The first on-track session of the weekend’s double header in Shanghai began with anticipation and a flurry of activity. The initial laps saw Robin Frijns and SĂ©bastien Buemi, fresh from their break for the Endurance round, setting the pace for Envision Racing.
Photo Credit: Formula E | Sam Bagnall
An abrupt halt to the session
Sam Bird made a notable return for Neom McLaren, overcoming recent hand surgery to resume his driving duties.
Who's excited to see Sam back in action? 🙋 pic.twitter.com/AX8lZB64Px
— NEOM McLaren FE (@McLarenFE) May 20, 2024
However, the session was abruptly halted five minutes in when a red flag was issued. Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche and Dan Ticktum’s ERT came to a stop side by side on the track, causing significant concern.
Adding to the disruption, Nyck de Vries experienced a battery failure, which affected several other drivers, including Antonio Felix da Costa and Sérgio Sette Câmara, leaving their cars immobile on the circuit.
After an extended break, likely due to a new battery system upgrade between races, the session resumed forty minutes later. Drivers, including those who faced earlier issues, returned to the track for a truncated 25-minute practice session.
A head to head between Cassidy and Wehrlein
Nick Cassidy set the initial benchmark post-restart with a lap time of 1:14.800s, quickly improving it to 1:14.310s. He was soon joined by Oliver Rowland and Antonio Felix da Costa on the provisional podium. Lucas di Grassi encountered a curb but managed to keep his car steady.
So true, @PWehrlein 🥇@PorscheFormulaE is bringing the halo game at the #ShanghaiEPrix pic.twitter.com/2zoQElkhHD
— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) May 24, 2024
Evans led the way for Jaguar
Jaguar demonstrated their strong form as Mitch Evans was the first to dip into the 1:13s, later bested by teammate Cassidy, marking a solid Jaguar performance ten minutes into the session. Meanwhile, Sette Câmara had an off-track excursion at Turn 6.
Jean-Eric Vergne and Lucas di Grassi, the championship’s highest points scorers, held the top two positions with five minutes remaining. However, Vergne’s 1:13.27s was narrowly beaten by Evans by 0.06s. Jake Hughes also had a moment, running wide at Turn 2.
In the closing moments, Norman Nato from Andretti Autosport slotted between Evans and Vergne with a 1:13.240s, adding to the competitive spirit of the session. Meanwhile, Sette Câmara faced an investigation for impeding, a situation flagged by both Dennis and Bird earlier via team radio, leaving the Brazilian driver perplexed by the scrutiny.