Formula E’s 12th season launches in São Paulo this weekend, and the championship is facing its most existential Gen3 moment yet. The final year of the current regulations promises to be a chaotic mess of competitiveness, with five genuine title contenders and a support series debate that’s going nowhere fast.
But let’s be honest. Whilst teams obsess over Gen4 developments, someone still needs to win this thing. And with the field bunched tighter than a rush-hour tube carriage, the show could actually be worth watching.
The Reigning Champion’s Cursed Number Plate
Oliver Rowland enters as defending champion, boldly sporting the #1 plate. Historically? That’s been about as lucky as ordering fish at a motorway service station.
The Briton was absolutely unstoppable in the first half of last season, hoovering up victories like they were going out of fashion. Then his form collapsed faster than a dodgy cryptocurrency. Lucky for him, his advantage was so massive it barely mattered. He sealed the championship with two races to spare.
Nissan looked ominous in Valencia testing, keeping their powder dry until the final moments when Rowland went fastest. If anyone can break the #1 curse, it’s probably this guy. But that’s a big “if.”
Wehrlein’s Revenge Tour Starts Now
Pascal Wehrlein had to surrender his crown for Rowland to claim it. Season 11 was basically a masterclass in how bad luck can torpedo a title defence.
The Porsche driver even ended São Paulo upside down after a freak accident. Nothing says “this isn’t your year” quite like that opener, does it?
Yet Wehrlein showed blistering pace at nearly every circuit. Had the Formula E gods been kinder, he’d have taken the title fight to the wire. Pre-season testing saw Porsche looking silky smooth, possibly hiding performance like teams always claim they are. With António Félix da Costa gone and Nico Müller arriving, lady luck might finally fancy the German this time.
Can Dennis Recapture His 2023 Magic?
Jake Dennis won the Season 9 title back in 2023. Since then? Two challenging campaigns that felt like wading through treacle.
But something clicked in Valencia testing. Andretti’s lead driver looked comfortable and seriously quick. The arrival of Felipe Drugovich means Dennis isn’t carrying the entire team’s points burden anymore. That could be the mental release he needs.
A confident Dennis is a dangerous Dennis. If he builds early-season momentum, don’t be shocked to see him battling for the title come London. The question is whether Andretti can maintain that form across 17 races.
De Vries’ Quiet Comeback Nobody Saw Coming
Nyck de Vries on this list might raise eyebrows. But Formula E’s first Dutch world champion rediscovered his mojo last season after that awkward AlphaTauri situation we’d all rather forget.
Mahindra’s competitive package helped enormously. The Indian manufacturer topped almost every testing session, and whilst some teams were probably sandbagging, Mahindra looked genuinely rapid. De Vries finished Season 11 with back-to-back London podiums, which bodes well if he can carry that momentum.
Could he become the series’ second two-time champion before Rowland, Wehrlein, or anyone else? The audacity would be delicious.
Ticktum’s Fairytale: Outsider or Dark Horse?
Dan Ticktum finally had machinery last season that let him showcase his undeniable talent. He became a regular frontrunner and is clearly thriving in the Cupra Kiro since Forest Road’s takeover.
Of these five, he’s the biggest outsider. But Formula E loves a fairytale story, and Ticktum in a fight? You’d be foolish to bet against him. His Jakarta breakthrough proved he can win. Now can he do it consistently?
With Gary Paffett as racing director providing seasoned guidance, Ticktum has the structure to channel his speed into results. If he strings together a few wins early, manufacturer teams will come sniffing for Gen4.
The Support Series Ghost That Haunts Formula E
Meanwhile, Formula E continues wrestling with its three-hour qualifying-to-race gap. Fans twiddle their thumbs after exhausting the fan zone and overpriced autograph sessions. The Nxt Gen Cup solution is staring them in the face, yet financial disputes keep scuppering the partnership.
The series is ready. It races successfully with DTM. It has ABB and Hankook partnerships already. It even promotes female drivers, with Patricija Stalidzane and Siri Hökfelt winning races this year. But Formula E wants its pound of flesh, and until the financial equation works, fans get silence.
Gen3’s Grand Finale: Chaos Guaranteed
This final Gen3 season could echo 2021’s chaos, when 11 different winners emerged from 15 races. With teams having three years of data and full understanding of the Evo package, expect the field to bunch even tighter.
New sporting regulations add spice. A 50% attack mode reduction at select circuits and no requirement to fully deploy it before race end could shake up strategies. Though with most teams still perfecting those Hankook tyres after limited dry running last season, one outfit nailing the rubber could forge an advantage.
“If you’re going to give me a full dry season, I’m telling you, we’re winning the championship if I was in the same package as last year. The tyre is always the key.” – Albert Lau, Paceteq
Eight to ten race winners and three or four legitimate title contenders heading to London? That’s the prediction. Whether anyone actually breaks through the noise to capture mainstream attention remains Formula E’s eternal question. For now, check the F1 Calendar if you need a racing fix with actual television coverage.
So who wins Gen3’s finale? Rowland defends, Wehrlein seeks revenge, Dennis chases redemption, de Vries plots a quiet coup, or Ticktum writes his fairytale? The only certainty is that whilst everyone obsesses over Gen4, someone has to actually win this thing. And it might just be properly entertaining.
