After a closely fought Qualifying 2 at the Berlin E-Prix, Pascal Wehrlein secured his first pole position of the Formula E season, delivering when it mattered most on home soil, for Race 2. Several rivals showed strong pace throughout the Duels but could not match the German in the decisive moments.
However, officials handed Maximilian Günther a grid penalty after the session, reshuffling the order and creating new opportunities across the field.
With the grid set and strategies already in play, Race 2 promised a very different fight to what qualifying suggested.
Lights out in Berlin
As the lights went out in for Race 2 of the Formula E Berlin E-Prix, Wehrlein had a tough launch, keeping the lead until Barnard made an impressive surge for the lead, dropping the Porsche driver into third. With the field looking tight and action-packed, Taylor Barnard led the grid into lap 2.
Mahindra Racing drivers Nyck de Vries and Edoardo Mortara were making moves as the Dutchman moved up the order of the grid in ninth, while his teammate set the first fastest lap of the race.
At the front, Nick Cassidy powered through to snatch the lead, with Sébastien Buemi close behind in second, coming from 13th on the grid. Meanwhile, drama unfolded as de Vries, who was running in third, suddenly dropped back. Race Control noted an incident between the Mahindra Racing driver and Buemi.
In another shake-up, Joel Eriksson jumped into the lead. What a moment for Envision Racing with both drivers holding 1-2.
Günther charges to the front
Polesetter Wehrlein tumbled down to sixth, after being caught in the mess of the midfield, as the grid was just separated by less than four seconds. All eyes were on Eriksson who managed his energy greatly, using 2.8% of his battery.
Günther charged through the field with an outstanding drive, climbing from 14th on the grid to take the lead for DS Penske while also setting the fastest lap. His progress reshaped the race, as he and Sébastien Buemi both moved from the lower half of the grid into contention at the front. The field remained tightly compressed, with barely a few seconds covering the leading group, as drivers delayed activating Attack Mode and focused on positioning.
The fight for the lead
Mortara then added another twist to the race, surging from 10th on the grid to take the lead for Mahindra Racing. The order continued to shift rapidly, with drivers who had started outside the top 10 now dictating the pace in a classic display of Formula E pack racing.
Buemi soon fought back, working his way through the chaos to reclaim the lead for Envision Racing. Wehrlein followed closely behind, while energy management began to influence the fight at the front, with small differences in battery levels becoming increasingly important.
Günther remained a central figure in the battle and soon returned to the lead with another decisive move, setting an even faster lap in the process. The field tightened further, with almost the entire pack running nose to tail. Zane Maloney became the first driver to activate Attack Mode, signalling the start of the strategic phase of the race.
The lead changed hands again as Buemi surged back to the front, continuing the back-and-forth battle at the head of the field. Further down the order, Jean-Éric Vergne also activated Attack Mode in an attempt to recover positions, while the leading group remained incredibly close. Buemi held a slight energy advantage over Günther, which could prove decisive as the race unfolded.
Rowland takes the lead
Oliver Rowland delivered one of the most remarkable drives of the race, charging from 18th on the grid to take the lead for Nissan. He sliced through the field in a single lap, moving from fourth to first with a bold and opportunistic move, as the pack remained tightly bunched with 17 cars covered by just a few seconds. While Maloney’s Attack Mode advantage expired, Jean-Éric Vergne continued to push forward in the midfield with extra power still available.
Rowland extended his presence by setting the fastest lap of the race with a 1:01.430, as the strategic phase intensified. Norman Nato and Felipe Drugovich activated Attack Mode, looking to gain positions in the dense pack, while officials showed Eriksson the black and white flag for moving under braking.
Vergne then timed his Attack Mode perfectly and moved into the lead for Citroën, but Nato quickly emerged as a major threat. The Nissan driver surged from seventh into second and closed in on the leader, using his remaining Attack Mode to full effect. Across the field, drivers including Eriksson and António Félix da Costa activated their own Attack Mode, adding further complexity to the strategy.
Impressive drive from Nato
Nato soon completed his charge, climbing from 16th on the grid to take the lead. He managed his energy effectively and built a small gap of over a second, but remained under constant pressure from a tightly packed group behind. Buemi and pole-sitter Wehrlein then activated Attack Mode in response, as multiple drivers, including Eriksson and Barnard, prepared their own counter-attacks in an increasingly intense and unpredictable race.
Behind him, the race intensified as strategy came into play, with multiple drivers activating Attack Mode and turning the field into a tightly packed battle.
Vergne made a bold move by activating his Attack Mode, using the extra power to push forward through the pack. While Nato tried to control the race from the front, a closely grouped train of rivals chased him down, turning the closing stages into a high-speed strategic fight.
Drivers on the hunt
Wehrlein used Attack Mode to surge from the midfield into second place, but his advantage expired as the race entered a crucial phase. Behind him, the fight intensified, with nine drivers still running Attack Mode, including Günther in third and Rowland in fourth.
At the front, Nato now had to defend without the benefit of extra power, as a tightly packed group of faster, Attack Mode-equipped rivals closed in, turning the race into a high-pressure strategic battle.
Mitch Evans produced one of the most remarkable drives of the race, charging from 17th on the grid to take the lead for Jaguar TCS Racing. He used Attack Mode to full effect, timing his move perfectly before his extra power expired and reshaping the order at the front. The leading group quickly filled with drivers who had started outside the top 15, underlining the chaotic nature of the race.
Strategy intensified as the field closed in
Nato, who had earlier climbed from 16th to lead, briefly held the advantage before Evans overtook him. Behind them, strategy became critical as multiple drivers activated Attack Mode. António Félix da Costa, Barnard and Dan Ticktum all deployed their boosts, while Buemi prepared a late charge.
With fewer than 10 laps remaining, Evans led a tightly packed train, but pressure built rapidly. Up to ten drivers ran Attack Mode simultaneously, turning the race into a strategic battle. Wehrlein used his boost to fight back towards the front, while Günther, Mortara and Eriksson also activated theirs in an attempt to gain positions.
Lead changed hands in dramatic closing stages
Wehrlein briefly reclaimed the lead for TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, but Evans responded immediately by activating Attack Mode again and retaking control. The race evolved corner by corner, with as many as 13 drivers running Attack Mode at once, including Rowland, Drugovich and Pepe Martí.
A brief Full Course Yellow for a slippery surface neutralised the race and bunched the field together, adding further tension to the closing laps.
Evans held on to secure a stunning victory
Once racing resumed, Evans maintained his lead, but Rowland, who had climbed from 18th, closed in rapidly. The front of the field reflected the chaos of the race, with drivers from 17th, 18th and pole position fighting for victory.
Evans held his nerve under intense pressure in the final laps and defended strongly to the chequered flag. He secured victory at the 2026 Formula E Berlin E-Prix Race 2, after an extraordinary charge from 17th on the grid. Rowland completed an equally impressive drive to finish second from 18th, while Wehrlein recovered to third after starting from pole, taking back the championship lead.
