PREVIEW: Everything you need to know about the sizzling São Paulo season-opener for Season 12

Preview by Katy Fairman

The first race of the season is almost upon us, as we prepare to speed our way through the iconic Anhembi Sambadrome in São Paulo. There’s a lot to learn as we get ready for Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with different faces, new places and changes to race weekend format. 

Home race for new signing Drugovich 

Brazil is home to so many racing World Champions, from Aryton Senna to Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet. The list of legends go on, with Rubens Barrichello, Tony Kanaan and Felipe Massa all putting their home country on the map with their sporting achievements.

On the Formula E grid, there is no shortage of Brazilian talent including Andretti’s latest driver signing Felipe Drugovich. The former Formula 2 Champion is one of racing’s best young stars, and has been helping Aston Martin across their Formula 1 team the last few years as a test and reserve driver before leaving the team after the Las Vegas Grand Prix. 

Now he’s back and ready to race in front of a home crowd for the first time in his professional career since his karting days, with Drugovich telling the media how his aunt has bought his whole family grandstand tickets for the race on 6 December. 

Lucas di Grassi is also back racing in Brazil, representing Lola Yamaha ABT for another season. The Season 3 champ has 147 race starts to his name, as well as 13 E-Prix wins, 41 podiums and four poles across his impressive Formula E career. 

Who set the pace in pre-season testing? 

The Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia was once again host to our annual pre-season testing, one year on from the devastating floods in the region. It was a productive test, with six three-hour sessions allocated to our full-time grid, as well as the return of the groundbreaking Women’s Test – which provided double the running time compared to the inaugural event last season. 

TESTING WRAP: What we learnt in Valencia ahead of Season 12

Edoardo Mortara was best of the rest for Mahindra Racing, followed by reigning World Champion Oliver Rowland with Nissan. Taylor Barnard was third for his new DS PENSKE team with Nissan’s Norman Nato fourth. Nyck de Vries rounded out the top five for Mahindra. 

It was an impressive week of running for the Indian manufacturer, who as well as going quickest in the test also topped the Women’s Test with Chloe Chambers and won the unofficial simulated test with Mortatara. They’re certainly ones to watch, even if testing isn’t fully representative. Mahindra announced that they would be committing to GEN4 ahead of Brazil. 

Moves in the driver market 

There have been plenty of reshuffles in the driver market over the off-season, with just three teams keeping the same line-up: Nissan, Mahindra and Lola Yamaha ABT. It’s one big game of musical chairs! 

Antonio Felix da Costa is now at Jaguar TCS Racing, pairing up with Mitch Evans, after leaving the Porsche team. Replacing him at the reigning Teams’ and Manufacturers' World Champions is Nico Müller, who made the move from Andretti and will share a garage with Pascal Wehrlein for the 2025/26 campaign.

MEET THE GRID: Which drivers are racing in Formula E in 2025/26?

DS PENSKE welcomes Taylor Barnard who now has Maximilian Guenther as his teammate, with Nick Cassidy and Jean-Eric Vergne making history at Citroën Racing – the first time the iconic French outfit has entered single-seater motorsport. 

Joel Eriksson returns to Formula E with Envision Racing, after 10 previous race starts in the all-electric championship, partnering Sebastien Buemi with the Season 2 champ signing a new multi-year deal over the summer. 

Pepe Martí has also made the jump to Formula E with CUPRA KIRO, working alongside Dan Ticktum following a successful 2024/25 season with the team. Felipe Drugovich also starts a new chapter of his impressive racing career, with the Formula 2 champion racing full-time with Andretti alongside Season 9 champ Jake Dennis. 

Brazil always delivers brilliant racing

São Paulo is a favourite on the calendar for most of our grid, as not only is the atmosphere electric but the racing is even better. We’ve witnessed some amazing overtakes around the Anhembi Sambadrome street circuit on the past three occasions, including outstanding moves for the win in the final corner to victory from the very back of the grid.

The inaugural São Paulo E-Prix saw Jaguar TCS Racing dominate, with Mitch Evans the winner and his team-mate Sam Bird in third. The Envision of Nick Cassidy split the two in second, with a clean sweep of podium positions for the powertrain supplier. 

FEATURE: 10 best moments from the São Paulo E-Prix

Sam Bird’s last lap overtake here has also been forever immortalised, setting up a pass around the outside to grab the inside line at the final corner on Evans. Bird, who was racing for NEOM McLaren, picked up McLaren's first victory in Formula E and took the legendary papaya to the top step of the podium in a breathtaking manoeuvre. 

Nissan’s Oliver Rowland also sneaked third place at the same race in the last corner, as Pascal Wehrlein and Jake Dennis tussled for the final spot on the podium just ahead of him.

Evans was back to his winning ways here last year, making history as he flew from last to first across the race distance. 22nd to first seems inconceivable in this day and age of motorsport, but it's just what Evans did to kickstart the GEN3 Evo era. 

After qualifying at the back of the pack after misfortune in qualifying with a technical problem, he made up a handful of positions in the very first lap, and from there right into the points.

Making his way to the lead group, and a win in sight, Mitch Evans was in the lead when an accident between his teammate Cassidy and Wehrlein happened. After the restart, he had to hold off the intentions of Antonio Felix da Costa but was able to cross the finish line first and set a new record in the process.

So much podium potential 

In Season 11, 16 different drivers stood on the podium – that’s almost 75% of the grid. Among that, every team received a piece of silverware with all 11 entries banking a top three result across the 16-race calendar. 

With so many talents on our grid, it feels inevitable that we will also see such a variety of faces and team colours on the podium across Season 12 before we switch to the GEN4. Teams and drivers are working around the clock to try and become the best, and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top for round one. 

Previously in Sao Paulo, Jaguar-powered cars have dominated, with Jaguar powertrains locking out the podium here back in 2023. Sam Bird delivered a win for NEOM McLaren with Nissan power after an audacious overtake on Evans, but it was Evans who managed a last-to-first victory last time out for Jaguar. 

At least one Jaguar car has finished on the podium on every occasion we’ve raced here, but Nissan have also looked strong. 

Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein has also snapped up the last two consecutive Julius Baer Pole Positions, can he make it three in a row and finally convert it into victory? 

Last season of the GEN3 Era

The 2025/26 season will also bring an end to the third generation of Formula E cars, as we bid a fond farewell to the GEN3 Evo. The fastest accelerating electric single seater race car, capable of 0-60mph in just 1.8 seconds, this beast has seen lap times rapidly improve and deliver drivers a whole new experience behind the wheel. The reinforced body kit that enhances aerodynamics and durability and all-wheel drive capabilities were made available in key race moments, including qualifying duels, race starts, and ATTACK MODE. 

However, Formula E has now revealed what’s next and it’s got a lot of motorsport fans excited.  

FACT SHEET: All you need to know about the GEN4 car

Set to debut next year, the GEN4 redefines racing. It has 600kW of power available, which is equivalent to over 815hp, plus active all-wheel drive in every phase of the race. The GEN4 features two distinct aerodynamic configurations: high downforce, optimised for qualifying, and low downforce designed specifically for race conditions, delivering unmatched performance on track.

There’s also a boost in performance and technology with 450kW peak race power, 600kW ATTACK MODE for powerful overtakes, enhanced 700kW regenerative braking, and race energy capacity up to 55kWh for bolder race strategies. In addition, the construction of the GEN4 features 100% recyclable materials (with at least 20% recycled content), delivering unmatched performance, driving the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s leadership as the world’s most sustainable motorsport.

SCHEDULE: Where, when and how to watch or stream the 2025 São Paulo E-Prix

The São Paulo E-Prix Round 1 gets underway on Friday 5 December with Free Practice 1, ahead of race day on Saturday 6 December. Make sure you don't miss a moment, as we get ready to kickstart Season 12 with one of the best races of the year. 

WATCH: How to watch or stream ABB Formula E's São Paulo E-Prix weekend where you are

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