Wehrlein Takes São Paulo E-Prix Pole but Grid Penalty Hands Dennis the Start

Overview

• Pascal Wehrlein set the fastest time in the duels to claim pole and three championship points but will start fourth after a three-place penalty for wheel spinning in the pit lane.
• Jake Dennis inherits pole position for the season opener, with Dan Ticktum moving up to join him on the front row.
• Felipe Drugovich crashed at Turn 4 in the groups, triggering a red flag during his first qualifying as a full-time Formula E driver.
• Reigning champion Oliver Rowland was eliminated in the group stage and is set to start from the seventh row of the grid.
• Qualifying used a revised 10-minute, 10-driver group format introduced after McLaren’s exit, and scorching conditions raised concerns about battery management for the race.