Last stop ahead of the season finale: XXL preview of the 2024 Portland E-Prix

It's the penultimate stop on the Formula E calendar for the 2024 season - and Nick Cassidy could seal the deal in the world championship battle here on Sunday. The New Zealander is travelling to Portland with fond memories of his victory last year. Not everyone in the Formula E circus is likely to feel the same way, because hardly any other location polarised as much as Portland last season: the "many overtaking manoeuvres vs. strategic slipstream battles" dispute reached its climax here. All the information about the double-header summarised here!

Where exactly does the Formula E race take place?

Known as one of the greenest cities in the USA, Portland is located directly on the border between the two states of Oregon and Washington. It originated as a settlement in the 1840s and was originally called a "clearing" or "tree stump town". The official name was inspired by the two cities of Portland and Boston in the state of Maine. The decision was made with the help of a coin toss.

The Formula E track is located on an island on the Columbia River, around ten kilometres north of Portland city centre. The electric series uses the Portland International Raceway, which opened in 1961 and has been used repeatedly by the IndyCar series in recent decades. It has made a name for itself on the Formula E calendar with its slipstream races.

Fast facts | Portland

• Portland ranks 26th in the list of the largest cities in the USA with 650,000 inhabitants. The German equivalent in 26th place among the country's largest cities is Gelsenkirchen with just under half the inhabitants.
• The USA and China are the only two countries in which Formula E has already raced in four different cities. In addition to Portland, Miami, Long Beach and New York have hosted the event in the United States.
• With Mills Park, which has a diameter of just 61 centimetres, and Forest Park Portland combines the smallest park and one of the largest urban forests in the country in its urban area.
• Portland is also home to the largest independent bookshop in the world. It would take just 1.6 per cent of the shop's book stock to circle the Formula E track in Portland.
• In Portland, you owe a $500 fine if you try to pump your own petrol. Good thing that doesn't matter in Formula E.

Who is broadcasting the Formula E race in Portland on TV & livestream?

Due to the time difference to the west coast of the USA, the races in Portland will be broadcast on Saturday and Sunday evening German time. The race start is scheduled for 23:00. This means fans can switch directly from football to the Formula E race.

As usual, e-Formel.de offers English-language livestreams for the free practice sessions. You can also follow all sessions of the Portland E-Prix in our popular Hankook Formula E live ticker - german language only.

 
* All data in Central European Summer Time (CEST)

What characterises the race track in Portland?

Portland International Raceway was opened in 1961 and has since been modified several times by the IndyCar series (or its predecessor CART). After an interruption due to coronavirus, the track in the state of Oregon with its twelve corners has been back on the IndyCar calendar every year since 2021. This year, the exact same layout will be used as in 2023. Formula E had originally planned a new chicane on the start-finish straight, but reversed these changes a few days before the race. Instead, new curbs and a new tarmac surface were installed in the final section of the track compared to the previous year.

Like last year, we expect a slipstream battle in which everyone tries to save energy behind other cars. As a result, we will again see some overtaking manoeuvres. The best opportunities for this will be on the start-finish straight or turn 7, where the attack mode will be placed.

What has happened since the last race in Shanghai?

• The new manufacturer in Formula E Lola Cars has committed to the entire fourth generation of vehicles. This makes it the fourth manufacturer alongside Nissan, Porsche and Jaguar.
• After just two seasons, Portland will be removed from the race calendar in 2025 and replaced by Miami. This is according to the new racing calendar. Tokyo and Shanghai, however, remain unchanged. In Monaco, there will be a double header for the first time.
• Another change for next season: the manufacturers' championship is to be awarded as an official world championship title.
• Formula E is currently setting the course for Gen4. The new technical roadmap and Sporting Code have been published in recent weeks. The most important changes are that all gloves must now include joint protection to prevent injuries. Lap times could be a whole eleven per cent faster with the new generation of vehicles.
• Liberty Global has acquired the shares in Formula E that were previously held by Warner Bros. Discovery. This means that the group is now the majority shareholder in Formula E. This is likely to be accompanied by changes to Discovery broadcasts and the media company's strategic direction parallel to Formula 1.
• In the dispute between Porsche and Formula E over the Misano disqualification of Antonio Felix da Costa a decision has been made in court. The German team's appeal has therefore officially failed, meaning that Oliver Rowland retains the race win.

In which order do the drivers start qualifying?

In Formula E, qualifying takes place in two stages: Group stage and knockout stage. For group qualifying, the driver field is initially divided into two halves, with all drivers in the odd-numbered championship positions (positions 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.) competing in Group A and the drivers in the even-numbered positions in Group B.

The four drivers with the fastest lap times in their group after twelve minutes will then move on to the quarter-finals, where they will duel for the best grid positions. The qualifying groups for Saturday's race at the Portland E-Prix are as follows.

[Update 28.6. 19:30] Due to Oliver Rowland's withdrawal due to illness, all drivers from 4th place in the world championship will move to the other group. As replacement driver Caio Collet has not yet contested a Formula E race, he will be the last driver in Group B.

What will the weather be like in Portland?

Warm weather with temperatures between 23 and 27 degrees Celsius awaits the Formula E drivers in Portland. It will be mostly sunny. However, it could rain lightly between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

Who are the favourites?

Nick Cassidy is currently at the top of the list. With eight podium results this season, it is not only his most successful year so far in the electric series but also his best chance of winning the title. After his victory in 2023, he could become world champion early this season in Portland. Team-mate Mitch Evans and Porsche driver Antonio Felix da Costa have also shown strong form with victories in Shanghai.

But you should also keep an eye on Cassidy's strongest rival in the world championship for possible betting games: Pascal Wehrlein. He finished on the podium in China and is holding his own in the championship battle thanks to consistent points-scoring results. He is 25 points behind in the standings, while Evans, Rowland and Dennis, who are behind him and could also ensure top results, are already more than 35 points behind the New Zealander. Behind them, the field is relatively open: DS, Maserati, McLaren and Nissan can all fight for the top 10 results, especially as chaotic slipstream races can be expected again in Portland, where positions are swapped very often.