Porsche's Wehrlein claims second Formula E title as Barnard wins London finale

Aug 16 - Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein secured his second Formula E drivers' championship despite finishing 14th and failing to score in Sunday's season-ending London E-Prix, which was won by Britain's Taylor Barnard.

The 31-year-old German captured his first Formula E world title with Porsche in 2023-24 and now joins Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne as the only two drivers to win the all-electric championship twice.

Wehrlein started from the second row of the grid in London but had already put himself in control of the title race by claiming his 11th career Formula E victory, and third of the season, in Saturday's opening race, moving from third in the standings to the championship lead.

With main rival Jake Dennis of Andretti starting 16th on the grid on Sunday, the Porsche driver needed only to avoid a dramatic swing in fortunes to secure the crown.

Wehrlein's title bid briefly wobbled in the closing laps when he was shuffled down the order and then caught up in an incident on lap 31, dropping him outside the points.

However, Dennis also fell down the order in the same melee and finished 18th, while New Zealander Mitch Evans of Jaguar Racing could manage only fourth, allowing Wehrlein to clinch the championship.

Despite drawing a blank in the finale, he ended the season on 169 points, five clear of Dennis, with Evans third overall on 160.

Jaguar secured the Formula E Teams' World Championship title.

The London race also marked the end of Formula E's GEN3 era, bringing the curtain down on a four-season chapter of the FIA championship as the series prepares to enter a new phase next season. REUTERS