Almost 500 laps, more than 1,600 test kilometres, full focus on set-up work, a simulation of the planned new race format, consistent lap times and, of course, lots of photo and video production: Lucas di Grassi and Nico Müller prepared for the new season at the official ABB FIA Formula E World Championship tests in Valencia. For returnee Lucas di Grassi, it was the first appearance in the colors of his old and new team.
The four-day tests in Spain were the only encounter of all eleven teams and 22 drivers before the start of the season. Due to a fire in the pit lane and the necessary investigations, action on the track had to be interrupted Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday. Cars and equipment will now be transported by ship directly from Valencia to Mexico, where the tenth season of the World Championship starts on 13 January 2024.
ABT CEO and Team Principal Thomas Biermaier: « First of all, my thanks go to the whole team and our two drivers. It was an exhausting week with some night shifts, long sessions and ever new challenges, which our team mastered perfectly. Of course, it’s too early to really assess where we stand, but it’s clear that this time we’re starting the season in a completely different way than we did a year ago. We are now taking all the experiences, impressions and several gigabytes of data with us as homework to Kempten. Now the hot preparation phase starts until the season opener in Mexico. »
Lucas di Grassi: « It felt great to come back to the team and spend a whole week with the guys. It was a mixture of hard work on and off the track, but also a lot of fun with a lot of familiar faces. It’s a trusting relationship with all the engineers, mechanics and my teammate Nico. We push each other and all have the same goal: to come to Mexico as well prepared as possible. »
Nico Müller: « The official pre-season tests are always something very special because the tension rises and you already get into a bit of a competitive mood. We had the opportunity to try out a lot on the track, including the planned new race format with the pit stop. It was a busy week – with the long sessions on the track and many appointments away from the cockpit. Even though it’s secondary, it was good to see our names consistently in the top half of the time monitor. We’ll now take these positive impressions with us into the next weeks. »