Several teams shookdown their GEN4 race cars this week, as the race to get to the Spanish test sessions next month started and the 24 car GEN4 grid began to materially crystalise.
Delays on some components had delayed most teams scheduled plans, with the front-powertrain kits being a particular issue in getting delivered to entries on time. But all bar four teams are have put miles on their new race cars this week.
The CUPRA Kiro squad was at the Bedford Autodrome proving grounds in the UK on Wednesday. The Porsche customer team actually built up its cars earlier this month in Weissach but a delay on some spec parts slightly delayed its intended plans on running the cars ahead of going to Valencia in two weeks’ time for a private test with some other teams. Jake Hughes and Pepe Marti ran each of their race cars at Bedford in runs that were said to have gone smoothly.
Formula E Notebook understands that Andretti and Envision followed suit soon after CUPRA Kiro’s test, with their Nissan and Jaguar cars respectively getting running time in the UK where they are based.
Andretti also used the Bedford facility, with Felipe Drugovich putting miles on his #28 Nissan on Wednesday, while Jake Dennis completed a similar feat on Thursday morning at the same venue.
Envision used a short version of the Silverstone track close to its base with Maximilian Guenther and Zak O’Sullivan both present at the shakedown on Thursday. Also in attendance was the factory Jaguar TCS Racing squad, which ran its race cars for Antonio Felix da Costa, and his yet to be named teammate – strongly rumoured to be a returning Stoffel Vandoorne – also at Silverstone on Thursday.
The Fortescue Zero team is expected test for the first time with both its Jaguars at Jarama and will not be part of the Valencia test day on November 11. They are planning to shakedown of its Jaguar GEN4 cars next month at Mallory Park in the UK before travelling to Madrid. Prior to that, Dan Ticktum and Taylor Barnard, who will be formerly presented as official drivers at the teams launch on Friday, November 6 in London.
The new Fusion Formula E Team, which is still forming, will also not use the Valencia opportunity but is aiming to make the Jarama test, which should see 24 Formula E cars running together for the first time since the Berlin E-Prix in August 2021. The team attended a test at the Andalusia circuit alongside Stellantis and Mahindra eralier this week.
Mahindra meanwhile will stay in southern Spain after their Andalusia testing this week, and will head to Guadix for a test next Tuesday. They then plan to shakedown Edoardo Mortara’s race car in the UK on Thursday and de Vries’ the week after when he returns from the FIA World Endurance Championship finale at Monza next weekend.
Lola plans to shakedown its two Lola T004 cars just prior to travelling to Spain, where it will run at the Jarama test only. Lola is set to announce Robert Shwartzman early next month, while its second driver is still under negotiations.
Nissan ran both of its GEN4 cars that will be used by Oliver Rowland and Zane Maloney at the La Ferte Gaucher track east of Paris. Sam Bird, recently kept on as a development and reserve driver by the team, is set to be in attendance at Jarama next month.
Citroen and Opel are expected to shake their cars down in France this week or early next prior to the Valencia test on November 11. Nick Cassidy and Theo Pourchaire were out testing at Andalusia earlier this week with the development car the two brands share.
Porsche meanwhile will run its race cars for confirmed Season 13 drivers Nico Mueller and reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein at Weissach next week before leaving for Spain.
