Attack Charge & softer tyres: Formula E manufacturers test in Mallorca

Around three weeks after the official pre-season tests, the manufacturers of the electric series carried out a joint test in Mallorca this week. This is reported by FE Notebook. In addition to the fast chargers, a new rubber compound from standard manufacturer Hankook was also tested on Thursday. Significantly softer tyres are to be used from the eleventh Formula E season onwards.

The manufacturers used test days that they have left over for the development of the powertrains currently in use. Only the manufacturer ERT did not actively participate in the test: the successor to Nio 333 is the only manufacturer without a customer team, which is why it has eight days less available for testing than the other manufacturers. Nevertheless, several ERT employees were on site, including Chief Engineer Mike Henderson.

After a general test on Tuesday, two race simulations took place on Thursday. Fast charging pit stops were also carried out for the first time. During the race simulation in Valencia, the fast chargers were only simulated; no chargers came into contact with the cars during the pit stops.

The racing series is apparently still pursuing the plan to hold a race with attack charge for the first time at the double header in Diriyah at the end of January. However, it is uncertain whether this will actually happen: there is said to be no agreement among the electric series teams on this yet.

A total of 12 regular drivers took part

While Mitch Evans at Jaguar did all the testing work, the other manufacturers divided the track time between several drivers: Sacha Fenestraz, Jake Hughes and Oliver Rowland for Nissan, Antonio Felix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein for Porsche, plus Stoffel Vandoorne, Jean-Eric Vergne and Jehan Daruvala for DS/Maserati. Nyck de Vries was in the car for Mahindra, along with the two ABT Cupra drivers Lucas di Grassi and Nico Müller. Edo Mortara was in Macau, where he is taking part this weekend in a GT3 in the traditional city race in the former Portuguese colony.

Another day of testing is scheduled for Saturday (18 November). Further tyre tests for the 2025 season are to be carried out here. The first conclusion of the new Hankook tyres: More grip and slightly faster lap times with continued low wear - one of the disadvantages of the Michelin tyres used until the end of the Gen2 era.