Ex-Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa has completed his maiden Formula E test for Venturi ahead of his Season Five entry with the Monegasque squad later this year.
The test marked Massa's first taste of the all-electric single seater series' new Gen2 car which will replace the championship's current Spark SRT 01E machinery that has been in use since the series' inception in 2014.
The test, which was completed at the Ales-Cevennes circuit in France on Wednesday, saw Massa complete 800km of running in Venturi's new VFE 05 car in a private test session.
Alongside Massa, Tom Dillmann, Michael Benyahia and Arthur Leclerc – French F4 driver and brother of Charles Leclerc – have completed some running in the Gen2 car although it has not yet been revealed who will partner the Brazilian at the team for Season Five.
Venturi's current full-time drivers, Maro Engel and Edoardo Mortara, have tied to HWA who will join Formula E in Season Five as a customer team of Venturi where they will use the same powertrain.
When talking to Motorsport Week, Dillmann admitted that he is prepared to compete in Formula E in Season Five if he is called up:
"I already did three days of development of the new car, well I did almost everything on the new car so far with Venturi so again, I have got some experience with that," he said. "Anyway, I always feel ready to go in."
Benyahia, Venturi's development driver who currently competes in Spanish Formula 3, also believes that he may have an outside chance of securing a seat for the 2018/19 season:
"I tested in Marrakesh and I also tested in Monteblanco in the Season Five car as well so yeah, it’s going pretty well and I do mainly the simulators and I also do some tests here and there," he told Motorsport Week.
"I’m hoping that I get a seat or something but, you know, it’s possible but I have to see also as well."
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