Pascal Wehrlein’s crash at the São Paulo E-Prix made headlines as Formula E Season 11 marked its first race, the reigning Formula E champion suffered a terrifying collision that left his Porsche flipped upside down on the track.
The incident which happened just five laps from the race’s conclusion has raised significant concerns regarding safety in motorsport despite the advancements made in recent years.
The chaos began at Turn 6 when TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein found himself in a precarious situation while battling Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing.
Cassidy had already sustained damage from an earlier collision with Maximilian Guenther and as he struggled to maintain control of his car he made contact with Wehrlein, sending his Porsche hurtling into the barriers, flipping over and skidding upside down across the track.
Fortunately, despite the severity of the crash Pascal Wehrlein reported that he was uninjured and was subsequently taken to a local hospital for precautionary checks.
Eyewitness accounts and footage from the São Paulo E-Prix race depict a harrowing scene as German-Mauritian’s car went airborne before landing on its protective halo and sliding down the track.
Pascal Wehrlein’s crash prompted an immediate red flag, halting the race as officials rushed to assist . His teammate, Antonio Felix da Costa, expressed relief that Wehrlein emerged unscathed as he underlined the importance of safety in motorsport.
Da Costa remarked: “It’s a reminder that our sport is dangerous… I’m just glad Pascal is okay.”
The incident has sparked discussions about the safety measures implemented in Formula E, particularly with the introduction of Gen3 Evo cars which are designed with enhanced safety features aimed at protecting drivers during high-speed collisions.
In the aftermath of Pascal Wehrlein’s crash, TAG Heuer Porsche released a statement confirming his condition: “It is with huge relief that we are able to confirm that Pascal is okay after the on-track incident in race one of the new season.”
This reassurance was welcomed by fans and fellow competitors alike, who were visibly shaken by the dramatic turn of events.
As the São Paulo E-Prix resumed after a lengthy delay due to cleanup efforts following Pascal Wehrlein’s crash, Mitch Evans of Jaguar TCS Racing capitalized on the chaos to secure an impressive victory.
Evans had started from the back of the grid due to issues during qualifying but managed to navigate through the field effectively. His win marked a historic achievement as he became the first driver in Formula E history to win from last on the grid.
