Reigning Formula E champion Lucas di Grassi has described the season five Gen2 car as "overwhelming" following the series' first manufacturer test for the all-electric championship's new racing machinery.
The two-day test, which was held at the Monteblanco circuit in Spain, saw seven of Formula E's nine manufacturers take part, with Audi, DS, Jaguar, Nissan, Venturi, Dragon and Mahindra all taking part while NIO and newcomers BMW were absent.
“My first impression was overwhelming – the car is a huge step forward in every respect,” said di Grassi after driving the all-new Audi e-tron FE05.
“We drove a lot, were able to focus on setup work and gathered plenty of data for the engineers. I feel that the first test was a resounding success – now I’m all the more excited about finally being able to drive the car on a city circuit.”
The Gen2, which was officially unveiled earlier this month at the Geneva Motor Show, will see Formula E's power output increase, with qualifying power increasing to 250kW and race power increasing to 200kW – a clear step forward from this season's 200kW and 180kW modes.
The car which has been likened the 'Batmobile' will also be able to complete a full-race on one single charge following the development of a longer-lasting battery courtesy McLaren, removing Formula E's current mid-race car switch.
Audi's team principal, Alan McNish, added that the team didn't face any major issues in the first test and completed a large amount of running:
“We did a lot of kilometers straight away without any major problems – which is the most important thing at the first rollout and good news for the whole team, trackside and at Audi in Neuburg," he said.
“Lucas’ feedback was extremely positive, which makes us optimistic going forward. We know we still have a lot of work to do in terms of testing and development before travelling to the first race of the new season and competing with our rivals for the first time.”
A second test for the Gen2 car is scheduled to take place next month at the Calafat circuit, Catalonia.
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