Porsche’s Nico Mueller sealed his maiden Formula E pole position after edging out Andretti rookie Felipe Drugovich in the final qualifying duel at the 2026 Miami E-Prix.
The qualifying session for the 2026 Miami E-Prix followed the championship’s established duels format, a high-stakes elimination process designed to intensify competition and reward outright pace under pressure.
It began with the field split into two groups of 11—Group A and Group B—based on current drivers’ championship standings, with odd positions starting in Group A and even in Group B, ensuring a mix of talent across sessions.
Each group had a 12-minute window to set their fastest laps at 220kW power output with the top four from each advancing to the quarter-final duels where head-to-head battles at 250kW would eliminate drivers progressively until the eventual pole sitter, earning three championship points.
Group A kicked off the action with intense competition as drivers navigated the Miami circuit’s demanding layout, featuring heavy braking zones into the stadium section and sweeping esses that tested tire management and energy deployment.
Reigning world champion Oliver Rowland initially led with his Nissan, holding a provisional top time just four minutes from the end, but the session saw dramatic shifts as lap times tumbled.
Norman Nato surged to the top in the dying seconds with a blistering effort for Nissan, securing first in the group ahead of championship leader Nick Cassidy in second for Citroën, who clocked a 56.845s lap.
Nyck de Vries slotted into third for Mahindra, while Nico Mueller clinched the fourth and final advancement spot for Porsche.
Disappointment loomed large for several high-profile runners in Group A including Jaguar’s Mitch Evans who finished fifth after struggling to optimize his final push, just ahead of Rowland, whose championship defense hit an early snag in sixth.
Further back, Cupra Kiro’s Pepe Marti showed promise in seventh, but Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara and Envision’s Sébastien Buemi endured a session marred by on-track contact which attracted a three-place grid penalty, dropping him further.
Lola Yamaha ABT’s Lucas di Grassi brought up the rear after abandoning a promising lap due to traffic in the final corner, highlighting the fine line between glory and elimination in Formula E’s group stage.
Full 2026 Formula E Miami E-Prix Qualifying results
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Over in Group B, the stakes felt equally high amid Porsche powertrain woes that plagued multiple entries, turning what could have been a strong showing into a struggle for survival.
DS Penske’s Taylor Barnard rocketed to the top with a 56.562s lap, showcasing his qualifying prowess on double push efforts.
Jaguar’s Antonio Felix da Costa had earlier set a benchmark 56.837s which held in second, while Envision’s Joel Eriksson and Maserati MSG’s Maximilian Günther grabbed third and fourth, all within 0.3s of the lead.
Felipe Drugovich delivered a standout performance to snatch the final duel spot in fourth, his late lap edging out Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, who tumbled to sixth despite high expectations.
Group B eliminations were particularly shocking for Porsche-affiliated teams, as Wehrlein, Andretti’s Jake Dennis, and Cupra Kiro’s Dan Ticktum—all powered by the German manufacturer’s unit—failed to progress, with Dennis in 16th overall and Ticktum 18th.
Lola’s Zane Maloney and Citroën’s Jean-Eric Vergne rounded out the strugglers in 14th and 20th respectively, their sessions hampered by setup compromises that didn’t suit the Miami track.
Transitioning seamlessly into the quarter-finals, the eight survivors paired off in reverse group order for one-lap shootouts at elevated 250kW, where the loser of each duel faced immediate elimination and grid positions determined by group times.
First up, Mahindra’s de Vries versus Citroën’s Cassidy saw de Vries lead off, maintaining a slender advantage through the twisty infield before crossing 0.1s clear.
Porsche’s Mueller then outpaced Nissan’s Nato by 0.072s in the second duel, capitalizing on Nato’s late error running deep into the final corners, a moment of precision that propelled Mueller forward.
Jaguar’s da Costa turned the tables on Envision’s Eriksson in the third pairing, reeling in a 0.1s deficit mid-lap to win through, providing a morale boost for the team after a tricky start to 2026.
The closest duel came last, with DS Penske’s Barnard— the group leader—facing Andretti’s Drugovich; despite veering wide in the final corner, Drugovich held on by a mere 0.001s and advanced to semis.
In the first semi, de Vries led Mueller but the Porsche driver gained ground by taking less curb into Turn 1, building a gap through the esses and sealing victory to reach his first final of the season.
The second semi featured Drugovich against da Costa, where the Andretti driver unleashed the session’s fastest overall time of 55.393s, outpacing the Jaguar by enough to book his first appearance in the duels.
Culminating in the grand final, Nico Mueller and Felipe Drugovich—both chasing maiden poles—rolled off the line with the championship spotlight firmly upon them, the duel format ensuring a pure test of one-lap pace.
Mueller delivered a composed lap of 55.455s which ultimately locked his maiden Formula E pole position, as Drugovich fell 0.129s short despite his semi-final benchmark.
This triumph marked a major boost for Porsche after earlier group struggles, with da Costa inheriting third, de Vries fourth, and Barnard fifth.
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