Porsche ready to race in new Jakarta E-Prix

Porsche is continuously prepping its team for the first-ever Jakarta E-Prix, as Indonesia is set to host the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for the first time on June 4.

In a statement, the Stuttgart-based automaker shared that the pair of Porsche 99X electric race cars under the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will be manned by André Lotterer and Pascal Wehrlein.

Porsche AG Factory Motorsport Formula E Director Florian Modlinger said that the team is expecting a “tough weekend with extreme weather conditions.” He also said that the team has to stay focused on earning points to catch up in the competition.

After 8 of 16 races in the series, Lotterer is at seventh spot with 59 points and Wehrlein is ranked eighth with 51 points. In team classification, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is currently in fifth place with 110 points.

As the race in the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit marks the start of the second half of the season, Modlinger said that the team needs to get into a position to fight for podium finishes.

“There are, of course, additional challenges when you compete on a new track. With the help of the information available to us, we’ll prepare to the best of our ability. Moreover, we’ll try to anticipate what we’ll face on this newly-built circuit, for example, how will the new asphalt respond to intense sunlight and high temperatures? We’ll tackle such questions in our preparations,” he added.

The 2.37-kilometer Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit is located in the Ancol district. According to Porsche, the race track features 18 turns and its start-finish stretch is one of the longest on the Formula E calendar.

“In addition to the high humidity, teams and drivers must be prepared for temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius. The likelihood of rain is extremely high at this time of year. Heavy downpours and thunderstorms are to be expected, especially in the afternoon – and this can have an impact on the race,” the company noted.

Photos from Porsche

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