debate on the merits of the extreme energy saving peloton style racing, as well as all the discussion points from an action-packed EPrix. The dissipation of Porsche’s form is picked over in addition to the resurgence of Nissan powered cars and the ongoing wretched form of Maserati MSG’s Edoardo Mortara. Nicholls makes up new words, Smith’s disposition as a miserable Northener is again made fun of and Wright gives some details on Avalanche Andretti’s promising season as well as discussing recent details that The Race uncovered about next seasons calendar. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Formula E enjoyed another stellar weekend in Berlin, as the Tempelhof circuit delivered a pair of stunningly close, overtaking filled races. Joining host Jack Nicholls and The Race’s Andrew van de Burgt to discuss the ins and outs of his weekend and his impressive season to date is NEOM McLaren driver Jake Hughes. He outlines why he and the team struggled in Berlin, gives his thoughts on his rookie season so far, and explains how Hankook’s tyres faired in wet weather. Jack and Andrew then dissect the rest of the action, including Nick Cassidy’s pair of impressive outings, ABT CUPRA’s shock front-row lockout, and Pascal Wehrlein’s dwindling championship lead. They also discuss whether the closely bunched pack racing we've seen recently - including in Germany - is here to stay, or whether the trend will be bucked in Monaco next time out... Send us a question to [email protected] Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Start making your financial dreams a reality with Chime. Get started at chime.com/therace Right now, get up to 50% off that Mother’s Day gift she will love at bluenile.com To get 15% off MUD/WTR go to mudwtr.com/therace to support the show and use code THERACE for 15% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A memorable first ever Sao Paulo EPrix is picked apart by Jack Nicholls and Sam Smith as they are also joined by third placed finisher Sam Bird. The Jaguar TCS Racing driver talks about his much need result, the fightback from his Hyderabad ignominy and how Formula E is currently proving to be a much more entertaining package than F1. Mitch Evans’ first win of the season is analysed, as is the fascinating peloton pack racing style that was seen in Brazil. But is it popular among drivers and viewers? We hear from Antonio Felix da Costa on his race, while Sebastien Buemi details the painful shunt with Max Guenther’s Maserati which resulted in the Envision driver receiving hand injuries. We also find out why Jake Dennis described fellow Brit Dan Ticktum as a ‘plonker’ and what caused both hometown favourites Lucas di Grassi and Sergio Sette Camara’s disastrous races. Send us a question to [email protected] Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first ever Cape Town EPrix was packed with incident, controversy and a move by Antonio Felix da Costa that will go down in championship legend. But how did he pull it off? He tells the Formula E podcast as Jack Nicholls, Sam Smith and Andrew van de Burgt ponder its magnificence in addition to several intricate storylines from a memorable weekend in South Africa. Nick Cassidy’s contretemps with his former Super Formula sparring partner Sacha Fenestraz, the red flag debacle in qualifying that ended Sam Bird’s EPrix before it had even begun and a bizarre weekend for Cassidy’s teammate Sebastien Buemi are all covered off. Our specialist Formula E trio also asked if Cape Town will become a staple of the calendar or if it will go the way of Montreal and Seoul as a spectacular one off. In addition to da Costa we also hear from Buemi and also Maserati MSG’s team boss James Rossiter who will have to try and pick up his team after a disastrous start to its maiden Formula E campaign. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android For Formula E news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A hectic and entertaining first ever Hyderabad EPrix is digested and analysed by host Jack Nicholls, Sam Smith and Andrew van de Burgt. Jean-Eric Vergne tore up the recent formbook by giving the new DS Penske alliance its maiden ever victory. But how did he do it? The catastrophic intra-Jaguar debacle is picked apart, as is the complicated penalty that denied Sebastien Buemi a podium and elevated Antonio Felix da Costa to his first podium appearance for Porsche. His teammate and championship points leader Pascal Wehrlein went from a hospital bed to fourth place all within 24 Hours and he talks to The Race about his rollercoaster of a few days in India. Also appearing are Jaguar and Envision team bosses James Barclay and Sylvain Filippi as they react to how their events faired. Our trio of experts also give opinions on the often farcical track limits debate, the incident that scuppered Jake Dennis and the entertaining menagerie of feral animals that circulated the track. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android For Formula E news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Porsche’s total dominance of the Diriyah EPrixs is analysed in the latest Formula E podcast from The Race with host Jack Nicholls, reporter Sam Smith and guest pundit Andrew van de Burgt. The secrets of Porsche’s pace are revealed as the now clear title favourites flexed their collective muscles in a supreme display amid the sand dunes of Riyadh. NEOM McLaren’s milestones of a first pole and podium are mulled over, as are the return to form of Formula E veteran’s Sebastien Buemi and Sam Bird. Our host trio also discuss a tremendous cameo performance from Dan Ticktum, as well as the continuing disappointing of the DS Penske squad and an erratic showing from their Stellantis stablemates at Maserati MSG. Ticktum, Rene Rast and Sebastien Modlinger make talking head appearances to mull over their weekend’s in Saudi Arabia. All this and a lively discussion on why it matters or not that the Gen3 car is proving to be slower than its predecessor the Gen2 machine. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our app on iOS or Android For Formula E news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Race’s first Formula E podcast of the 2023 season starts with a detailed look at the dawning of the new Gen3 era after a first public look at the much discussed cars in Mexico City. Our new-old-new host Jack Nicholls presents the show gauging the opinions of The Race’s Sam Smith and Jack Cozens on how Jake Dennis and all things Porsche dominated the opening round at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. While Porsche made hay, Jaguar and DS relatively slumped, so the post mortem of why two of the pre-season favourites floundered is debated. Also discussed is the overall impression that Gen3 made, the new attack mode structure and what the future holds for Formula E as it enters its third epoch. The trio also look in to Robin Frijns’ injury and what it means for the new ABT Cupra team as it searches for a new driver to fill the void left by the Dutch ace. There is also a look ahead to next weekend’s Diriyah EPrixs where the fast-tracked emergency braking solution is expected to debut on the new cars. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our brand-new app on iOS or Android For Formula E news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International motor racing returns with a bang this weekend with the start of the 2023 Formula E season. Season 9 brings with it many things: A new generation of car, new tracks, new driver line-ups - and a new host for The Race Formula E Podcast!  Hit like, follow or subscribe in your podcast player of choice to join The Race Formula E Podcast for an electric season of racing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The final Formula E podcast of 2022 takes a detailed look at the recent pre-season Valencia test. The four days in Spain provided plenty of news and juicy plot lines for an on-site Sam Smith and Andrew van de Burgt to get their teeth in to. From battery reliability issues, concerning braking episodes and a surprising lack of pace in the new Gen3, there was much to talk about. A galaxy of stars including Edoardo Mortara, Antonio Felix da Costa, Andre Lotterer and Stoffel Vandoorne joined us in the paddock to share their views on a variety of topics during the week. Additionally, Smith and Van de Burgt round off the year with yet another calendar update and a wry look at some miscellaneous memories that include meeting random celebrities, paddock punch-ups, inadvertently telling a driver he’d lost his drive and Argentine bridge disasters! Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our brand-new app on iOS or Android For Formula E news, analysis and must-read features visit the-race.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices