ThePitcrewOnline

Kieran McDonnell

  • What to look out for ahead of the final 4 rounds of Formula E Season 12

    What to look out for ahead of the final 4 rounds of Formula E Season 12

    The Gen3 Evo era of the electric pinnacle of motorsport concludes after 2 more weekends of racing but there are many storylines to look out for before the season finale in London!

    The final Gen3/Gen3 Evo drivers world championship is heating up!

    After the top 4 failed to score in Sanya, it looked like Mitch Evans was able to get a lucky break and maintain a healthy points lead going to Shanghai. However, after only 4 points being able to be scored at the home of the Shanghai International Circuit including a DNS on the second race, he is now trailing the Season 10 champion of Pascal Wehrlein by 9 points. However, behind Evans is 8 points separating Rowland, Da Costa, Dennis and Mortara. Any of these drivers will be hoping for a DNF for Wehrlein and Evans in order to shoot their way up the grid in order to secure a shot at the title.

    PositionDriverTeamPointsGap
    1stPascal WehrleinPorsche Formula E Team141–
    2nd Mitch EvansJaguar TCS Racing132-9
    3rdOliver RowlandNissan Formula E Team114-18
    4thAntonio Felix Da CostaJaguar TCS Racing111-3
    5thJake DennisAndretti Formula E109-2
    6thEdoardo MortaraMahindra Formula E Team103-6
    7thNico MuellerPorsche Formula E Team96-7

    Teams and Manufacturers Championship are equally as exciting

    For the teams and manufacturrers, this title battle is heating up just as much!

    Jaguar TCS Racing and Porsche Formula E are separated by 6 points with 4 rounds left. Yes 6! Porsche secured an 18 point gain after Jaguar failed to score in Shanghai race 2. With both of these teams also leading the manufacturers championships (albeit with Porsche leading the championship by 50 points)


    From P3 to P7 the gap is 61 points with this containing 2 battles: Andretti vs Mahindra-174 vs 172 respectfully and Envision, Nissan and Citroen-130, 125 and 115 respectfully.


    Its Cupra Kiro on their on in P8 with 86 points and DS Penske vs Lola Yamaha Abt with 49 and 34 points respectfully for the wooden spoon.

    PositionTeamPointsGap
    1stJaguar TCS Racing243–
    2ndPorsche Formula E Team237-6
    3rdAndretti Formula E174-59
    4thMahindra Racing172-2
    5thEnvision Racing130-42
    6thNissan Formula E Team125-5
    7thCitroen Racing115-10
    8thCupra Kiro86-29
    9thDS Penske49-37
    10thLola Yamaha Abt Formula E Team34-15

    A farewell to existing drivers and teams combinations:

    Silly season has kicked off in other series and in Formula E it won’t properly kick off until after London but we have had news:

    • Mitch Evans will be leaving Jaguar TCS Racing after this season. This was a shock as Mitch and Jag have been together for years and eras.

    • Lucas Di Grassi is departing the championship after this season as a driver. He will maintain his relationship with Lola Yamaha Abt so the boy from Barbados Zane Maloney will have a new teammate in Gen4.

    • While not officially confirmed, Gen4 offers other teams opportunities to try new drivers and replace ones who are potentially not hitting the bar expected of them. Norman Nato and Dan Ticktum stand out the most to me.

  • Tinder becomes the first dating app partner of Formula E ahead of the 2026 Hankook London E-Prix

    Tinder becomes the first dating app partner of Formula E ahead of the 2026 Hankook London E-Prix

    The famous dating app, Tinder, has been revealed to be the official “Sparking Connections” partner of the Hankook London E=Prix, taking place in August 2026 and marks a landmark first for the electric championship.

    It is a significant moment for the dating app with this partnership highlighting key positioning across the modern dating world; joyful, unpredictable and built on the courage to make the first move.

    This partnership is seen as a foundational principle where Formula E has key initiates such as FIA Girls on Track and the women’s test which are opportunities for women to showcase their talent, Tinder has the same principles for millions of people to show up across backgrounds and identities and creating opportunities, conections and participate in openness rather than outdated traditions.

    Paolo Lorenzoni, VP Marketing EMEA at Tinder, said:

    “What drew us to Formula E is that they reflect what we stand for as a brand. This is a sport that believes women belong at the front of the grid, not as a gesture, but as a conviction. At Tinder the best connections happen when everyone feels equally empowered to show up and go for it. We are proud to bring that energy to London.”

    Ellie Norman, Chief Marketing Officer at Formula E, said:

    “Tinder is a brand that understands the importance of creating genuine human connections, making it a natural fit for Formula E. We’re both focused on engaging a new generation through experiences that are inclusive, progressive and culturally relevant. The Hankook London E-Prix is where sport, entertainment and innovation come together, and we’re excited to welcome Tinder as our Official Sparking Connections Partner to create memorable moments for fans on and off the track.”

    The Hankook London E-Prix takes place during the 15th and 16th August.

  • “A piece of Formula 1 that will teach generations to come”-Grand Prix 101 Review

    “A piece of Formula 1 that will teach generations to come”-Grand Prix 101 Review

    Grand Prix 101-A piece of Formula 1 that will teach generations to come-Book Review

    When I first saw Grand Prix 101, the first thing that grasped my attention was the cover. the striking aspect of the text, Formula 1 car and colours are striking for anyone. The cover does not do the book justice for the amount of insightful information contained within this book.

    Having a chance to interview the author, Christian Hewgill, a month prior to the launch, my excitement for the book sky rocketed. The amount of detail Christian went into about not only the book but also inside the book blew my mind.

    I’ve been following F1 since 2020 and while I will never know everything about the large and ever expanding sport as the history books gain new chapters every race, Grand Prix 101 has allowed my limited capacity to gain more information of this sport that we all love.

    The Chapters Assist with the learning:
    Grand Prix 101 has been divided up into 7 chapters with subchapters to answer the core questions about F1. These questions delve deep into the core fundamentals and DNA of Formula One.

    The Chapters are divided as the following:
    – The Rules
    – The Teams
    – The Drivers
    – The Cars
    – The Circuits
    – The Races
    – The Technology

    Collectively, the 7 chapters answer 50 questions, each scaling on length, information and funny humour to take away from certain serious points of the book as well as help the reader understand the point even more which is something that many books potentially should lean into.

    The Information:
    Grand Prix 101 dives deep into both technical and sporting side of the sport to make it understanding to everyone, from someone who has never watched a Formula 1 race to someone who has watched every session of the season.

    As mentioned, there are jokes at points of the book which fit quite well, others which don’t hit as well as others which is bound to happen when so many jokes happen at once.

    The Visuals :
    For me, I am a visual learner, so having so many pictures which assist the user to understand so many aspects of Formula 1 is grately appreciated. Spanning across all eras of Formula 1,  the visuals of the cars, drivers and tracks all fit the schema very well and really add to the book’s performance.

    The Conclusion:

    Overall, Grand Prix 101 captures the essence of the Pinnacle of Motorsport while not only answering all 50 questions raised, but stapling itself as a book that will teach generations. Everyone involved in the book has done an amazing job and it will be one I will be recommending to everyone I know if they want to learn more about Formula One.

     

  • Formula E Season 12 Rounds 12 and 13: Shanghai E-Prix Preview and Predictions

    Formula E Season 12 Rounds 12 and 13: Shanghai E-Prix Preview and Predictions

    Formula E Season 12 and the Gen3 Evo era is drawing to a close, but we still have 3 more weekends of double headers coming up! First up is Shanghai!

    This circuit is an alternate version of the Grand Prix layout F1 fans will be aware of. With a shorter version, the one 1km long straight eradicated and replaced with a smaller run and a chicane for energy management, this circuit delivered chaotic races last year and this year is set to be the same. 

    The first race will see pit boost return where drivers have to stop for their mandatory pitstop of energy when they are between 40 and 60% of energy remaining. 

    The second race will see a return to 2 attack modes with no pit boosts. 

    Predictions

    Round 12:

    Pole: Antonio Felix Da Costa

    Da Costa was on a good run in Sanya until a penalty ruined his chances of a podium finish. Bouncing back is something DAC can do and something I think will happen in Shanghai

    Winner: Mitch Evans

    Evans needs strong results in these final rounds in Season 12 if he wants to fullfil his and Jaguar’s vision if a maiden drivers championship before he departs the team. Could Shanghai be the start? I think so!

    Podium: One Porsche and one Andretti

    The Porsche and Andretti teammates have all had highs and lows throughout Season 12 and finishing with at least 1 more podium will surely be the target for these drivers. As Andretti departs the Porsche family, they will want to secure at least 1 more podium with their factory manufacturers. 

    Round 13:

    Pole Position: Felipe Drugovich

    The young Andretti driver has shown good pace throughout Season 12 and, despite a few mistakes, has really picked up his maturity and race craft since his debut for the American outfit in season 12. 

    Race winner: Felipe Drugovich

    Shanghai race 2-Where a rookie wins? I think it’s likely! Following the footsteps of his world champion teammate Jake Dennis in Sanya. 

    Podium: 2 Stallentis

    From Porsche power to Stallantis power. The DS Penskes powered their way to a 1-2 finish last year in Shanghai and I think their power train can do it again this year! As a powertain that is…not as a team….

     

  • Formula E Season 12 Round 9: De Vries Masters Mayhem at Monaco

    Formula E Season 12 Round 9: De Vries Masters Mayhem at Monaco


    Round 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has just finished and oh boy was it crazy! Lets run through the main points:

    bWhile the race start was clean, it wasn’t long until a collision was created. Nick Cassidy and Jake Dennis collided after the tunnel with Dennis ending up out of the race. Cassidy received a drive through penalty as a result of this but managed to drive his way back to P10.

    At the end of the race, Ticktum and Da Costa were fighting for P3 before at the same part of the track that Dennis and Cassidy were too, they both crashed and Da Costa ending up stopping on track and leading to a full course yellow until De Vries was half way done the final lap. Ticktum was blamed for this incident and received a drive through penalty which was converted to a 33 second penalty which dropped him to P12.

    Different strategies make or break at Monaco:
    There were a various amount of strategies displayed throughout the first of two races this weekend. Many drivers such as De Vries, Evans and Barnard pitted for their pitboost several laps before Ticktum which worked out in some of their favors with clear air and Ticktum w as jumped by many drivers and, despite taking a later attack mode and managing to get up to P3, its still a “what might have been” moment for Ticktum.

    Tyre Trouble:
    There was a surprising amount of punctures throughout the race with Wehrlein and Rowland suffering from them early on in the race with Mortara and Nato then suffering drive through penalties for tyre pressure infractions and ultimately ruining their chances of any points.

    Championships Heats up:
    Before we entered this weekend, Wehrlein, Evans and Mortara were all within 10 points of each other. Due to Wehrlein and Mortara not scoring any points and Evans getting 18, he jumps to 15 points ahead of the Season 10 champion. Rowland, Cassidy, Dennis and Da Costa score no points so Mueller and Evans capitalise as much as they can.

    In the teams championship, Jaguar now lead Porsche by 3 points with Mahindra maintaining their lead over Nissan. Envision climb above Andretti AND Citroen.

    Manufacturers sees Porsche maintain their lead ahead of Jaguar, Stellantis, Mahindra, Nissan and Lola.

  • Formula E Season 12 Rounds 9 and 10 Monaco E-Prix Preview and Predictions

    Formula E Season 12 Rounds 9 and 10 Monaco E-Prix Preview and Predictions

    Its the Principalty week for Formula E as we head to the iconic Monaco circuit for a double header weekend!

    Circuit Information:
    This 19 turn circuit follows the similar layout from other circuits! This iconic circuit has delivered drama, debuts, history and overall entertainment!

    We have 2 different numbers of laps for both rounds:
    Round 9: 29 laps with pit boost and 1 attack mode activation for 6 minutes.
    Round 10: 28 laps with 2 attack mode activations for 6 minutes.
    These differences will be big for the races and energy strategy

    Round 9 Predictions

    Pole Position: Taylor Barnard


    This track is very special for the most recent DS Penske newest driver. He won his maiden F2 race at the Monaco 2024 sprint race and replaced Sam Bird on the same year when he hurt himself during a free practice session. He got pole last year so I think he will do it again!


    1st Place: Taylor Barnard


    Pole to win for Barnard? I think so! Barnard’s maiden victory is a “when” not “if” in this writer’s opinion. Monaco is the best place for this to happen for Taylor!



    2nd Place: Oliver Rowland


    Rowland and Barnard share a history together. A mentor-mentee style of relationship. Rowland has also had good history around here so a podium with his young protégé is likely.

    MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – MAY 03: Race winner Oliver Rowland of Great Britain and Nissan Formula E Team in parc ferme during the Monaco E-Prix, Round 6 of the 2025 FIA Formula E World Championship at Circuit de Monaco on May 03, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)



    3rd Place: Sebastian Buemi


    Buemi’s run of form around Monaco is something sensational. Managing to win last year in his Envision was incredible, especially as he started P8. I think it will be close between the top 3, with the Swiss driver only claiming P3.

    Round 10:


    Pole Position: Oliver Rowland


    As the reigning world champion, Oliver Rowland will have some extra power so I think a pole position is likely!



    1st Place: Nick Cassidy


    Is this an odd choice? I don’t think so. Nick has always been very strong with strategy and around Monaco, Citroen could very well take his talk and execute it so they learn more and take them into the final 7 rounds of the season.



    2nd Place: Mitch Evans


    The most recent Berlin E-Prix winner and after a race where he finished off the podium the day before, a strong bounce back is what I think will happen for Evans.



    3rd Place: Pascal Wehrlein


    Season 10 champion will want to finish strong before a month-ish break before Sanya. A podium finish would be great for him!

  • Formula E Season 12 Round 7 and 8 Berlin E-Prix Predictions and Preview

    Formula E Season 12 Round 7 and 8 Berlin E-Prix Predictions and Preview

    After 6 long weeks, Formula E finally returns this weekend in Berlin! Ahead of this iconic circuit’s final venture of Gen3 Evo, Kieran has looked ahead to the weekend!

    Circuit Preview:This 15 turn 2.345km long, anti clockwise circuit has seen it’s fair share of Formula E drama, races, controversy and history.

    Templehof airport has always sent emotions high for everyone watching the Berlin E-Prix and this double header will certainly do that!
    Countdowns for all sessions are down below

    Round 7:

    Free Practice 1

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    Free Practice 2

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    Qualifying

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    Berlin E-Prix

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    Round 8:

    Free Practice 3

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    Qualifying

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    Berlin E-Prix

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    Round 7:
    Pole Position: Oliver Rowland
    Oliver Rowland managed to qualify in the top 3 on both occations last year in Berlin. Can he go one better at the circuit that he claimed his world championship at? I think so!

    Podium prediction:

    1st Place: Pascal Wehrlein
    German driver leading the world championship with a German team entering the German race. Is an extention of this lead likely? Yes. While Wehrlein hasn’t been on the top step of the podium for a bit of time, but I think his home race is the perfect time to return.

    2nd Place:Antonio Felix  Da Costa
    Da Costa has had a fantastic run of form but all good things must come to an end. I think Berlin will be that time and place. However, a podium is still strong!

    3rd Place: Nico Mueller
    Mueller has put in very solid performances this year in the factory Porsche team and moving onto the podium to make it a Porsche 1-3 is possible to happen!

    Round 8:
    Pole: WehrleinAfter Wehrlein ‘s win in round 7, he will be on a momentum high and grab pole position at the second round in his home race!

    Podium Predictions:

    1st Place:     Nico MuellerThis one has been a long time waiting for Mueller who has managed to put in some great performances over his Formula E career so far. A win is a matter of “when” not “if” for the Swiss driver and I think it happens this weekend!

    2nd Place: Nick Cassidy
    Cassidy has had amazing performances in Berlin, claiming many victories here. While Round 7 may not go in the way he wants, I think a podium is quite possible for him in Citroen !

    3rd Place: Mitch Evans
    The news of Evans leaving Jaguar TCS Racing at the end of the season was both a surprise and not a surprise to the Formula E community. As rumours emerged that Evans has not tested Jaguar’s Gen4 car as his contract is expired after this season, the likely good of him leaving became more likely. 

    Anyway, back to Berlin and with his teammate obtaining a podium the day before, Evans obtaining a podium the day after is possible as the experience and speed is there.

  • BREAKING: FIA announce new rules changes for Formula One 2026 Season

    BREAKING: FIA announce new rules changes for Formula One 2026 Season

    As the F1 Spring Breakn has gone on, many talks have been underway with drivers, teams and other stakeholders in relation to some key concerns that have been brought up as a result of the first 3 rounds of the Formula One 2026 season. 

    Today, the FIA met with all teams and came to a conclusion that the following changes will be made:


    Qualifying:
    The maximum reduction from 8MJ to 7MJ with an aim at reducing the excessive harvesting and encouraging more consistent flat out.

    Peak superclip increased to 350kW in order to reduce the time spent recharging and in order to reduce the driver workload on the energy management. This will also happen in races.

    Race:
    The maximum power through boost mode has been capped at 150kW limiting the sudden performance differences.

    The MGU-K is maintained at 350kW in key zones but will be limited to 250kW in other zones.

    A new “low power start detection” has been developed for the starts so it is easier to identify cars with a low acceleration after clutch release.

    An automatic MGU-K deployment will be triggered in these cases to ensure a minimum power of acceleration and to mitigate any start-related risks without any advantage. 

    A new visual warning system has also been introduced for activating flashing lights on the affected cars.

    A reset of the energy counter at the start of the formation lap has also been introduced in order to correct an issue. 

    Wet Conditions:
    The tyre blanket temperatures for intermediate tyres will also be increased following driver feedback.

    ERS deployment has been reduced for these conditions to limit torque and improve car control. 

    The rear light system will also be simplified with more visual consistency to improve visibility and reaction time. 

    All changes will be presented to the FIA World Motorsport Council with a view to implement them before May 3rd which is the Miami Grand Prix apart from the race starts will be tested and alaysed during the weekend. 

    What do you think of these changes?

  • Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Preview and Predictions

    Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix Preview and Predictions

    4 races (including sprint races) within 4 weeks for Formula 1 before a month long break and it is almost time for Japan to take centre stage. Many teams and drivers will be wanting this break, others will want to go racing immediately after but all recognise why there is such a long gap. Lets preview this race, shall we?

    Japanese Grand Prix Track Preview

    This famous track in Japan has seen champions crowned, teammate controversy and iconic moments between world champions happen.

    5.807km around this circuit sees 22 drivers take on 18 corners a total of 53 times. Thats 954 corners for the race winner and 20,988 total corners taken if all 22 drivers finish the race without being lapped. Of course, given the last 2 Grand Prixs has seen at 2 and 4 drivers not even start the formation lap respectfully (both including Oscar Piastri and one Audi) so we could see 6 or 8 drivers not start the race if this record continues.

    Image Credit: Formla One’s Japanese Grand Prix section of their website

    2 Straight Mode Zones within this weekend:
    – 1 on the start/finish straight
    – 1 after turn 14 all the way up to 130R.

    The Overtake Mode is activited on the start/finish straight too so expect a lot of overtakes there.

    Rookie Free Practice

    Its only round 3 but we already have a rookie taking part in free practice. At the home race of Honda, Aston Martin have chosen Fernando Alonso to sit out FP1 and elected to put the teams third driver Jak Crawford into the seat to fullfil 1 of 4 required replacements across the season. The cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia could have accelerated this but that hasn’t been confirmed.

    Schedule for the Weekend

    A finale for everyone living in the Asia/Oceanic region of the world for good timings across the weekend, not so much for other parts of the world.

    Free Practice 1

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    Free Practice 2

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    Free Practice 3

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    Qualifying

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    Team Predictions

    Kieran and Jack have attempted to look into the weekend to see who will take the podium and 1 surprise!

    PredictionChrisJackKieran
    WinnerN/AGeorge RussellLewis Hamilton
    PodiumN/AAndrea Kimi Antonelli, Charles LeclercCharles Leclerc, Andrea Kimi Antonelli
    SurpriseOscar Piastri completes a racing lapAlonso gets into Q2Mercedes Mechanical trouble in qualifying or the race
  • Adrian Newey To Step Down As Aston Martin F1 Team Principal

    Adrian Newey To Step Down As Aston Martin F1 Team Principal

    Adrian Newey will step down as F1 Team Principal at Aston Martin’s F1 team principal.

    The 67-year-old world renowned designer, who replaced previous Team Principal Andy Cowell four months ago, will continue in his work as Aston Martin’s F1 Managing Technical Partner, with Audi’s Jonathan Wheatley – himself less than a year into his role – most likely to replace him.

    Wheatley and Newey spent almost two decades working together at Red Bull Racing before both announcing their own departures in the wake of the Christian Horner misconduct scandal in 2024.

    The news comes after a disastrous start to the Aston Martin-Honda partnership, largely on the engine side, which has seen repeated reliability issues and a lack of performance at the start of a new era of F1 technical regulations, which has aimed for a near 50/50 split between the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and the battery powered by the MGU-K.

    Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have been unable to finish a Grand Prix due to excessive vibrations that have shaken the engine to the point of failure, with Newey revealing that the drivers risked long term damage to their health in a pre-weekend press conference at the season opening Australian Grand Prix.

    Kieran’s Analysis:

    This entire Newey/Wheatley/Aston Martin news came out of NOWHERE from my side. Two races into the season and a big change already?! Deja vu from 2025 in the Red Bull stables!

    In all seriousness, this change shapes 2 teams futures: Audi and Aston Martin.

    Firstly the positives from my side: Aston will have 2 of the biggest personnel at their best areas which will be a MAJOR boost for the entire team and drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Newey is widely regarded as the best car designer in the business and Wheatley, in this writer’s opinion, is one of the best team principals in F1 with DTS showing behind the scenes of the private man who would have been ideal for Red Bull to promote to succeed Christian Horner.

    Now the negatives and it will come primarily from the Audi side: losing a key figure to their long term project is a MAJOR negative for their plan. Wheatley was imagined to be the leading man in the case for Audi to become world champions in Formula One. However, it seems that train has been derailed which is not good for Audi. The question then remains: who will take over the seat? They could place Binotto who has experience as being a team principal but is overseeing the engine development. Could Audi promote someone with experience like Andreas Seidl who left the Audi project in 2024? Could we see a name like Allan McNish jump into that seat? Or is there another name in the hotseat? This writer is certain of something: shockwaves will be sent around the paddock as this could shape silly season for both team principals and drivers!

    Jack Prentice:

    On the face of it, this adds more chaos to an already unstable start to 2026 and the partnership between Aston Martin and Honda.

    After firing shots in the pre-weekend press conference at the first round in Australia by telling the world’s media that Aston Martin weren’t aware of how different the makeup of this Honda engine department was from the successful team that powered Red Bull to victory, and that the engine represented a danger to the driver’s long term health, Newey left observers in no doubt as to his feelings on a torrid start to the season.

    That however is not thought to be behind Newey looking for a new Team Principal, as is thought to have been leading the process for as long as he has been in that very role and it is coincidental that Aston Martin’s start has been as bad as it has.

    Formula One being Formula One, this does increase the spotlight on an already beleaguered partnership with the team 11th in the Constructors’ Championship following well documented inabilities to get the car to the finish.

    While this is undoubtedly going to create even more noise around the team, it does not alter or solve Aston Martin’s current problems with the engine and understanding of its car, and while Honda have made progress in identifying the root cause of its well known vibrations that could still take months to get on top of.