AN ELECTRIFYING RACE

DAMAN JOINED TAG HEUER AT THE JAKARTA E-PRIX TO WITNESS HISTORY BEING MADE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WATCH BRAND’S TIES TO FORMULA E. JOEZER MANDAGI REPORTS

June 4, 2022, was a sweltering day, even for Jakarta standards. Temperatures on that Saturday were reported to reach 33 degrees Celsius and the humidity rarely dropped below 90 percent. Still, the roads leading towards Ancol were a bit extra congested. It was, of course, the day of the Jakarta ePrix, and a flood of race enthusiasts and proud Jakartans flocked the newly-built Jakarta International e-Prix Circuit.

The occasion marked the first FIA-sanctioned race in Indonesia since 2006 and was the ninth round of the 2021–22 Formula E season. It’s safe to say that this inaugural showdown of electric racecars in the country was a momentous event.

And on that historical day, DA MAN joined a team from TAG Heuer—the Swiss watch brand has been the official timekeeper of the championship since its founding—and Time International to see the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team prepare for the race and catch the day’s main event.

It perhaps comes as no surprise to learn that TAG Heuer is a founding partner of the Formula E championship. Auto racing has been a major part of the watchmaker’s legacy and brand

DNA. At the same tie, sustainability and clean energy are also in line with the brand’s values and environmental initiatives. This partnership has also extended to the awarding of the TAG Heuer Fastest Lap in each E-Prix.

When the award—which confers an additional point to the driver receiving it—was first initiated in 2021, Frederic Arnault, Chief Executive Officer of TAG Heuer said: “We’re thrilled to renew and deepen our partnership with Formula E, a championship whose values of innovation and high performance are a perfect match for ours. And with the introduction of the TAG Heuer Fastest Lap we look forward to thrilling moments on the track and offering our community of fans even more chances to weigh in on the outcome of the season”.

“Instead of the powerful roar of fine-tuned internal combustion engines, what you’ll hear at a Formula E race is a high-pitched whine as the cars zip around the track”

Back to the Jakarta ePrix, for a number of lucky invitees, yours truly included, the day began with an up-close-and-personal introduction to the track in the seat of the safety car. For the 2022 event, the Porsche Taycan was used. And while its performance is a far cry from the Porsche 99X Electric used by the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, at the hands of the pro driver behind the wheel, it provided a thrilling ride which highlighted the sharp corners and tight turns that the racers will have to contend with.

It also introduced us to a rather unique sensation at an ePrix event: Instead of the powerful roar of fine-tuned internal combustion engines, what you’ll hear at a Formula E race is a high-pitched whine as the cars zip around the track. Interestingly, the whine actually comes from the gear boxes. Nevertheless, they do add to the futuristic feel of the occasion.

Following the brief intro to the circuit, we also had the chance to do a brief pit lane walk and see the teams getting ready at their garages. At around 2PM, with the race only being an hour away, we were called down again for the grid walk. At this point, the crowd’s excitement palpably rose, especially with the arrival of President Joko Widodo at the circuit.

Then, at 3PM, the ninth race of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship went underway.

It was a quick, frenzied affair, punctuated by the whine of the 22 racecars. Even as excitement around the track reached its peak, the race quickly came to its conclusion. Pascal Wehrlein, who drove the Porsche 99X Electric No. 94 placed eighth, while his teammate André Lotterer who wore No. 36 took ninth place.

“At the end of the day it wasn’t that bad,” Lotterer would comment later. “My start was great and I managed to gain several positions on the first lap. But then I had two contacts with competitors and that prevented me from performing as I’d expected. More would definitely have been possible today.”

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team would then end up facing tough races at the Marrakesh, New York City and London ePrix, before heading to South Korea for the Seoul ePrix this August. But back at the Jakarta ePrix, the day ended at a high note.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jakarta ePrix hinted strongly at the increasing appeal and importance of Formula E as the future of racing. And it certainly felt fitting that TAG Heuer—a watch brand so closely-related to the world of motorsport and one whose very name, Techniques d’Avant Garde, suggests a vision that’s ahead of its time—stands tall at the forefront of this electrifying championship.