Oliver Turvey believes that the Bern Street Circuit will level the competitive playing field in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship as teams and drivers get acquainted with the new circuit on the Season 5 calendar.
Replacing the Zurich E-Prix, the Bern E-Prix is a new addition to Formula E's 2018/19 campaign and marks one of the most difficult races of the calendar, with the 2.750km-long circuit featuring heavily cambered corners of varying radiuses, running around tight city streets of varying elevation across a variety of track surfaces.
With rain expected on race day for the penultimate race weekend of the season, a shakeup is expected, with teams and drivers having no prior experience of racing at the temporary racing venue in the Swiss capital.
Looking ahead to the race, Turvey explained that learning the track as quick as possible will be instrumental to achieving a strong result in Bern while the limited practice time and long laps at the circuit means that drivers will have limited time to get acquainted with the hillside circuit.
"We need to learn the track as quick as possible," Turvey told Motorsport Week. "We don’t get much time in practice and especially because it’s a long lap, we don’t get many laps.
"It’s not going to be easy but it’s the same for everyone in a way. It is going to be about learning the track as quick as possible and being confident when you go into qualifying.
"When you go into that single lap it’s always tricky in Formula E but the approach isn’t too different to any other track. You always have to learn, especially this year with the new Gen2 car, maybe you have to learn again a little bit the feelings from the previous car.
"I think it’s going to be a leveller [in performance]. A new track for everyone and the most challenging one out there as well," he added.
With three races remaining in the 2018/19 campaign, Turvey currently occupies 19th in the Drivers' Championship having scored six points, last finishing inside the top 10 in March's Sanya E-Prix.
The inaugural Bern E-Prix will take place on June 22 at 18:04 local time.
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