Wehrlein wins the Formula E Miami E-Prix after crash unplugs teammate Da Costa
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship's return to Miami Saturday for the first time since 2015 fell right into Miami's 2025 Racing Spring rhythm — dominant driver looking at a victory crafted to the perfection of a Mission: Impossible plan ends the day crushed when someone else's boo-boo collapses the plan.
So were the three races danced during March's NASCAR weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. And, so twerked Saturday's Miami E-Prix at Homestead, which fell to Tag Heuer Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein, in front of an official attendance of 17,000.
When it all shook out — and rarely has that old phrase been more appropriate —Wehrlein took first (but wasn't first under the checkered flag); Lucas di Grassi scored a stunning second for Lola Yamaha ABT, in just its fifth race with the Lola partnership; and Antonio Felix Da Costa stood on the podium in third, happy to be on the podium, disconsolate he wasn't standing in the middle where his Porsche teammate stood.
Wehrlein, who said Miami was his favorite U.S. city, acknowledged racing luck that moved an apparent win to his part of the Tag Heuer Porsche garage from Da Costa's.
'It was great, though it was a bit of a lucky win,' said Wehrlein, the 2024 Formula E series champion. 'I thought on the podium a top five was possible. But, I think we've had enough bad luck this season that we can be lucky for once.'
With six laps left, Da Costa led with Wehrlein second, but had it all over his teammate. No contender had more power left in his engine (Formula E cars regenerate power during braking). And, Da Costa had just kicked in his Attack Mode, which turns the car from a 300 kilowatt racer to a 350 kilowatt,four-wheel drive racer. The eight minutes of Attack Mode must be used in two four-minute spurts or a six-minute and a two-minute spurt.
Da Costa decided to use six minutes. By the time he ran out of Attack Mode, there would be just over a lap left and he likely would just have to worry about bringing the car home safely for the win.
But, way in the back of the field, Jake Hughes didn't make it through the perilous Turn 10 and 11 chicane. Max Gunther punted Hughes, and Mitch Evans got into Gunther's rear end. The cleanup brought out the safety car for a couple of laps, then a red flag.
This poured Da Costa's Attack Mode down the drain. He would have none left for the restart with four laps left. His teammate and several others jumped him and left him powerless to fight it.
'Positives, there are many,' Da Costa said. 'We were second in both practices, we qualified third. We did the perfect race. We were up on energy on everybody by a bit. So, I'm just sad at the ultimate result.'
He eventually settled into the philosophical shrug of race drivers felled by bad fortune: you'll win some races that way, too, and if a 'bad' day is finishing second or third, you're having a good season.
The reverse problem hit those who had saved their Attack Mode for late race use. Rules say you must use all your attack mode, but for those with eight minutes left, four laps wasn't enough to exhaust Attack Mode.
That's why Wehrlein won though he wasn't first under the checkered flag. That would be Norman Nato of Nissan, who got his first points of the year for winning the pole in the final qualifying duel with Andretti Motorsport's Jake Dennis. But Nato, like many drivers, didn't use all his Attack Mode.
Nato slipped past Wehrlein coming off the last corner on the Homestead road course with Wehrlein pushing to stay in front, but knowing he lacked the traction and power. Also, he knew Nato's Attack Mode situation, so informed by his team over the radio during a message that could be summed up as don't do anything stupid, you've got the win.
Nato wound up sixth after the penalty. Nissan teammate Oliver Rowland, the championship leader, also was one of the many dinged for Attack Mode violation and got moved down to 11th.
Rarely will you see a driver happier to finish second than 2017 Formula E champion di Grassi, who hadn't been on a podium since the 2023 season opener.
'It's a very special podium for many reasons,' di Grassi said. 'We hadn't been in a competitive car for the last three seasons. It's rough to keep the motivation up, knowing, sometimes, you don't have the most competitive car. But, you try to keep your head down and do the work the best I can.
'On the other hand, it was a very important point for the team,' he continued. 'This is only the fifth race for this team. We were very competitive in practice, in qualifying and, then in the race, apart from Antonio, me and Pascal, the difference in energy wasn't that great.'
Recalling Porsche's early years in Formula E, di Grassi said it had similar struggles to get competitive.
Lola Cars owner and chairman, Till Bechtolsheimer, said, 'This is the first race we've been able to focus on performance as opposed to just reliability, debugging, getting all the kinks out the first handful of races. Now, we've made that shift to performance and trying to unlock the package we have.'
As for the morale boost, Bechtolsheimer said, 'It's a huge boost to everyone. Everyone's been working so hard. The second youngest manufacturer in this championship is in its sixth year. We're playing catch up. That means unbelievable amount of man hours, unbelievable amount of work put in by the team. It's tough to keep putting in those hours, keep putting in that blood, sweat and tears for a goal two or three years from now.
'Getting the result in the here and now just makes everyone work that much harder and double down on the amazing efforts they've been putting in.'
Qualifying provided the early afternoon big excitement for Andretti Motorsport with Jake Dennis just missing the pole in Homestead and Andretti's IndyCar's Kyle Kirkwood taking the pole for Sunday's IndyCar Long Beach Grand Prix.
But, it was Nico Muller, who tore up his car at the Turn 10/11 chicane in practice, who provided the best result.
Muller qualified 18th of 22 drivers in Homestead, but canny driving and smart use of Attack Mode — and post-race Attack Mode use penalties of others — put him just off the podium, fourth.
Muller and engineer Bertrand Fermine won the Engineered to Outrun Award, given to the driver who makes the biggest position jump.
Actor Sung Kang, perhaps best known for his appearances in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise, couldn't walk 8 yards behind the garage area without being asked for a selfie.
When Kang got to the end of the garage, he had a chat with 1972 and 1974 Formula 1 world champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi.
Along with Fittipaldi and Kang, also spotted during the prerace grid walk were 'Emily in Paris' actor Lucien Laviscount, 'Stranger Things' actor Caleb McLaughlin and world champion fencer Miles Chamley-Watson.
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Still, once the tires did dig in, the Studebaker Golden Hawk would reach a top speed of 120 mph. AMC didn't have the money or manpower of the Big Three, but they did have bucket loads of chutzpah and certainly deserve some credit for putting muscle cars on the map. One such car was the 1957 AMC Rebel. Packing a 255-hp 327 V8 into a midsize body, the 1957 Rebel was a formidable performer. According to Curbside Classic, it blew away the competition at the Daytona Speed Trials, proving itself as the quickest production sedan there. According to Automobile Catalog, Plymouth introduced the Fury V-800 in 1957. Unlike the other Chrysler divisions, they chose not to use a Hemi engine; instead, they opted for a 318 engine featuring a polyspherical cylinder head, as referred to by Chrysler. Still, in the Fury V-800, this mill pumped out 290 hp, making it plenty quick. The Plymouth Fury also received new styling for this year, and while it was available in different body styles, none looked as good as the big-finned, two-door version with a gold spear on its flanks. Autoevolution reports that 1957 marks the first year Chevrolet offered fuel injection on a car that wasn't the Corvette, and that honor went to the stylish Bel Air. Under the hood, it still has the Rochester Ramjet 283 mill, but it now featured a continuous flow fuel-injection system, showcasing advanced technology for the time. Whereas the standard 283 had a four-barrel carb and mustered around 220 hp, Audrain Auto Museum claims the Fuelie version produced a very respectable 283 hp. This luxury cruiser wasn't just about chrome and tailfins! The Adventurer was fast, flashy, and exclusive, giving DeSoto a halo car that could go toe-to-toe with the best from Chrysler and Dodge. One of the things that made it so good was found under the hood. As reported by Autoevolution, the DeSoto Adventurer packed a 345ci Hemi V8 with dual four-barrel carburetors, resulting in a whopping 345 hp. It was one of the first production cars to achieve one horsepower per cubic inch. All this power was sent to the rear via a three-speed automatic transmission. Today, the Adventurer is often overlooked, but it was a beast in its time. Granted, the Ford Thunderbird wasn't a muscle car; it was a "personal luxury car," but in 1958, it did receive a rear seat, and up front, it was certainly packing a punch. MotorTrend was so pleased with its stylish looks, cavernous interior (for its size), and excellent performance, they made it their Car of the Year. Speaking of performance, a 352 V8 pumped out 300 hp, and the following year, Ford even offered it with a 430 unit housing 350 wild stallions. In 1958, Dodge offered the D-500 high-performance engine option for all its models and body styles. This was Dodge's answer to the horsepower wars. As per Mecum, with the Super D-500 option box ticked, the 1958 Dodge was fitted with a 345ci V8 with dual four-barrel carbs, pushing 320+ hp. With upgraded suspension and brakes, the D-500 was more than just a straight-line machine, it could go around corners, too. A rare factory hot rod that hinted at the muscle cars to come. With all its straight lines and big fins, the 1959 Pontiac Bonneville certainly looks like a product of its era. Autoevolution reports that this full-sized behemoth was available in both coupe and convertible form for those wanting sportier looks, and a 4-door and wagon if practicality was prioritized. Under the hood, the Bonneville had a 389 V8 available with varying degrees of power depending on carburation, ranging from 215 to 345 hp. It also had a wide-track design to improve handling, and a limited-slip diff was available as an option. As reported by Autoevolution, the 1961 model year marked the debut of the third-generation Chevy Impala. Chevrolet also offered a performance package for its full-size model, which was a first for an affordable 1960s car. This Super Sport, or SS, package included chassis reinforcements, heavy-duty springs, and upgraded drum brakes. It had a four-barrel 348 V8 with 305 hp as standard, as well as an optional four-barrel version with 340 hp or a tri-power with 350 hp. Those looking for maximum performance would opt for the brand-new 409 unit with 360 ponies. The 1961 Starliner was a sleek two-door hardtop model with a fastback roofline, built to slice through the air as one of Ford's NASCAR racers. Hot Rod reports that, at the time, the Starliner 390 was the only Ford that could be ordered with an optional performance package. That package included the 390 big-block with 10.5:1 compression, a solid lifter camshaft, a special heavy-duty block, and magnafluxed crank, pistons, and connecting rods, for a total of 357 hp. Ford didn't end things there, though. Buyers could also opt for a tri-power setup, pushing the power to 401 hp. The icing on the cake? It could only be had with a four-speed manual transmission. According to Autoevolution, Pontiac's management decided to build a race car that qualified as a "stock" model for both NASCAR and NHRA racing — the Catalina Super Duty. On the outside, there wasn't much that separated it from the standard model, but looks can be deceiving. The Pontiac Catalina Super Duty was a proper race car with an aluminum front clip and drilled frame rails to reduce weight. Pop the hood, and you'll be greeted by a 421 V8 engine pushing out 405 thoroughbred American ponies. It may have been a luxury icon, but according to AutoEvolution, the Continental packed a punch with its 430-cubic-inch V8 pumping out 300 horsepower. Sure, it certainly wasn't a drag racer, but it brought torque in spades and effortless cruising power. As an added bonus, those rear-hinged doors gave it serious street presence. The Lincoln Continental packed American muscle in a tuxedo, as it was as powerful as it was classy. As stated by Curbside Classic, the Dodge Max Wedge ruled the drag strip for a couple of years, until the 426 Hemi arrived in 1964. According to Volocars, Dodge only built 55 Dart 2-door Max Wedges in 1962, making it excruciatingly rare. Seeing as Dodge built it specifically for those who wanted to go racing, it's no surprise that it packs a serious punch. While it was never a big seller, it's fair to say that the Dart Max Wedge 413 is one of the models that ushered in the 400+ hp muscle car era. Dodge wasn't the only company under the Chrysler umbrella to use the Max Wedge mill. Plymouth installed it in its mid-sized Fury model, and like the Dodge, it was a factory racer built for straight-line speed. HotRod says that, unlike the Pontiac GTO, the Max Wedge cars, while technically road-legal, were sold with the understanding that they were strictly for competition use, although many were still used on public roads. The 1962 Chevrolet Impala is one of the most popular American classics. Autoevolution reports that this was the year it received a convertible-style roof, making it an instant hit. However, we're more interested in what's hiding under the hood. A new 327 small-block was brought in to replace the 4-barrel 283, but more importantly, buyers could now spec their Impala with a massive 409 V8, producing either 380 or 409 hp, depending on the carb. Chevy also built a Lightweight model that shed 125 pounds, and thanks to dual four-barrel carburetors, new cylinder heads and pistons, its 409 V8 engine was officially rated at 425 hp. According to Hemmings, Henry Ford II was determined to build something that would dominate the competition, and the answer came in the form of the 427 V8. Of course, they just had to offer it in the full-size Galaxie flagship model. In R-Code spec, the 425 produced a whopping 425 hp, more than enough to send the big brute flying. In fact, the Galaxies secured a 1-2 finish at the 1963 Daytona 500 and even set Ford's first national record ever in NHRA Super Stock drag racing. Don't worry if you can't remember the Plymouth Savoy; most people have forgotten about it by now. But, there was one version that's worth remembering. We've mentioned the Max Wedge engine previously, but the one found under the '63 Savoy's hood turned everything up to 11. As reported by Autoevolution, when it was first introduced, the Max Wedge measured 413 cubic inches, but in 1963, it was increased to 426, the same as the famous Hemi unit that would make its debut the following year. In the Savoy, the Max Wedge produced 415 hp, and only 18 units are known to have been made. In 1963, the Impala was in its third generation, and Chevrolet introduced a high-performance version under what's known as Regular Production Option (RPO) Z11. The Impala Z11 was only available as a two-door hardtop, as it was based on the Sport Coupe version, and Car and Driver says it added nearly a third to the car's price. Under the hood, the Z11 had a 427 V8 that received multiple upgrades. The engine was based on the W-series 409 unit but had a longer stroke, a different compression ratio, a two-piece aluminum intake manifold, and dual Carter AFB carburetors. It produced 430 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque, making the Z11 a proper sleeper. Exterior-wise, it had aluminum body panels but not much else to hint that it was something special. The Riviera was GM's first entry into the personal luxury car market, and automotive journalists loved its sharp styling, luxurious interior, agile driving dynamics, and powerful V8 engine. As noted by Autoevolution, the Riviera name had previously been used as a trim level on the Buick Roadmaster and Super models. For 1963, the Riviera was a standalone model, and while it may have been more of a luxury car than all-out muscle, it was the perfect option for driving enthusiasts. Inside, it had bucket seats in the front and bucket-style seats in the back. Under the hood, it had a Nailhead V8 with 325 hp when it was launched, but a 425 V8 with 340 hp was made available a couple of months later. The Golden Hawk wasn't Studebaker's only performance model with a superhero-like name. In 1963, as the company neared its final days, it introduced the Super Lark. Studebaker basically took the Avanti's supercharged 289ci engine and shoehorned it into the rather boring Lark. With 290 hp, a lightweight body, a limited-slip diff, and front disc brakes, Street Muscle Mag says the Super Lark was nothing like the base model. As per How Stuff Works, Buick dusted off the Wildcat name from a series of one-off concepts from the '50s and introduced it in 1962 as a subseries of the Invicta, before the Wildcat became its own line in 1963. Under its hood was a Wildcat 455 V8, a 401-cubic-inch mill producing 325 hp, delivering impressive performance for its time. As noted by Motortrend, the Wildcat combined full-size comfort with spirited driving dynamics, making it a noteworthy precursor to the muscle car era. The 1963 Mercury Marauder, a full-size Mercury model, introduced a fastback roofline and the Marauder nameplate, which was initially a sub-model of the Monterey, Monterey Custom, and S-55 lines. It featured a variety of powerful FE V8 engines, including the 406, offered in 385 and 405 horsepower versions. While it looked conservative, the Marauder was a legitimate street and strip contender. It was also popular in NASCAR, proving its high-speed credibility as Parnelli Jones drove it to victory, as reported by How Stuff Works. Mercury later revived the Marauder name for a different, high-performance model in 2003. While the 1964 Pontiac GTO deserves endless credit for kickstarting the muscle car craze of the mid-'60s and early '70s, several models before it actually created the segment, even if they weren't called muscle cars. We've barely scraped the surface in this article, so if you feel some models were left out, let us know in the comments.
