Diriyah – EL2: Rowland doubles the stake

We take the same ones and start again, or the same one. Oliver Rowland is definitely off to a good start this weekend on the streets of Diriyah. Author of the best time in the first session of the year this Thursday, the Mahindra Racing driver doubled the stakes this Friday before qualifying for the first ePrix of the season.

If Jake Dennis (Andretti) set the pace by setting a time of 1'09, Oliver Rowland was quick to respond. On his momentum, the Briton stole first place in the session with a best lap of 1'08'957, considerably improving his 1'10'559 from the day before. On the line, he was finally ahead of Sam Bird (Jaguar) by only 15 thousandths, Jake Dennis settling for 3rd position less than 5 hundredths behind.

Second on Thursday evening, Antonio Félix da Costa (DS Techeetah) fell to 4th place but remained in ambush 9 hundredths behind Oliver Rowlan. Robin Frijns (Envision) completes the Top 5 of these EL2s. The only Habs in the running in this new season, Jean-Éric Vergne (DS Techeetah) ranks 7th at 0 from the day's benchmark. He is ahead of Nick Cassidy (Envision), Maximilian Günther (Nissan e.Dams) and Oliver Askew (Andretti).

Beginners in Formula E, Dan Ticktum (NIO 333) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Dragon Penske) are struggling to find their rhythm for the first outing of the year. After their respective 13th and 20th places the day before, the two men ranked 19th and 22nd, more than a second behind Oliver Rowland this Friday.