The Closest Championship Battles in Formula E History
In the world of motorsport, fans have become accustomed to one-sided title races, especially in the world of Formula One. Max Verstappen has romped to the last four championships in a row, and he has done so in a convincing fashion.
While his maiden triumph in 2021 came down to the final lap of the final race of the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the two successes that followed were some of the most dominant seasons the sport has ever seen. In 2024, the Flying Dutchman reigned supreme once more, and while it looked like he might be pushed all the way by Lando Norris, the Brit’s title charge never really materialised.
Over in Formula E however, there have been plenty of title challenges in recent years. Let’s take a look at some of the closest.
2023/24 – Six Points Define a Season
In Formula One, the latest odds from Paddy Power currently make both Verstappen and Norris both 21/10 joint favourites for the title next term, suggesting that they expect the tightest of tight title races to unfold. However, if those two can muster up anything like the battle we have just seen in the most recently concluded 2023/24 season, they will serve up a title race for the ages.
The bookies are very rarely wrong. Online sports betting tips providers tipped Charles Leclerc to place in the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and he duly obliged, from the back of the grid no less. However, expecting anything quite like the three-way battle we have just seen unfold in Formula E is certainly expecting a lot.
Heading into the final race of the season, the battle for the championship was a three-way contest between Pascal Wehrlein and the Kiwi duo of Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy. Throughout the year, each of them had moments of brilliance, creating a tight points race heading into the decider in London.
Wehrlein was the rank outsider heading into the Old Blighty doubleheader, but victory in the first race coupled with a seventh-placed finish for championship leader Cassidy suddenly catapulted him into contention. It went from bad to worse for the one-time title favourite, he retired in the second race, leaving him out of contention despite heading into the decisive meeting with the lead. Wehrlein managed to finish in second place in the decider, with Evans in third, resulting in the German emerging with the title by six points.
It wasn’t a dream, @PWehrlein ✨
You really are WORLD CHAMPION! pic.twitter.com/HHrJbDR2RT
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) July 22, 2024
2015/16 – A Two-Point Nail-Biter
In 2015/16, Sébastien Buemi and Lucas di Grassi’s rivalry defined the season, with on-track clashes, psychological warfare, and heart-stopping finishes all coming with regular aplomb. As was the case eight years later, however, these two would come down to a grand finale in London, but it looked very different to Wehrlein’s eventual triumph.
Early in the race, tension peaked as both title protagonists were involved in a highly contentious incident, colliding with each other and sending both cars into the barriers. Both drivers were out of contention for the race victory, but in bizarre circumstances, they were sent back out on track in a bid to secure the fastest lap and the two bonus points it brought with it.
The drama that unfolded could have been scripted for a movie. Both drivers returned to the track in damaged cars, aiming for one thing only—setting the fastest lap. Going all out in their battered machines, it was Buemi who eventually clinched it, securing the two bonus points he needed to win the title in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable.
