Jake Dennis Overcomes Sao Paulo E-Prix Chaos to Win Formula E Season Opener

Jake Dennis kicked off the new Formula E season with a win for Andretti after turning his pole position into victory in a chaotic Sao Paulo E-Prix. The race had two Safety Cars, a late red flag and long stretches of disrupted running, which pushed teams to rethink energy use and strategy on the fly. Dennis still made the most of it and now leads the championship after round one. His pole came only after Pascal Wehrlein dropped three places for wheelspin in the pit lane, which moved Dennis to the front with Dan Ticktum and Edoardo Mortara behind him. Teams also entered the race with limited preparation, as opening practice was cancelled due to radio issues. The compressed schedule added another layer to the weekend as they worked through set-up plans with less track time.

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Once the race got underway, Dennis slipped back a few spots as he worked on energy saving while staying close to the front pack. The long straights and slipstream effect meant constant changes in order as teams tested their early strategies. Andretti held his Attack Mode timing until later, keeping Dennis in a stronger position once rivals had already used their power boost. By lap 26, he was back in the lead, just before more interruptions bunched up the field again.

Two Safety Cars and a red flag shaped most of the Sao Paulo race. One of the bigger incidents involved Cupra Kiro rookie Pepe Martí, which brought out the stoppage. Even with the delays, the race stayed at the planned 30 laps, forcing drivers to stay sharp with energy targets and restarts. Dennis kept control during the final one-lap dash and completed the win, his seventh in Formula E, while adding more laps to Andretti’s lead tally in the series.

Oliver Rowland delivered one of the standout recoveries by climbing from 13th to second, continuing his strong run after finishing runner-up last season. Nick Cassidy claimed third and collected his first podium for Citroën Racing after switching from Jaguar. Wehrlein, who started fourth due to his penalty, held that position at the finish after staying steady during all the race-neutralised phases.

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Felipe Drugovich gave home fans something to cheer about with a climb into the top six through a late Attack Mode plan. He ended the race in fifth before post-race penalties dropped him outside the points. With Dennis now on top of the standings, the grid moves next to the Mexico City E-Prix on 10 January for round two of Season 12.