Janice R. Andrews
Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa set the fastest lap on the first day of Formula E pre-season testing at Spain’s Jarama Circuit, as drivers and teams adapted to the new Gen3 Evo cars. The Portuguese driver’s time of 1m29.220s was 0.186s quicker than Andretti’s Jake Dennis, marking an early success for the Porsche team in their preparations for the 2024 season.
The all-electric championship moved the test venue to Jarama, near Madrid, after severe floods in Valencia resulted in over 200 fatalities just days before testing began. All participants held a minute’s silence to honor those who lost their lives in the disaster. The session ran smoothly on the 2.43-mile former Formula 1 circuit, which now hosts bike and truck races.
Maximilian Guenther of DS Penske, who switched from Maserati MSG over the off-season, was the first to dip under 1m30s with a 1m29.661s, finishing third. Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara and Maserati MSG’s Stoffel Vandoorne, who swapped seats with Guenther, took fourth and fifth respectively.
Andretti’s Nico Muller, a newcomer from Abt, was sixth, followed by Jake Hughes of Maserati MSG, who joined from McLaren. Defending champion Pascal Wehrlein, da Costa’s teammate, was eighth, with Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske) and Lucas di Grassi (Abt) completing the top 10.
Notably, both Jaguar drivers and Nissan’s line-up sat out the session due to penalties for breaching the cost cap last season. Testing will continue through Friday, including a simulated race on Wednesday to trial pit boost technology.
Da Costa’s dominant display and the teams’ adaptability hint at an exciting Formula E season ahead, with Porsche and Andretti emerging as early frontrunners.
