In a thrilling qualifying session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, former champion Sebastien Buemi secured a hard-fought pole position for the Mexico City E-Prix on Saturday. The Envision Racing driver triumphed in the Duels final, but his path to the top spot was cleared when his closest rival, Taylor Barnard of DS Penske, had his fastest lap time deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 16.
Duels Drama and Front Row Lockout
The qualifying battle set the stage for an intense final. Buemi, who topped the timing sheets in Group B, faced off against the young talent Taylor Barnard in the final duel. Barnard, who had shown impressive pace, looked to have an equal shot at pole. However, his crucial lap was invalidated for a track limits infringement, handing the pole to the experienced Swiss driver. This means the two will start side-by-side on the front row for the main event, with Buemi in the prime position to convert his pole into a race win.
Sebastien Buemi, 37, now boasts his 17th career Formula E pole position, but this one ends a significant drought. His last pole was secured in Berlin back in 2023. Reacting to his achievement, Buemi expressed clear delight, stating he was "very proud and very happy" after the session.
Qualifying Highlights and Notable Exits
The road to the final was packed with action and surprise exits. In Group A, Andretti's Jake Dennis, who was fastest in the first practice session (FP1), led the times but was eventually knocked out in the Duels, missing a chance for a front-row start. Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein, the FP2 leader, also failed to progress from his group, ending his hopes of starting near the front.
The semi-finalists in the Duels included Edoardo Mortara of Mahindra Racing, Mitch Evans of Jaguar TCS Racing, alongside Barnard and Buemi. From this quartet, it was the veteran Buemi and the rookie Barnard who advanced to the decisive final showdown.
History and High Stakes in Mexico City
The pole position significantly boosts Buemi's prospects for a breakthrough victory at this circuit. Despite having four previous podium finishes in Mexico, the Swiss driver has never won the race here. This pole could be the key to changing that statistic. The event carries extra weight for the championship, as a notable three-year trend shows that the winner of the Mexico City E-Prix has gone on to claim the overall Formula E title that season.
While disappointed with the deleted lap, Taylor Barnard, at just 21 years old, remains in a strong position starting from the front row and will undoubtedly chase his first Formula E victory. The qualifying session was watched by Hollywood star Idris Elba, who was present in the Cupra Kiro garage, adding a touch of glamour to the electric atmosphere.
All eyes are now on the final, where Buemi will aim to convert his prime starting spot into a long-awaited Mexican victory, while Barnard and the chasing pack look to disrupt those plans.
