Sébastien Buemi delivered a masterclass in qualifying at the Mexico City E-Prix, securing Envision Racing’s first pole position since Season 9, but a split-second error at the first corner transformed what should have been a race-winning performance into a painful lesson in missed opportunities.
Rolling back the years in qualifying
The Swiss driver rolled back the years at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, matching Jean-Éric Vergne’s record of 17 Formula E pole positions with a commanding performance that dominated Group B. Buemi then defeated Oliver Rowland in the quarter-final by 0.136 seconds despite a difficult first sector, before overcoming Mitch Evans to reach the final shootout against Taylor Barnard.
When Barnard’s faster lap time fell to a track limits infringement, Buemi claimed his 14th career pole position in the all-electric championship. Throughout practice and qualifying, the Season 2 champion demonstrated arguably the strongest pace on the grid in 300kW mode, suggesting that Envision Racing had finally unlocked the performance potential that had eluded them in recent seasons.
A race start to forget
However, the promise of victory evaporated within seconds of the race start. Defending against DS Penske’s Barnard into Turn 1, Buemi misjudged his entry and ran wide, plummeting from first to 20th place as the pack streamed past. The veteran driver immediately recognized the mistake as avoidable.
“Yeah, I had a slow start, and I couldn’t really see him – he was a bit in my dead spot. And I just didn’t want to give up the position because it’s not so easy to pass,” Buemi explained to RacingNews365. “In hindsight, I should have just accepted to give it up and be P2. There was not much I could do on the start; the start [off the line] was worse. Should have just accepted P2. And, yeah, paid a big price, silly mistake.”
Fighting back through the field
Remarkably, Buemi didn’t give up. He charged through the field with the pace that had earned him pole position, fighting his way back to sixth place. The Envision driver appeared poised to salvage a strong points finish despite the opening-lap setback, taking Attack Mode and looking strong to score valuable points.
Unfortunately, fate dealt another cruel blow. Tyre and front wing damage, sustained during his recovery drive, hampered his progress and forced him to pit twice. A slow puncture ultimately ended any hope of points, leaving him with just the three points the championship awards for pole position.
Learning from the pain
For a driver who has experienced the highs and lows of Formula E since its inception, the weekend represented both encouragement and frustration in equal measure. Buemi’s raw pace proved undeniable, but the execution during the Mexico City E-Prix cost him dearly.
“Yeah, for a long time, I don’t remember having had so much pace. So it’s good that it’s hard to accept, when you have such a good car and you leave with only three points,” Buemi said. “But, yeah, not much we can do. We have to move on. It doesn’t mean we’re going to be good [like this] again, but it’s a good sign. So let’s keep pushing and learn from the mistakes.”
Silver linings for Envision Racing
For Envision Racing, the weekend delivered mixed emotions. The team’s pace proved undeniable, with Buemi’s qualifying performance demonstrating that they have the machinery to compete at the front. Teammate Joel Eriksson also showed promise in his first outing at the Mexico City E-Prix, working his way from 15th on the grid to cross the line in 10th place, only to drop back to 14th after receiving a 10-second penalty for overtaking off track and issues with Attack Mode activation.
As Formula E heads to Miami for the next round, Envision Racing will carry the confidence of knowing they have genuine pace in their package. The team faces the challenge of converting that speed into the results it deserves, with Buemi learning from the “silly mistake” that cost him what could have been a statement victory in the championship’s 150th race.
