The 27-lap race was held on Friday morning and supplied drivers, groups and race management the possibility to run by means of procedures together with Assault Mode activations, full course yellows and security vehicles.
Jaguar’s Mitch Evans, who has topped both sessions to take place on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Spain thus far, began on the entrance of the sphere as a security automobile led the pack for 2 laps.
As soon as racing commenced, reigning champion Jake Dennis moved to the entrance of the sphere as team-mate Norman Nato adopted by means of into second.
ERT’s Sergio Sette Camara was the primary driver to undergo issues, pitting after just one lap, earlier than being adopted into the pits by Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz, though the latter was capable of rejoin a number of excursions in arrears.
A brand new dynamic for drivers and groups to adapt to in the course of the race was the addition of fast-charging pitstops that are set to be launched this season.
Given the battery hearth which impacted the check earlier this week, the fast-charging was solely simulated, with drivers stationary for roughly 30 seconds within the pits earlier than being launched again out onto the monitor.
Da Costa was one of many first to make this obligatory cease on lap 13 having moved to the pinnacle of the sphere over the continuing laps, and he was adopted in by Maserati MSG’s Maximilian Guenther and McLaren’s Sam Bird.
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Sebastien Buemi, Envision Racing, Jaguar I-TYPE 6 Lucas di Grassi, ABT CUPRA Method E Crew, M9Electro
The vast majority of main runners pitted over the next laps, with Abt Cupra’s Nico Muller and Envision’s Frijns the ultimate two drivers to drag into the pits on lap 20 and 21 respectively.
Frijns managed to rejoin simply in entrance of the chasing pack, which was headed by Evans, Envision’s Sebastien Buemi, Guenther and da Costa.
This was shortly after the McLarens of Hen and Jake Hughes had been known as into the pits to finish their race simulations early.
A full course yellow was deployed simply moments after Frijns activated Assault Mode, which dropped the Dutchman down to 3rd behind the quick rising da Costa and Evans.
As soon as racing resumed at full pace each Andretti drivers went to activate Assault Mode however ended up within the Flip 8 gravel earlier than rejoining safely and with out injury.
On the entrance, Frijns had moved into second and went for the lead on lap 25 of 27 – the race prolonged by one lap because of the full course yellow – going to the surface of da Costa at Flip 8 which gave him the within line into the next bend.
The transfer, which additionally allowed Evans to maneuver into second, was accomplished simply as a security automobile was deployed after the Nissan of Oliver Rowland had come to a cease on monitor which ended the race underneath warning.
Testing is about to proceed for the rest of the day till 6:30pm native time, with solely half-hour of operating misplaced from the unique schedule after the sooner battery hearth.