Formula E

Formula E in Tokyo: Oliver Rowland wins 2nd free practice in the rain, several wall contacts

Timo Pape

Timo Pape

FIA Formula E

Oliver Rowland was the fastest in the 2nd Formula E free practice session in Tokyo. On a wet track, the Nissan driver set the fastest lap time against Edo Mortara (Mahindra) and team-mate Norman Nato. Taylor Barnard (McLaren) and Nyck de Vries (Mahindra) completed the top five, although there were no major accidents but there was still a red flag.

The first session of Saturday began in pouring rain and with a wild pit exit by Oliver Rowland. For the 22 drivers, it was now all about getting the tyres up to temperature and getting a feel for the difficult track conditions. The lap times in the first five minutes were around 28 seconds off the best mark in dry FP1.

After ten minutes, the two Maserati drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Jake Hughes were in the lead. However, both Jaguars made slight contact with the wall. Nick Cassidy damaged his rear suspension and had to come into the pits. The lap times gradually got a little faster, partly because a few drivers were already trying out attack mode.

Jean-Eric Vergne hit the wall at turn 16, where Taylor Barnard had already crashed in the first practice session. However, his DS Penske suffered no significant damage. After 13 minutes, race director Marek Hanaczewski briefly called a full-course yellow so that the marshals could check the wall at turn 16. Meanwhile, Nyck de Vries missed a braking point and drove through the run-off area.

Beckmann's Kiro brings out the red flag

At the halfway point of the 40-minute session, Rowland was at the top of the timesheets. The gaps were quite large. More than 2.8 seconds separated the Briton from tenth place and as much as 7.4 seconds from last-placed Cassidy. Despite the rain, the grandstands were already reasonably full - remarkable, especially for a free practice session in Formula E. Barnard missed the chicane on his fast lap and had to take a shortcut.

Twelve minutes before the end, David Beckmann slid into the run-off zone of turn 15 and tried to turn round, but came to a halt - yellow flags. As the German was no longer able to move his car under his own power, the session had to be red-flagged. Beckmann got out of the car. At the same time, the rain was getting heavier. Shortly beforehand, Zane Maloney had slid into Nyck de Vries' Mahindra in the chicane, but apparently without causing any major damage.

Despite the wet track, the session continued with just under four minutes remaining. However, the session was not extended despite the interruption. As expected, there were no more improvements, as the track was wetter than ever. The second free practice session also went to Nissan, but this time to championship leader Rowland. Maloney came to a halt on the track after a side impact in turn 16, but this had no major impact on the session.

Saturday's qualifying will take place at 3.20am (CEST). As always, e-Formula.news offers you a live ticker.

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