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Nico Muller executed a strategic masterclass during Saturday’s Berlin E-Prix, delivering a crucial home victory for Porsche in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Starting from sixth on the grid, the Swiss driver initially dropped back through the field, employing a calculated energy-saving strategy during the chaotic early stages of the race.
As the pack ran tightly bunched—with the entire grid separated by a mere 10 seconds over the opening dozen laps—Muller patiently conserved his energy reserves. This tactical patience paid dividends as he systematically wrestled his way back into the top five. Capitalizing on a significant energy advantage, Muller perfectly timed his attack mode activation to seize the lead, ultimately securing his maiden Formula E victory in his fifth season in the all-electric series.
The triumph not only marked a personal milestone for Muller but also ensured Porsche retained firm control of both the teams’ and manufacturers’ standings.
The opening race of the Berlin double-header followed the familiar, frenetic pack-style racing pattern characteristic of the Tempelhof Airport circuit. Early on, polesitter Edoardo Mortara, reigning champion Oliver Rowland, Maximilian Guenther, and Nick Cassidy all enjoyed brief stints at the front of the field.
The dynamic shifted when Lucas di Grassi and Zane Maloney surged to the front in their Lola Abt entries. However, while the Lolas dictated the early pace, Porsche and Jaguar drivers opted for a starkly different approach. Dropping into the lower half of the top 10, they focused entirely on energy conservation, playing the long game.
Lola’s stranglehold on the race concluded on lap 17 when Cassidy and Rowland powered past Maloney to claim the top two spots. Mortara quickly joined the fray, setting the stage for a tense three-way battle at the race's midpoint.
The strategic picture began to crystallize as the frontrunners took their mandatory pit boost stops. Cassidy was the first to blink on lap 21, followed by Mortara a lap later. Rowland opted to delay his fast recharge until lap 26, a decision that temporarily handed him the lead once the pitstop cycle concluded, with Cassidy slotting into second ahead of Mortara.
By this critical juncture, Muller had quietly climbed to fourth place, armed with a crucial energy advantage of approximately 3% over the leading trio. The 34-year-old Swiss driver was the first of the frontrunners to arm his attack mode. Taking full advantage of the 350kW power boost, Muller decisively grabbed the lead and rapidly built an insurmountable four-second buffer.
His rivals had no answer to his late-race pace, and Muller crossed the line to claim a commanding victory by an extended margin of 4.7 seconds.
Behind Muller, the battle for the remaining podium positions intensified. Cassidy ultimately fell into Rowland's clutches in the closing stages but managed to hold on to second place, securing his third podium of the season for Citroen. Rowland, meanwhile, successfully fended off a late charge from Mortara to claim third, marking his fourth podium finish in seven races for Nissan.
Despite struggling with efficiency for much of the race, polesitter Mortara's efforts were enough to propel him into the championship lead. This shift in the standings was aided by a disastrous race for Porsche rival Pascal Wehrlein, who sustained a front-right puncture and limped home in 19th position.
Further down the order, Andretti’s Jake Dennis and Jaguar’s Mitch Evans successfully replicated Muller’s energy-saving strategy to finish fifth and sixth, respectively. They were followed by the sole-surviving Cupra Kiro of Pepe Marti. The top 10 was rounded out by Taylor Barnard (DS Penske), Nyck de Vries (Mahindra), and Antonio Felix da Costa (Jaguar).
The early promise shown by the Lola cars faded dramatically in the second half of the race, as they proved unable to maintain their pace. Maloney slipped down the order to finish 15th, while di Grassi could only manage 17th.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.