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Formula E- Alexander Sims Leads Final Day of Pre-Season Testing

The final day of pre-season testing saw another fast lap by BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver Alexander Sims.  His fastest lap time in the final session was a 1:17.402s. The Formula E rookie had the fastest time two out of the three testing days.

Formula E- Alexander Sims Leads Final Day of Pre-Season Testing

Alexander Sims teammate, Antonio Felix da Costa, had the fastest time in day two of testing. The Portuguese driver couldn’t match his teammate today, his best time was a 1:23.121s. That time placed him twenty-first on the grid. His time was hindered by heavy rain in the first session and limited track time in the second session of the final test day. BMW i Andretti Motorsport has a fast car, it should be interesting if they can maintain that pace throughout a full race.

DS Techeetah

Defending Formula E Champion, Jean-Eric Vergne, had the second fastest lap again today with a 1:17.620s. That time placed him miles ahead of his teammate, Andre Lotterer, who could only achieve a 1:23.048s. That time was only good enough for 20th for the day. The German’s time was hindered due to weather, but overall it was a solid test session for the team.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing

Mitch Evans had the fastest time for the Panasonic Jaguar Racing team today. He posted a 1:17.864s, which placed him third overall. His teammate, Nelson Piquet Jr, could only achieve the best time of a 1:21.997s, which placed him 19th. Weather also played a factor with the Brazilian’s time, as his track time was limited by it. Hopefully, he can match his teammate when the season starts.

Mahindra Racing

Mahindra Racing’s Formula E rookie, Pascal Wehrlein, came in fourth with a 1:17.888s. Formula E veteran Jerome d’Ambrosio couldn’t match his teammate today. The Belgian could only achieve a 1:18.409s, which placed him 12th. D’Ambrosio probably could have beaten his teammate, but tricky conditions played a factor with his track time.

GEOX Dragon

GEOX Dragon decided to give time to both Max Gunther and Antonio Fuoco for the final test day. Formula E veteran, Jose Maria Lopez only ran a morning session and his time was slow due to weather. Max Gunther placed fifth with a 1:17.947s. His rival, Antonio Fuoco, could only achieve the best time of 1:18.284s, which placed him 11th overall. Who will get the second seat for GEOX Dragon at the start of the season? Both didn’t look incredibly impressive until the last day. It should be a hard decision for the team to make.

Envision Virgin Racing

Envision Virgin Racing’s newest driver, Robin Frijns, came in sixth with a 1:18.284s. His teammate, Sam Bird, was eighth with a 1:18.219s. This was the first time during pre-season testing that they beat out the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team. Since Envision Virgin Racing has the same car as them, they should have similar times.

HWA Racelab

Mercedes backed HWA Racelab looked competitive in the changing conditions today. DTM Champion and Formula E rookie Gary Paffet had the fastest lap time for the team today. He posted a 1:18.164s, which placed him seventh overall. Stoffel Vandoorne missed the final day of testing today due to the United States Grand Prix this Sunday. Dani Juncadella drove his car for the final test day and put in a good session despite the changing conditions. The Spanish driver posted a 1:19.353s, which placed him eighth.

Nissan e.dams

Sebastien Buemi posted a 1:18.220, which placed him ninth today for Nissan e.dams. The Swiss driver didn’t have to drive both cars today. Oliver Rowland drove the second car due to Alexander Albon about to sign for Formula 1 team Toro Rosso. Rowland posted a best time of 1:20.416s, which was solid for his limited time in the car. Hopefully, Rowland can get more time in the new Gen 2 car for Nissan e.dams. before the season starts in December.

Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler

Season three Formula E Champion, Lucas di Grassi, came in tenth today with a 1:18.269. The Brazilian edged out his teammate, Daniel Abt, who posted a 1:18.479s. That time placed the German driver 13th for the day. This was the first time both drivers were beaten by their customer team Envision Virgin Racing. Surely, they will look to be ahead of them on race day when the season starts.

NIO Formula E

The NIO Formula E drivers were again close in lap times today. New signing, Tom Dillmann, was ahead of his teammate, Oliver Turvey, for the third day in a row. Dillmann posted a 1:18.778s and Turvey posted a 1:19.083s. Both drivers will look to improve upon their performance in testing. Most of all, Turvey will look to beat his teammate since he has been with the team longer.

Venturi Formula E

The Venturi Formula E team had a lacklustre performance all through pre-season testing. Ex-Formula 1 driver, Felipe Massa, could only achieve the best time of 1:19.328s. That time placed him 16th overall and his teammate, Edoardo Mortara was 22nd. The Swiss driver’s best lap time was only a 1m29.024s. Mortara only ran during the morning session, so his time was hindered due to rain. Surely, with Venturi’s new driver lineup, the team hoped to have a better test session. They have a lot of ground to make up if they want to win a race this season.

Conclusion

That concluded the 2018 ABB FIA Formula E Pre-Season Valencia test. Can BMW i Andretti Motorsport achieve instant success in their year as a full manufacturer? Can HWA Racelab improve their pace and be competitive in their first year in the sport? Will their two rookie drivers be able to compete with everyone else? Will Venturi Formula E pick up the pace to fight for points positions despite their lacklustre pre-season test? Can Pascal Wehrlein and Jerome d’Ambrosio bring Mahindra Racing to Championship glory? Hopefully, all will be answered on the day of the first race in AD Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

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