Why Rowland’s overtake on Wehrlein wasn't punished at 2026 Berlin E-Prix

Oliver Rowland’s overtake on Pascal Wehrlein during Sunday's Berlin E-Prix became a major talking point post-race, as the move appeared to begin under a yellow flag situation.

In the commentary box, co-commentators James Rossiter and Sam Bird were initially adamant that Rowland had overtaken under yellow flag conditions and fully expected an investigation. Yet, that investigation never materialized.

Frame-by-Frame: The Flag Sequence

A frame-by-frame review of the replay reveals several clear details. The initial ‘yellow’ status is visible from Rowland’s onboard camera on the digital display panel at the finish line just as he initiates the manoeuvre. The display then switches to ‘yellow-and-red’ as the pass is being completed.

The official FIA timestamp, available on the timing coverage of the race, confirms a rapid sequence of flag changes. Turn 0 references the start-and-finish straight:

• 16.39pm: Yellow at Turn 0
• 16.39pm: Slippery Surface at Turn 0
• 16.39pm: Track clear at Turn 0
• 16.39pm: Slippery Surface at Turn 0

The yellow-and-red striped flag can be shown for pieces of debris on the circuit. When displayed, drivers are required to adjust their driving accordingly and exercise caution. Crucially, however, overtaking is not forbidden under this status, whereas it is strictly prohibited under a yellow flag.

According to Article 2.5.5 in Appendix H of the International Sporting Code, the yellow-and-red striped flag warning is intended to "inform drivers that there is a deterioration of grip due to oil or water on the track in the area beyond the flag. This flag should be displayed for at least (depending on the circumstances) 4 laps unless the surface returns to normal beforehand".

Driver Reactions and Porsche's Frustration

Rowland was completely unaware of any contention surrounding the move until after the race. Speaking to The Race, he explained that his engineer, Richard Monin, "didn't tell me anything. But I saw in my dash that it was the 'YR', the yellow-and-red, so I didn't even consider until told afterwards. And then I was like, I didn't see a yellow flag".

Porsche was believed to be unhappy that a sanction was not applied to Rowland. However, the team was powerless to exercise a protest because the incident was never officially logged and investigated. This meant a review or a potential petition for review could not be initiated. It is understood by The Race that Porsche is disappointed the incident was not officially investigated.

From Wehrlein’s standpoint, he was largely unaware until post-race that the overtake could be a flashpoint. He told The Race that he "didn't even see a flag" and that he had "no opinion on those things".

"You know, on things I cannot control, I just take it as they come, I don't mind,” said Wehrlein. Despite the lost position, Wehrlein has reinstated himself as the championship leader by three points and currently holds an 18-point advantage over Rowland.