For Round 13, FE makes its way to the Berlin E-Prix, around Tempelhof Airport with the driver preparing for Qualifying despite the downpour of rain. FP2 was cancelled leaving drivers with just their dry track running from yesterday as a point of reference.
The track was covered in standing water, presenting a challenge to drivers coming into a vital moment in the championship. Pascal Wehrlein received a three-place-gird drop following his incident with his teammate in FP1.
With the rain still coming down qualifying was delayed and was forecast for the next hour. Although the pit lane was starting to brighten. The surface around Berlin was era concrete with little ability to move the standing water. It leaves the track covered in puddle, and a liability with aquaplaning.
Finally, the FIA decided that qualifying would be getting underway with drivers getting back in their cars ready for the start of the session. However, it would only be the group stages, cutting out the duel phase of qualifying.
Group A
In the first group was championship leader Oliver Rowland, looking to take pole, putting himself in the best position for the race this afternoon. Rowland led the field out as the session went live.
Mitch Evans crossed the line first with a 1:16.339, which was 18 seconds slower than the driver’s times in the dry conditions. It was clear the conditions were tricky for drivers with Ticktum sliding across the track as he went on his lap.
Evan’s held the top spot and on his second push lap managed to bring his time down by two seconds, to a 1:14.196. Rowland crossed the line to go seconds quickest, but he was 1.352 seconds away from Evans in front.
The Jaguar driver seemed comfortable in the seat of his car as he put in another lap of three purple sectors. He broke into the 1:13’s with a second separating him and the rest of the field.
Da Costa fed in second, but was quickly beaten by Jake Dennis. However, no one was close to Mitch Evan’s impressive one lap speed around Tempelhof. Rowland was down in sixth when he crossed the line but with a lap time of 1:13.237 he was only fast enough for fourth place.
For the first time in the session someone other than Evans took the fastest first sector. However, his middle sector was far slower, and he ended the lap only second which was quickly passed by Rowland who crossed the line was a 1:12.574.
In the final few seconds of the session, the drivers would get one final lap around Tempelhof. Evans went purple again, and took another two tenths out of Oliver Rowland, putting his lead at 1.5 seconds. Maximilian Günther moved into second, but it didn’t last long as Rowland too seconds. Still 0.9 seconds off the leader.
Group A results:
- M. Evans
- O. Rowland
- M. Günther
- A. Da Costa
- D. Ticktum
- E. Mortara
- N. Müller
- S. Bird
- J. Dennis
- Z. Maloney
- S. Sette Camara
Group B
Nick Cassidy led the field at in Group B. No doubt hoping to find the same performance his teammate managed in Group A.
Robin Frijns put in the fastest lap time as the drivers finished their opening push laps, a 1:15.412 setting him just 0.162 ahead of Pascal Wehrlein. Nick Cassidy bumped Frijns from the lead, but it was short-lived as the times began to drop.
Barnard took the top spot, a 1:14.294 a mere 0.034 ahead of the field behind him. But it was Pascal Wherlein who started to bring the times rapidly down, a 1:12.894. The times much closer to those seen in Group A.
Barnard put in a purple first sector, but he went deep into the final corners just missing out on any significant improvement. Felipe Drugovich was down in ninth as his first time behind the wheel of the Gen3Evo in the wet.
Robin Frijns returned to the top spot, a 1:11.810 putting a sixth tenths gap between him and Vandoorne behind him. As Drugovich crossed the line to go fifth.
Pascal Wehrlein got closer to the lead, closing the gap slightly to Frijns. However, the Dutchman was on another quick lap as he extended his lead further.
Wehrlein determined to take the fastest time took a purple first sector, and he took the fastest lap time by just 0.04 the margins getting smaller and smaller.
Jake Hughes also passed Pascal Wehrlein, moving into second with a 1:11.344. But Wehrlein was on a final flying lap. He was fastest in the first sector, personal best in the second but just missed out in the final part of the lap.
As the chequered flag was waved Frijns was fastest, from Hughes with Wehrlein in third.
Robin Frijns would be lining up second overall as Mitch Evans took his first pole position since London last season.
Group B results:
- R. Frijns
- J. Hughes
- P. Wehrlein
- J. Vergne
- T. Barnard
- S. Vandoorne
- F. Drugovich
- L. Di Grassi
- N. Cassidy
- D. Beckmann
- S. Buemi
