Dan Ticktum expressed clear frustration after a rollercoaster Berlin E-Prix, in which he led multiple laps early on after starting from P2. But Ticktum ultimately crossed the line in 15th place, well outside the points. While the Briton was visibly competitive in the first half of the Formula E race, he was among several drivers who saw promising positions unravel due to strategy decisions that failed to anticipate the true demands of Sunday’s contest.
What happened to Ticktum during the Berlin E-Prix?
At one point in the opening phase, Ticktum was battling at the sharp end alongside Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa and championship hopeful Pascal Wehrlein. The trio looked like a well-coordinated unit, seemingly poised to manage the pack and emerge strong in the closing stages. However, the anticipated energy targets and the effects of the tow were, according to Ticktum, far off the mark.
“Yeah, yeah, absolutely,” Ticktum said when asked by Pit Debrief if a podium felt possible in the opening laps. “I think the prediction from Porsche and us was, you know, we all three of us⊠Me, Da Costa and Pascal [Wehrlein] stay in the top five in the first half of the race, don’t trip over each other, try and manage, get to what we think is a high enough target to defend.
“Just all of the metrics and predictions with the tow and everything were wrong in my opinion because we just completely misjudged that race, which is a shame.
“Me and Pascal both ended up in the same position, don’t think we were doing anything wrong at the start, we were doing as we were told. So, you know, just a misjudgment from the strategy department and Porsche and ourself.”
The consequences of the “misjudgment”
The miscalculation proved costly. While other teams and drivers adjusted their approach during a chaotic race filled with energy-saving demands and two Safety Car interruptions, Ticktum and his fellow Porsche-powered competitors faded backwards as the true pace and energy requirements shifted in real time.
Despite the setback, Ticktum’s early-race pace and racecraft demonstrated once again that when the strategy aligns, he remains a genuine threat in the Formula E field. However, in a race defined by split-second timing, energy margins, and clever tactical execution, even minor misreads can undo an otherwise strong performance.
