Vergne and Vandoorne start strongly at Misano in Formula E

The DS Penske team has made an excellent start to the E-Prix weekend in Misano, Italy. Jean-Éric Vergne was fastest in the first free practice session, just ahead of his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne. The difference was just under two-tenths of a second. Championship contender, Nick Cassidy (Jaguar) clocked the third-fastest time.

The differences were small in the session; between first and 14th, the margin was nine-tenths of a second. Moreover, the track turned out to be faster than many teams had thought beforehand. McLaren assumed after several sessions in the simulator that the fastest qualifying time on Saturday was going to be in the 1:18 range. But already in the very first free practice session, the fastest driver, Vergne, could set a 1:17.5.

Bad luck for Günther with the Maserati

The opening session did not go equally well for everyone. Sebastien Buemi, for instance, could only take to the track a few minutes after the start of practice, as his Envision Racing car was still undergoing repairs. His teammate Robin Frijns, meanwhile, had quite a moment, going quite wide after a fast entry into the final corner. However, the Dutchman kept the car under control.

Max Günther, the winner of the Tokyo E-Prix, saw his session end quickly. The driver of Italian sports car brand Maserati suddenly lost drive. At a snail's pace, the German managed to reach the pits. In the same pits, Edoardo Mortara sat next to his team boss - with his helmet already on - watching the screens for a long time. What exactly was going on with his Mahindra was unclear. Only in the closing stages was the Swiss driver able to go out for the first time.

The results of FP1 Formula E in Misano