Porsche Formula E boss Modlinger on Gen3 Evo tests: "Huge challenge for the whole team"

For several weeks now, the Formula E manufacturers, including newcomer Lola Cars, have been testing their drive systems for the Gen3 Evo car and the new Hankook tyres on the race track. As the test drives are taking place in parallel with season operations, many mechanics and engineers from the works teams are currently in constant use.

All-wheel drive, a new and softer compound from tyre supplier Hankook, plus a revised vehicle look - with the introduction of the Gen3-Evo cars, a lot is changing in Formula E. As the manufacturers also have the only opportunity in the Gen3 era to utilise a completely new powertrain, testing has already been in full swing for several weeks.

"It's a challenge for us, especially because we are managing the testing with the racing team's personnel," reports Porsche's Formula E Team Principal Florian Modlinger when asked by e-Formula.news. "This means that we have already started testing the new car, in parallel with the two-week rhythm of racing operations. It's a huge challenge and a strain on the whole team."

"From a technical point of view, the challenge will be to use the full powertrain temporarily for propulsion, which is different to now," he continues.

"Tyres behave differently over the distance"

Even though the further developed Hankook tyre is still an all-weather tyre with a tread pattern and two different rubber compounds on the tread, the teams will have to change their approach in future. The differences to the previously used model are too great.

"The new tyre will be a big challenge," adds Modlinger. "The performance has definitely increased on the lap. But how the tyre behaves over distance and temperature is different to the current tyre."

Modlinger does not, however, want to reveal what insights Porsche has gained here, for example with regard to the approach to the warm-up lap of qualifying. "Each manufacturer must first find out for themselves what implications this will have for a race weekend during testing."