After a series of unfortunate delays, a peaking global pandemic and last minute venue changes, the 9th round of the 2021-22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship was finally held in Jakarta, Indonesia for the first time on Saturday, June 4 2022.Â
Nicknamed the "Jakarta E-Prix", the net-zero carbon emissions motorsport takes place at the purpose-built Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit, located at North Jakarta within Taman Impian Jaya Ancol. The knockdown circuit serves as the venue for the first ever FIA (Fdration Internationale de l'Automobile)-sanctioned world championship event in Indonesia since the 2006 A1 GP at Sentul International Circuit.
Originally announced in September 2019 to be part of the 2019-20 season before being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was finally decided that the Jakarta E-Prix will host the ninth round of the 2021-22 Formula E season. The world championship event also marks the return of motorsport to the Ancol region 30 years after Indonesia's first race track - Ancol Circuit - was disbanded in 1992.
Fresh from the Berlin E-Prix are twenty-two drivers from eleven constructors, with the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team leading the Constructors Championship thanks to Nyck de Vries' victory in the previous round while his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne leads the Drivers Championship. Hot on their heels are Eduardo Mortara from ROKiT Venturi Racing and Jean-Eric Vergne from DS TECHEETAH, with both teams also in contention for the Constructors' Championship.
Intense multi-stage qualifying sessions ultimately gave DS TECHEETAH a front-row lockout with Vergne leading just 0.8 seconds faster from teammate Antonio Felix da Costa. Double-podium hopes for DS TECHEETAH were soon upstaged as Mitch Evans from Jaguar TCS Racing storms to first place in the last minutes of the thrilling 45-minute race. Vergne was forced to settle for second, as Venturi's Edo Mortara completes the podium in third.
The Jakarta E-Prix is set to return for the next two years, with the 2023 round expected to host double headers following hugely positive feedback.
