Diriyah – EL1: Rowland sets the best time

La Formula E is back. After a long break, the electric single-seater championship launched its new season in Saudi Arabia. In the streets of Diriyah, the drivers were able to take to the track for thirty minutes before tackling a classic day this Friday with qualifying and the first race of the year.

In a session marked by the touch of Nyck de Vries (Mercedes) Just a few minutes after the green flag which prevented him from recording a time, it was Oliver Rowland who emerged as the fastest man of the evening. With a best lap completed in 1'10"559, the Englishman from Mahindra Racing was ahead of Antonio Félix da Costa (DS Techeetah) and Jake Dennis (Andretti) by a little over a tenth and a half. Double Formula E champion, Jean-Éric Vergne (DS Techeetah) finished 4th, 0 behind the leader while Mitch Evans (Jaguar) completed the Top 185.

Not the start the reigning World Champion would have hoped for…

20 minutes of the session remain after @nyckdevries parks his car off the track with suspension damage

Live timings for FP1 here 👉 https://t.co/NqfsxKCucu

🇸🇦 2022 #DiriyahEPrice | @MercedesEQFE pic.twitter.com/FeW2Pi11IJ

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) January 27, 2022

This first session also saw debutants Dan Ticktum (NIO 333) and Antonio Giovinazzi take their first official laps in Formula E. Without making too much noise, the two men were respectively classified 13th and 20th, the first accusing 0“919 of behind Oliver Rowland, the second almost 1“9.

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