FIA Formula E have announced that there will now be 3 practice sessions instead of the usual 2 over the Saturday of the 4th April due to the unusual position of the paddock and the layout of the track.
The drivers will now have 3 sessions, 25 minutes in length. This compares to previous races where they have 2 sessions of 45 minutes and 30 minutes in length before.
This means the drivers will have the same time on track, however; it may be a problem if they take time to get up to speed; We’ve seen many times before that the electric engine will take 2/3 laps to get to its prime.
It may also be a problem if the teams wanted to practice long runs before the race. It has been done as to maximise the battery recharging times for the teams.
Benoit Dupont, Sporting Manager at Formula E, said: “In Long Beach we are using part of the IndyCar circuit along Shoreline Drive and a similar style pitlane with the garages in a remote paddock. To maximise charging time and allow teams more time to manage the cars in between sessions we altered the timetable to include three shorter sessions.”
The revised schedule:
Practice 1 – 08:15-08:40
Practice 2 – 09:25-09:50
Practice 3 – 10:35-11:00
Qualifying – 12:00-12:55
Race (39 laps) – 16:00
