With
the inaugural race of the FIA Formula E Championship all set to take place in
Beijing in September 2014, the Mahindra Racing Formula E team completed one
final pre-season test recently. Mahindra Racing is one of the ten teams – and
the only Indian team – to compete in the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship.
Mahindra
race drivers Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna completed several test programmes
and two separate race simulations as their familiarisation with the new Formula
E car comes to an end. The two will next take to the track for the first race
of the season on September 13, 2014 at a specially built street circuit in
Beijing, China.
Following
pre-testing briefings with their engineers, both Chandhok and Senna went
through complex test plans, as the Formula E cars completed their final miles
on track before being shipped to Beijing. Both Mahindra Racing men were inside
the top ten during the first general morning session which took place on a dry
track in chilly conditions at the Donington circuit in the UK.
After
the first general test session of the day the drivers were split into two
groups, to complete two separate race simulations. Senna was up first, taking
to the track in his first car to complete a full run before heading into the
pits to practice a live car change. The Brazilian was back out on track a
minute later to complete a run in his second car, said a press note from
Mahindra Racing.
Once
Senna was back in the garage to debrief with his engineers, his partner Chandhok
went through the drill. As part of the full car pit stop, each driver must
spend at least one minute in the garage. Chandhok also made the change to his
second car.
The afternoon sessions were a repeat of the
morning, with both drivers taking part in a general test before one final race
simulation. This time again, Senna spent his last session concentrating on
regeneration. His focus was on maintaining battery life rather than on clocking
lap times. Chandhok meanwhile had a number of final setup changes to test
before the flag fell on the final Donington test of the year.
Team
Principal Dilbagh Gill noted that it was a successful final test for the team.
He said that both drivers gathered a lot of data and learnt a lot on the characteristics
of the battery and regeneration, while also working on the traditional
mechanical setup of the car.
Chandhok
said that it was a good test for the two drivers and thought it was probably the
best one so far for them as a team. “We've got three or four weeks now before
Beijing which will give the engineers plenty of time to go through the final
data we've gathered,” he added.
Team
mate Senna said they were very excited to see what Beijing will bring. “It's a
very difficult circuit to here at Donington,” he noted.
Picture shows Karun Chandhok testing the
Mahindra electric race car