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Beckmann sets the pace as Porsche tops simulation race

David Beckmann set the fastest time on the third day of Formula E pre-season testing as reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein showcased Porsche’s strength of force by leading a 1-2 in the simulation race.

Wehrlein became the first driver to lap the Jarama Circuit just outside Madrid below the 1m28s barrier in the morning session on Thursday but was eventually pipped to the top spot by 0.008s.

Kiro’s Beckmann posted a 1m27.755s in the final hour to go fastest while also setting the quickest time of the test so far, with just Friday’s morning session remaining ahead of an all-female test in the afternoon.

The German, who is Porsche’s Formula E test and development driver, has yet to make his debut in the all-electric championship and has not been confirmed with Kiro for the upcoming season.

The second Porsche of Antonio Felix da Costa finished the morning session third, just 0.058s behind Beckmann’s time as three Porsche-powered cars occupied the top three spots.

The Portuguese driver followed Wehrlein home in the 24-lap simulation race which was held at the start of the afternoon’s session and was the first chance for teams to see the new Gen3 Evo in close-quarters action.

Reigning teams’ champions Jaguar occupied the front row, the grid determined by a random draw, and Mitch Evans led for the opening segment of proceedings after a delayed start.

Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing (Photo by: Malcolm Griffiths / Motorsport Images)

This was due to Zane Maloney, who will make his Formula E debut this season, being unable to launch off the line in his Lola/Yamaha-powered Abt, and the driver from Barbados completed no laps.

Evans held the lead until lap nine before da Costa moved to the front, with DS Penske’s Jean-Eric Vergne taking the lead on the following lap.

The Frenchman’s new team-mate Maximilian Guenther moved into first at the halfway point, as 11 drivers made a mandatory pitstop to receive a pit boost charge.

The concept, whereby drivers receive a 10% battery charge at 600kW which is achieved in approximately 30 seconds, has been under development for more than two years.

The simulation was the first time teams were able to run the procedure during a race, with a decision set to be made by the FIA and championship on whether it will be implemented at points this season.

With all drivers completing the mandatory stop by lap 15, Vergne resumed in the lead but just three laps later, and after a planned safety car test, Wehrlein hit the front and began to pull away.

Team-mate da Costa moved into second at Turn 3 on the penultimate lap at the expense of Nick Cassidy to get Porsche’s season off to a winning start.

António Félix da Costa, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team (Photo by: Andreas Beil)

Cassidy finished third ahead of Andretti’s Jake Dennis and team-mate Evans, with Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries completing the top six.

Normal running resumed for the remainder of the afternoon, as Mahindra finished on top with de Vries posting a 1m28.010s which left him 0.451 clear of team-mate Edoardo Mortara in third, with Evans between the pair.

Formula E Race Test Result

   
1
 - 
4
   
   
1
 - 
2
   
Cla Driver # Laps Time Interval km/h Points Retirement
1 Germany P. Wehrlein Porsche Team 1 24

43'00.092

       
2 Portugal A. Felix da Costa Porsche Team 13 24

+0.372

43'00.464

0.372      
3 New Zealand N. Cassidy Jaguar Racing 37 24

+1.028

43'01.120

0.656      
4 United Kingdom J. Dennis Andretti Formula E 27 24

+1.446

43'01.538

0.418      
5 New Zealand M. Evans Jaguar Racing 9 24

+3.201

43'03.293

1.755      
6 Netherlands N. de Vries Mahindra Racing 21 24

+4.902

43'04.994

1.701      
7 Belgium S. Vandoorne Maserati Racing 2 24

+6.893

43'06.985

1.991      
8 Switzerland E. Mortara Mahindra Racing 48 24

+9.505

43'09.597

2.612      
9 United Kingdom J. Hughes Maserati Racing 55 24

+9.800

43'09.892

0.295      
10 Netherlands R. Frijns Envision Racing 4 24

+11.494

43'11.586

1.694      
11 United Kingdom D. Ticktum Kiro Race Co 33 24

+11.785

43'11.877

0.291      
12 Germany D. Beckmann Kiro Race Co 3 24

+12.300

43'12.392

0.515      
13
N. Mueller Andretti Formula E
51 24

+12.874

43'12.966

0.574      
14 Germany M. Gunther DS Penske 7 24

+17.312

43'17.404

4.438      
dnf Switzerland S. Buemi Envision Racing 16 24

+8.529

43'08.621

      Retirement
dnf Brazil L. di Grassi LOLA YAMAHA ABT FORMULA E TEAM 11 24

+44.125

43'44.217

35.596     Retirement
dnf France J. Vergne DS Penske 25 22

+2 Laps

39'59.427

2 Laps     Retirement
dnf United Kingdom S. Bird McLaren 8 20

+4 Laps

36'54.953

2 Laps     Retirement
dnf
T. Barnard McLaren
5 20

+4 Laps

36'57.764

2.811     Retirement
dnf United Kingdom O. Rowland Nissan e.Dams 23 19

+5 Laps

35'12.025

1 Lap     Retirement
dnf France N. Nato Nissan e.Dams 17 18

+6 Laps

32'09.206

1 Lap     Retirement
dns Barbados Z. Maloney LOLA YAMAHA ABT FORMULA E TEAM 22 0

 

       
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