Oliver Rowland made a statement at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit as he topped the timesheets in the opening practice session ahead of the Formula E race weekend in Saudi Arabia.
Formula E debuted at the Jeddah circuit, showcasing a new layout that promises exciting racing action.
Rowland, fresh off his victory in Mexico City, led Nissan to a strong performance as he topped the FP1 timesheets.
Rowland’s team-mate Norman Nato followed closely behind in second, with Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara securing third.
The Jeddah E-Prix weekend sees the introduction of Pit Boost as a permanent feature, adding a new strategic element to the competition.
Rowland on the charge in Jeddah
Rowland, who clinched a dramatic victory in the previous round in Mexico City, set a blistering lap time of 1:15.849, a fraction ahead of his Nissan team-mate Norman Nato, who was just a tenth behind.
The pair were the only drivers to dip into the 1:15s. Mahindra Racing’s Edoardo Mortara slotting into third, nearly two-tenths off Rowland’s time with a 1:16.069.
NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird took fourth place, followed by Cupra Kiro’s Dan Ticktum in fifth. Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein rounded out the top six, highlighting the fierce competition at the front.
The session was packed with action as drivers pushed to get a feel for the new layout circuit. Now two miles shorter than its Formula 1 counterpart, the track includes temporary chicanes, the last leading out onto the start-finish straight.
A noticeable bump on the exit of the final chicane caused some unsettling moments for the cars, making for an unpredictable opening practice.
An overview of what happened
The Jeddah E-Prix marks the first time Formula E races at this venue after six years of competition in Diriyah.
In addition, a special rookie session kicked off the weekend, with Kush Maini leading the charge, setting the fastest time of 1:17.184.
The opening practice session, which ran for 40 minutes, had its fair share of interruptions. A full course yellow was called early on to allow teams to check the track, with Nick Cassidy reporting a “brake slip” and Wehrlein having a close call with Rowland at Turn 13. The session then settled into a rhythm, with the track grip improving steadily as drivers dialled in their setups.
Rowland’s performance will undoubtedly raise expectations for tomorrow’s qualifying session, with just over a second separating him from Jaguar’s Mitch Evans, who completed the top 10 in the session. The field was tight, with only 1.6 seconds covering the entire grid, making for what promises to be an exciting race weekend.
Formula E returns to action with further practice and qualifying sessions scheduled for Friday, ahead of the eagerly anticipated first race of the weekend.
Final Results
- Oliver Rowland
- Norman Nato
- Edoardo Mortara
- Sam Bird
- Dan Ticktum
- Pascal Wehrlein
- Stoffel Vandoorne
- António Félix Da Costa
- Maximilian Günther
- Mitch Evans
- Nick Cassidy
- Nico Mueller
- David Beckmann
- Jake Dennis
- Nyck De Vries
- Jake Hughes
- Robin Frijns
- Jean-Éric Vergne
- Sébastien Buemi
- Zane Maloney
- Lucas Di Grassi
- Taylor Barnard
Feature Image Credit: Alastair Staley/LAT Images | FE Media Centre
