Pascal Wehrlein and David Beckmann have been close for almost two decades, ever since they were karting mates tearing up the tracks around Europe in their youth. Now they share a grid for only the second time in their respective careers and there is very much a mentor/protégé feel to the dynamic.
Wehrlein is five years Beckmann’s senior and was naturally several steps ahead in the karting hierarchy but that didn’t stop them becoming close friends and now they are permanently on the same grid together for the first time in their respective careers.
Almost six years older, Wehrlein isn’t quite protective of Beckmann but he certainly looks out for him in the paddock, offering advice and espousing his knowledge and experience when he’s asked for it.
“Yes, I know David since we started in go-karting,” Wehrlein told Formula E Notebook in Sao Paulo earlier this month.
“We’ve been in the same team, and he was literally just standing next to me. His dad was his mechanic, and my dad was my mechanic and we were riding bikes to the karting track as kids and playing PlayStation together in our motorhomes.
“I know David really well but he’s always been one category lower than me because I’m a bit older than him. Our ways started crossing very early already though and I have known him since I was 10 years old.
“He was really impressive in karting and I’ve won everything in Germany in my category and he won everything in his categories too. We both went up gradually to higher categories and we both kept winning.
Their paths obviously disconnected a little when Wehrlein went in to single seater racing in 2010 in ADAC Formula Masters, while a then 10 year old Beckmann stayed in karting.
“But I’ve always followed him and I really liked when he joined our team because I know that he has good potential,” adds Wehrlein.
“Maybe in his career he didn’t always have the right team and surroundings to show his potential. But I know from the very early days that he’s a fast driver.”
For Beckmann there is clearly a bond with the much more senior Wehrlein, who while making his F1 debut in 2016, was cheering his friend on from the karting tracks that Wehrlein had already torn up and won at.
“I have known Pascal since I’m like seven,” Beckmann told FEN.
“He raced always in the juniors when I started in the mini karting, the first real category for seven and eight year olds.
“It’s funny because I won the mini in the same team where Pascal won the junior class the same year in the German championship. So, we were both really successful in the karting days together.
“Then obviously he went to Formula ADAC and stuff and I was just nine, so I still had to do some karting. But also, he drove in Mucke Motorsport in ADAC where I drove eventually too for them, there are many, many similar backgrounds we have, which is nice.”
“Since I’m a reserve driver and development driver at Porsche, I asked Pascal a lot of stuff about the car and in general, about Formula E – the tracks, engineers, just because I had so many questions.
Beckmann then has friends in high places, but one too who is willing to assist when comes to providing practical advice to a rookie who at the end of the day is up against one of the most rapid drivers in the paddock – Dan Ticktum.
“You can ask Pascal anything, and he’s willing to give you a really precise and serious answer. I think that’s very good, and when you ask the World Championship obviously you get a really good answer,” adds Beckmann.
“In the end we can work really close together with him, but also with Porsche in general. I think we have to keep a really good relationship in order to help me this season.”
So, the two get along famously and catch up at length whenever they come across each other in the Formula E paddock and also away from the track too. The last two seasons has seen Beckmann contribute to the Porsche 99X Electric development and now he races it this season for CUPRA KIRO, and Wehrlein states that his work has been “useful to us.”
“He could also learn from us and learn in this environment and how Formula E works,” adds Wehrlein.
“And now it’s up to him to deliver on track. I will do everything from my side to help him and to support him whenever he has questions or needs help.
“I mean, I know the car by heart so whatever he asks me I can probably answer. If not me then one of my engineers maybe. But I already told him to grab this chance and don’t hesitate to ask me if he needs help and advice.”
