Motorsport

More than 5,000 test kilometres of preparation for maiden Formula E season

Porsche 99X Electric at the Zoute GP 2019

“Road to Formula E”: Infographic series on the works entry in the all-electric race series

The countdown has started: in 23 days, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will contest its maiden race in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. At the official Formula E Test Drives in Valencia, the team undertook in-depth preparations for its first race.

Porsche 99X Electric, from left: Neel Jani, André Lotterer, Pascal Zurlinden, Amiel Lindesay, Carlo Wiggers
Porsche 99X Electric, from left: Neel Jani, André Lotterer, Pascal Zurlinden, Amiel Lindesay, Carlo Wiggers

The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, like the other teams contesting Formula E, had a total of 15 days of testing available to them between 1 January and 1 October 2019. This was followed by the official Formula E test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia in mid-October, where the twelve teams competing in Season 6 had their first encounter on track together.

The Porsche 99X Electric completed more than 5,000 test kilometres in the test and development phase. While the main focus in the initial phase was on the reliability of the Porsche powertrain, the crew increasingly focussed on performance as time went on.

André Lotterer, Porsche 99X Electric - Valencia
André Lotterer, Porsche 99X Electric – Valencia

Malte Huneke (Technical Project Leader Formula E): “With over 5,000 test kilometres, we gained important insights into the Porsche 99X Electric over the past months. The learning curve is rising steadily. In Weissach, we are currently analysing all the data that we collected during the final days of testing at Valencia. The conditions on the racetrack aren’t directly comparable with the Formula E street circuits, for example, with regard to the routing and asphalt, but despite this, we were able to come away with valuable information – particularly from the race simulations – and optimise our operational processes.”

The new season of Formula E gets underway on 22 and 23 November 2019 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, with a double header.

Porsche company press release.
Pictures courtesy Porsche AG