Formula E testing took place last week against all odds and despite huge uncertainty in the times leading as much as the event following a last-minute venue change.
Jaguar's Mitch Evans set the pace over 4 days of running, clocking 1:27.461s in the ultimate session on Friday morning on the Jarama track in Spain.
However, no fewer than five other teams and drivers posted the fastest ends in the remaining sessions, suggesting it’s going to be one other close season within the EV Championship.
The six sessions amounted to 21 hours of on-track driving and can be the last experience for the teams and drivers before the season starts on December 7 in Sao Paulo.
As at all times, most of the subplots went under the surface in Spain, and listed below are five things that were taken away from the testing.
The last minute change of venue shows Formula E at its best
Formula E drivers joined series staff in a minute of silence in solidarity with drivers in Valencia ahead of the test
Photo: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
Devastating floods and the death of greater than 200 people within the Valencia region just days before the scheduled Formula E championship at town's Ricardo Tormo circuit have put pre-season testing and even the primary race of the 12 months in jeopardy.
As the logistical base for the EV Championship was situated on the track, equipment needed not just for the revised tests but in addition for the opening round in Sao Paulo needed to be recovered from the damaged area.
“We have a very positive attitude towards Formula E, we have a lot of people fully committed to the company who worked 24/7 for three days and the atmosphere has always been very positive,” said championship co-founder Alberto Longo.
“You can just watch TV and ask how the hell these guys get all the equipment to Madrid and they will have enough time to provide the level of service that we provide today.”
With no option but to alter venue and with just 72 hours' notice, the series was moved to the Jarama circuit as eight trucks made around 40 trips to move 100 tons of kit between Valencia and Madrid.
The huge undertaking paid off and despite the late decision, the 4 days of the race went off with out a hitch because the championship organizer donated €50,000 to the relief effort in Valencia, while also organising a fundraising page for fans, partners and teams.
Jarama Circuit a welcome surprise
Wehrlein and Dennis negotiate a makeshift chicane on the Jarama start/finish straight
Photo: Andreas Beil
Dan Ticktum's comment that “this is the best track I've never heard of” perfectly encapsulated the sentiments of many drivers towards the Jarama circuit, which welcomed Formula E for the primary time.
The 3.43-mile FIA ​​Grade 2-listed track on the outskirts of Madrid was previously used to host Grand Prix races nine times between 1968 and 1981 – the last of which saw Gilles Villeneuve's famous final victory in F1 – and recently it hosted motorcycle and motorbike races. truck motion.
An old-style venue in every respect, with railings near the sting of the track, slight descents, and a mixture of convex, high-speed corners and elevation changes, it became an fast favorite throughout the week.
The appeal and positive reception was so great that championship CEO Jeff Dodds considered it as a possible location for a future race, with Spain last hosting a Formula E race in 2021.
The Gen3 Evo cars are impressive and the tires have gotten the talk of the town
New Gen3 Evo cars got here out of hiding in official testing for the primary time as tire degradation led to speculation over race weekend tactics
Photo: Andreas Beil
Much attention ahead of this season has been dedicated to the brand new Gen3 Evo machines, particularly the all-wheel drive technology, which can be activated in 350 kW mode at the beginning of the race, in attack mode and through qualifying duels.
The technology, which allows it to speed up from 0 to 60 mph in 1.82 seconds, faster than current Formula 1 cars, was not the fundamental focus of testing, nonetheless, as everyone was talking in regards to the tires.
Hankook has supplied a softer tire compound for the upcoming season after drivers complained in regards to the lack of grip of the previous rubber.
While initially offering a big performance advantage over its predecessor, the less durable tire loses significant grip throughout the run, which can impact your race strategy and weekend riding.
“The tires achieve their highest performance for one lap, then after the second lap there is a slight degradation, and after the third lap there is another degree of degradation,” said Porsche's Antonio Felix da Costa.
“Loading lap times [here] you’ve got to be a little bit careful since you won’t ever do a 350 kW lap on latest tires on a race weekend [in practice]. You might see that the cars don't run as much during free practice and you actually save sets of tires.
The jury continues to be out on the “pit boost” concept.
The now-named pit boost has not yet been officially implemented, but it surely has taken a step towards doing so with a trial run during testing
On Thursday afternoon, teams and drivers were in a position to participate in a simulation race, an annual tradition of Formula E pre-season testing, which had a brand new aspect this 12 months.
The now officially named pit boost concept was tested in a 24-lap event, with each driver having to pit and receive a further charge of power, comparable to 10% of the battery's capability after a 600 kW boost in roughly 30 seconds. .
The concept was originally intended for the beginning of the Gen3 era in 2022, but reliability issues have meant the technology has only now been developed enough to be utilized in racing situations.
Pascal Wehrlein took home a 1-2 Porsche within the race, but before each start the reigning champion had concerns about pit stop assist technology because it added an unpredictable variable that might drastically change the final result of the races.
“There may be races and situations where the appearance of the safety car at the wrong time could be unfair to almost half the field,” he said. “So it's important to examine this and discover how we can make it more equitable.”
The FIA ​​and Formula E haven’t yet made a final decision on whether to implement the technology this season, and data from the simulation race can be analyzed and a final verdict can be made before the season opener next month.
However, even when the concept is adopted, it’s going to only be used for a two-race weekend, with one in every of the event's races being supported by a pit stop to supply alternative strategies between each races.
An all-women trial is a big opportunity
The all-female test provided vital opportunities where it otherwise wouldn’t have existed
Photo: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Friday afternoon's session was exclusively for girls drivers and was the primary session within the FIA ​​World Championship, with each team having to drive at the very least one driver as a complete of 18 made the trip to Jarama.
These included three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick for Jaguar and Simona de Silvestro, starter for 12 Formula E races within the Gen1 era and driver for Kiro last week. Other drivers similar to F1 Academy star Bianca Bustamante (McLaren) and GB4 Championship runner-up Alisha Palmowski (Envision) experienced fully electric vehicles for the primary time.
Current F1 Academy points leader Abbi Pulling set the fastest time for Nissan after the three-hour session with a 1:30.889, and he has also never driven a Formula E automotive before.
“I can't thank Formula E enough for the opportunity they gave us, they welcomed us with open arms,” said the 21-year-old Briton, whose time left her lower than 3.5 seconds slower than Evans' race-best finish of the week.
“At the top of the day, they don't must, so it's very nice to push us and I hope it's not the final thing they do.
“A young driver's dream is to get the chance to work in more complex machines and develop as a driver, work with established teams, and at the end of the day it's a great opportunity for us women.”
In the all-women test, pulling was the fastest, and she or he praised the initiative
Photo: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
