FORMULA E TESTING: GEN3 EVO CARS SHOWCASE POWER AND TIRE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE
Last week’s Formula E pre-season testing at the Jarama Circuit in Spain saw the all-new Gen3 Evo cars make their official debut, with Jaguar’s Mitch Evans setting the overall pace across the four-day event.
Despite a last-minute venue change due to the devastating floods in Valencia, the series was able to relocate to the historic Jarama Circuit and complete a full testing program, providing valuable insights into the performance of the latest all-electric machines.
Evans’ fastest time of 1m27.461s during the final session on Friday morning highlighted the raw speed of the Gen3 Evo, with the new all-wheel-drive technology enabling acceleration of 0-60mph in just 1.82 seconds – faster than current Formula 1 cars.
Tire Management Challenges
However, the focus of attention was firmly on the new Hankook tires, which offered a substantial performance advantage initially but suffered from significant degradation over the course of a stint. This will undoubtedly impact race strategy and weekend running, as teams look to manage the tires while extracting maximum performance.
“The tyres have a huge peak of performance for one lap and then lap two it’s already a small degradation and then lap three another step in degradation,” said Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa. “Reading into the lap times [here] you have to be a little bit careful because in a race weekend you will never do a 350kW lap on new tyres [in practice].”
New “Pit Boost” Concept
The testing also saw the trial of the new “pit boost” concept, where drivers were required to make a pit stop to receive an additional 10% charge to their battery via a 600kW recharge. While the idea aims to add an extra strategic element, reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein expressed concerns about the potential for unfairness if the timing of a safety car period impacts the effectiveness of the pit boost.
Highlight: All-Female Testing Session
One of the highlights of the test was the all-female session on the final day, which provided a valuable opportunity for up-and-coming female drivers to experience the Formula E machinery. Abbi Pulling, the current F1 Academy points leader, topped the times, just 3.5 seconds off Mitch Evans’ best lap, highlighting the potential of the next generation of female talent.
With the season-opener in Sao Paulo just a month away, the four days of testing have provided teams and drivers with a crucial opportunity to prepare for the challenges of the Gen3 Evo era, where tire management and strategic decisions will be more critical than ever.
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