Sims completes BMW Formula E pre-season test sweep

Alexander Sims set the pace on a wet-dry final day of pre-season testing ahead of the 2018/19 Formula E season.

The BMW Andretti driver left it late to surge to the top of the leaderboard as he took advantage of ever-improving track conditions after heavy rain had disrupted the morning running during the third and final day of testing at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.

A 1m17.402s ensured he followed up on teammate Antonio Felix da Costa’s quickest time from the wet morning session and kept BMW on top of the timesheets to complete a clean sweep across the pre-season test.

Sims beat the time he managed on the opening day of testing – which he also topped – but was unable to challenge da Costa’s outright benchmark from Wednesday, a 1m16.977s.

He edged out the Techeetah of reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne by 0.218s, as Mitch Evans put his Jaguar third on the timesheets.

Pascal Wehrlein was just under 0.5s off the pace as he slotted into fourth in his Mahindra, while Formula 2 racer Maximilian Gunther impressed with the fifth-fastest time for Dragon as the American squad continues to evaluate its options for its sole-remaining season five seat.

Robin Frijns was sixth-quickest ahead of HWA’s Gary Paffett and Virgin Racing teammate Sam Bird, while Formula E champions Sebastien Buemi and Lucas di Grassi rounded out the top 10 for Nissan e.dams and Audi respectively.

Dragon regular Jose Maria Lopez handed over his car to Ferrari Academy Driver Antonio Fuoco for the afternoon as he got within a second of Sims’ session-leading time in 11th, ahead of the second Mahindra of Jerome d’Ambrosio, who headed Daniel Abt and the NIO duo of Tom Dillmann and Oliver Turvey.

Ex-Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa caused the seventh red flag of the day when his Venturi ground to halt in the final hour, though he was able to get back out in the closing minutes to post the 16th-fastest time ahead of Dani Juncadella, who was acting as stand-in at HWA for Stoffel Vandoorne.

Oliver Rowland was 18th as he replaced Alexander Albon in the second Nissan car amid reports the British-Thai driver is being lined up for an F1 drive with Toro Rosso for 2019.

The second Jaguar of season one champion Nelson Piquet Jr faced suspected battery issues in the afternoon as he ended up 19th, ahead of Andre Lotterer and da Costa’s BMW.

Edoardo Mortara propped up the timesheets having spent the entire afternoon session restricted to his garage after his Venturi car came to a halt at the end of the pitlane.

The next time Formula E cars will take to the track will be for the season five opener - the Ad Diriyah ePrix - in Riyadh on December 15.

Formula E Pre-Season Testing – Day 3 Results