Jaguar’s Evans ends Formula E pre-season testing fastest

Jaguar’s Mitch Evans finished the final day of pre-season testing at Jarama quickest ahead of Kiro’s Dan Ticktum and reigning Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein.

Evans topped the final session on Friday morning with a 1m27.461s, the fastest lap recorded by the all-electric championship over the three days of testing, which left him 0.141s clear of Ticktum.

The result is the first time this week that reigning teams’ champions Jaguar has occupied top spot, with Porsche-powered cars finishing fastest in two out of the six sessions that have been held.

David Beckmann posted the fastest lap on Thursday morning for Kiro, the team having been rebranded from ERT last year as well as switching to using a Porsche powertrain as opposed to its own bespoke unit for the upcoming season.

Despite impressive times, neither Ticktum nor Beckmann have been signed by the team yet, but a decision on the driver line-up is expected in the week leading up to the season-opener in Sao Paulo on 7 December.

Antonio Felix da Costa posted the fastest time on the opening day for the factory Porsche team, while Wehrlein also led home his team-mate during the 24-lap simulation race.

Dan Ticktum, Kiro Race Co

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Formula E rookie Zane Maloney, who was unable to compete in Thursday’s simulation race due to a technical fault which left his Lola/Yamaha-powered Abt stranded on the grid, headed Friday’s times during the early running before slipping to eighth.

Full-time rookie Taylor Barnard finished Friday’s session in fourth for McLaren, just 0.319s behind Evans’s best, ahead of Beckmann, Nissan’s Oliver Rowland and Maserati MSG’s Stoffel Vandoorne.

The second Maserati MSG of Jake Hughes had finished fastest on Wednesday morning, with Maximilian Guenther (DS Penske) and Nyck de Vries (Mahindra) also ending quickest throughout the week.

Any further improvement in the final five minutes on Friday was denied after Guenther found the gravel at Turn 3, bringing out the only red flag of the session.

An all-female test is due to take place on Friday afternoon with all teams required to run at least one driver and a total of 18 set to compete in the three-hour session.

This includes three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, who once again tests with Jaguar having done so in 2020, as well as current F1 Academy points leader Abbi Pulling.

The 21-year-old Briton is on the cusp of the title in the all-female series with this year’s champion set to be given a fully funded drive in the UK’s GB3 Championship with Rodin for the 2025 season.

Formula E Jarama pre-season testing – Friday morning results