Launch season for the 2023 Formula E World Championship is underway, and Porsche has given us our first look at its all-new Gen3 car – the 99X Electric.
Porsche joined the electric series for the 2019-20 season, but has yet to put together a serious championship challenge, winning only one race so far at the 2022 Mexico City e-Prix where the team enjoyed some rare dominance. The team, along with its driver pairing of António Félix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein, will be hoping this new-generation car will bring the marque towards the sharp end.
The Gen3 machines are by far the most capable Formula E cars yet. They see a jump from 340PS (250kW) to 476PS (350kW), while the car is also lighter which makes for improved efficiency. Porsche has been busy testing its own Gen3 car ahead of its competitive debut at the opening race of the 2022-23 season on 14th January 2023 in Mexico City
On the launch of the 99X Gen3 car, Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport, said: “Like the all-new Formula E generation, the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 represents a technological milestone in all-electric racing. For Formula E and also for Porsche, campaigning these new cars from season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is a significant step into the future of motorsport. We’re looking forward to the start of the season and a new era.”
António Félix da Costa, Porsche works driver said: “Our new car is a big step forward. It’s lighter and more powerful than its predecessor – that alone brings a smile to a racing driver’s face.
“The team has made it very easy for me. I felt comfortable right from the get-go. I also get along well with my new teammate Pascal, whom I’ve raced against in various series. We have a common goal, namely to bring Porsche to the top. Porsche is a brand synonymous with victories. We want to deliver those as quickly as possible with the new Porsche 99X Electric Gen3.”
Da Costa’s team-mate Pascal Wehrlein said: “We’re experiencing exciting times as a team at the moment. During the tests with our new car, I had a good feeling right from the start. We gained a lot of insights and made great progress. At the very beginning, it was about getting the car running, but very quickly it became just as much about performance. And, of course, efficiency, which will also be a key to success with the new generation of cars.”
Formula E
Formula E 2023
Porsche
99X
Gen3