Six things we learned from Formula E’s preseason test

The primary in-depth testing for Formulation E’s Gen3 automobile happened this week in Valencia, only one month away from the beginning of Season 9 in Mexico Metropolis. Throughout three full days, one simulated race and an added one-hour jaunt on a deliberate media day, some groups ran practically 600 laps and over 2,000 kilometers to get a deal with on what the brand new automobiles are able to. The week wasn’t with out incidents, in fact, however Formulation E co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo mentioned the classes had been “very profitable.”

“The groups and drivers are clearly nonetheless studying and integrating the brand new system,” Longo defined. “We all know that [going] from Gen2 to Gen3 is far more durable to navigate than from Gen 1 to Gen 2, so it’s nice to see that we’re already a lot faster than the place we had been with Gen2.”

After this week’s testing in Spain, listed here are the largest issues we discovered about Formulation E’s pending Gen3 debut subsequent month.

The Gen3 automobiles look nice on observe

I’ll be the primary to confess that when Formulation E pulled the wraps off the Gen3 automobile in Monaco final April, I used to be a bit skeptical of the brand new, daring look. As soon as the groups began revealing their closing liveries within the lead as much as the Valencia take a look at, I began to see the potential. All the groups have been posting clips this week and Formulation E has compiled footage as nicely, exhibiting that the brand new automobiles do certainly look nice on observe regardless of their fighter jet-esque design.

The Gen3 automobile isn’t that a lot sooner than Gen2 but

When the Gen3 automobile was first revealed one of many details Formulation E overrated was how a lot sooner the brand new trim can be. That included a prime velocity of as much as 200MPH. After all, velocity depends on various elements, together with the circuit, however on paper the brand new automobiles ought to be a lot faster than the Gen2 EVs. Within the first apply session of the week, Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Günther posted the quickest official time of 1:26.096, slower than the quickest lap of Valencia testing final yr within the Gen2 automobile of 1:25.763. The quickest lap this week got here when Günther notched a 1:25.127 on the ultimate day.

“When growing a brand new automobile, it’s actually essential to gather as a lot knowledge as doable and to get an excellent really feel for the automobile, and I consider that we now have achieved this over the previous few days,” Günther mentioned. “Now, we simply must refine some points of our efficiency and proceed with our preparations forward of the primary race of the season in Mexico.”

With the Gen3 automobiles being lighter and extra highly effective, an added 100kW to be precise, you’d count on the lap instances to fall from the earlier era working. Nevertheless, with restricted testing, particularly regarding the new tires, groups haven’t dialed-in their setups to take full benefit of the brand new automobiles simply but. Hankook advised The Race that some drivers skilled the brand new compound “for the primary time of their life” in the course of the preliminary session in Valencia.

The brand new tires are posing a problem

For the primary eight seasons, Formulation E ran Michelin tires. Beginning with Season 9, nonetheless, the collection is making the change to Hankook. Extra particularly, it moved to a extra sustainable compound that aligns with Formulation E’s inexperienced initiatives. 30 % of the brand new tires are comprised of environmentally-friendlier supplies like pure rubber. The problem for Hankook just isn’t solely does the tire must be higher for the Earth, it additionally has to work nicely in each moist and dry circumstances since Formulation E solely runs one compound.

Autosport stories that Hankook examined “possibly even 80 completely different specs” of tire compounds in the course of the improvement part, in keeping with the corporate’s head of motorsport Manfred Sandbichler. The tip result’s a tire the place the within is softer and the skin is more durable – a mix that might have implications for a way groups sort out corners at every circuit.

One factor that’s clear all through the paddock is that the brand new Hankook tires are extra sturdy than the ultimate spec of Michelins. McLaren Racing’s Jake Hughes advised Engadget not too long ago that the brand new tires “behave very otherwise” and that they’re “a bit more durable, a bit stiffer.” The more durable tire ought to be extra sturdy than what Formulation E ran prior to now, in keeping with Hughes, because the degradation on the Michlins would result in the treaded tire being practically slick by the tip of the race.

“We have to attempt to perceive how we will maximize it,” he defined. “Sooner or later we’re speaking in miniscule particulars to attempt to discover a bonus over the competitors.”

Groups are coping with reliability issues

With restricted testing forward of the official preseason classes in Valencia, groups are discovering points with their automobiles. The Race stories that some groups had been in such a crunch to make it to Spain that they didn’t have time to shakedown their automobiles beforehand to verify the essential methods had been functioning correctly as a consequence of components that arrived late. In keeping with that report, around-the-clock work shifts had been required for some to make it to testing.

Throughout a mock race this week, eight of twenty-two automobiles retired earlier than the tip of the trial occasion. One automobile didn’t make the beginning as a consequence of battery points and two others needed to pit on the primary lap. A handful of others needed to go to pitlane, which doesn’t occur throughout a Formulation E race except you have got a difficulty (till the collection institutes charging stops at the least). The 2 largest issues appear to be with the Williams Superior Engineering battery setups and the brakes, each of which The Race reported groups had been having points with in early November. Formulation E is claimed to be engaged on a secondary braking system after a quantity crashes in testing previous to Valencia, however The Race understands that it received’t be obtainable in the course of the first two E-Prix in Mexico Metropolis and Diriyah.

Groups count on Gen3 automobiles to enhance shortly and drastically

This isn’t precisely a brand new improvement, however groups up and down the paddock echoed the sentiment after the handful of take a look at runs. McLaren’s staff principal Ian James advised Engadget that he expects “a improvement quite than an entire evolution.”

“As a lot as we’ll put together the most effective we will for Mexico and that first race, undoubtedly there’s going to be a really steep studying curve as we get into the brand new season,” he defined. “And a quick fee of improvement as nicely.”

Drivers are additionally clear there’s “rather a lot to be taught and loads of work to do” earlier than the primary race, as Maserati’s Edoardo Mortara defined. “This week of testing has been intense however total optimistic, and though we’re nonetheless understanding the finer factors of the Gen3, I believe we’re in a powerful place,” he mentioned. “From right here, we’ll absolutely analyze our knowledge, debrief and proceed to collect simulations from HQ.”

The primary race in Mexico Metropolis may very well be… attention-grabbing

The problems with batteries and brakes apart, there are a selection of parts of a correct Formulation E E-Prix that might make the primary full race fairly an journey. The brand new tires pose a problem on a full avenue circuit, versus the sleek observe in Valencia. Getting the rubber within the correct window for qualifying and managing any degradation over the course of the race will likely be key.

There are additionally some unknowns with race format as nicely, as Formulation E plans to check a compulsory Assault Cost cease in sure races in Season 9. Assault Cost will give drivers a short lived energy increase very similar to Assault Mode has in earlier seasons. Formulation E says the 30-second cease can ship 4kWh of vitality to energy an “enhanced” Assault Mode the place the ability of the Gen3 automobiles will increase from 300kW to 350kW. It’s unclear the place the Assault Cost trials will happen as particular races weren’t introduced when the up to date sporting laws had been revealed final month.