FP2 at the 2025 FE Shanghai E-Prix delivered a dynamic and unpredictable session, with evolving track conditions, mixed strategies, and late-session improvements reshuffling the order. António Félix da Costa ultimately topped the timesheets for Porsche with a 1:08.749, ahead of NEOM McLaren rookie Taylor Barnard and Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries. The session featured standout laps, fluctuating fortunes, and a flurry of activity in the final minutes, highlighting the competitive tension ahead of Qualifying.
Da Costa the top performer in FP1
António Félix da Costa topped an unpredictable FP1 session at the Shanghai E-Prix, as drivers acclimatised to the permanent circuit’s fresh asphalt and rising grip levels. Early pace came from Jean-Éric Vergne and the Maseratis, while Dan Ticktum briefly led before falling down the order, ultimately ending seventh. Mitch Evans, despite a 20-place grid penalty, went quickest at one point, only to be eclipsed by McLaren’s Taylor Barnard and later Nick Cassidy. Da Costa ultimately sealed P1 with a commanding lap over four tenths faster than Cassidy.
Incidents included a Turn 1 spin for Cassidy and several off-track moments as drivers explored the limits. Oliver Rowland, entertaining on the radio, struggled in 16th while teammate Norman Nato impressed in second. Di Grassi was vocal about poor handling at Lola, and Rowland’s brake issues highlighted ongoing Nissan concerns. De Vries offered a surprise by slotting into second late on for Mahindra.
An action-packed start to FP2 at the FE Shanghai E-Prix
With varied powertrain modes, evolving track conditions, and mixed strategies, the true competitive order remained unclear ahead of FP2.
The 40-minute Saturday morning session began with Nick Cassidy leading the field out onto the Shanghai International Circuit. Drivers spent the opening minutes on warm-up laps, bringing their tyres up to temperature as they reacquainted themselves with the permanent circuit. Nico Müller of Andretti Formula E set the initial benchmark with a 1:11.199, but he quickly dropped to third as Pascal Wehrlein posted a 1:10.951 for Porsche, and Oliver Rowland improved to 1:11.017 for Nissan.
Dan Ticktum then took the top spot with a 1:10.919 for Cupra Kiro, but Müller responded with a 1:10.896. Jake Dennis went one better for Andretti, setting a 1:10.867 to lead the timing screens. Cassidy slotted into second with a 1:10.890, splitting the Andretti drivers. David Beckmann delivered a standout lap of 1:09.324 for Cupra Kiro, displacing Lucas di Grassi, who trailed by just 0.107 seconds.
After ten minutes, Beckmann led the field, followed by Di Grassi in second and Müller in third, who improved with a 1:10.610. Moments later, Dennis reclaimed P3 with a 1:10.477 as the session entered its second quarter.
Hughes dips into the 1:08s as the first half draws to its end
With 25 minutes remaining, David Beckmann and Lucas di Grassi continued to hold first and second positions respectively. Oliver Rowland then climbed to third with a 1:09.445, edging ahead of Maserati MSG Racing’s Stoffel Vandoorne, who posted a 1:10.457 to settle into fourth. Further improvements came from DS Penske’s Maximilian Günther and Porsche’s António Félix da Costa, both of whom pushed Vandoorne further down the order as the intensity on track increased.
With 23 minutes left, Maserati’s Jake Hughes delivered a standout lap of 1:08.992—the first sub-1:09 time of the session—to take P1. DS Penske’s Jean-Éric Vergne followed with a 1:09.288 to secure second place, pushing Beckmann down to third. As the majority of the field returned to the pit lane for adjustments, the top five stood as Hughes, Vergne, Beckmann, di Grassi, and Rowland with just over half of the session remaining.
A FP2 of two-halves for Jaguar at the FE Shanghai E-Prix
Into the second half of the season, Lola Yamaha ABT’s Zane Maloney claimed P2 with a 1:09.145, getting to within 0.153 seconds of Hughes’ top time. Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans, on the other hand, saw his session go from bad to worse. After a late start to the session, Evan returned to the pit lane upset by the performance of his equipment.
“Also, can you guys please check on initial pickup? I don’t know if I’m getting huge cuts or something else is going on, but it feels a bit stange on initial pickup out of more slow-speed corners,” he told his team over the radio.
Evans’ difficulties were not shared by his teammate, Nick Cassidy, who remained in the top three as the third quarter ticked down. After more than ten minutes at the top, Cassidy was knocked down to P3, as Dennis improved to a 1:08.972 to claim P1, ahead of Hughes who took P2 with a 1:08.992.
Da Costa tops FP2 after action-filled end to FE Shanghai E-Prix session
Into the final quarter of FP2 at the Shanghai E-Prix, António Félix da Costa, who had spent a lengthy spell in the pit lane, returned to the track and jumped to fourth with a 1:09.099. Dan Ticktum soon displaced him, setting a 1:09.071 to take P4. As time ticked down, the session settled, with most drivers remaining in the pits.
Da Costa capitalised on the clear track to go fastest, clocking a 1:08.749. Mahindra Racing’s Nyck de Vries followed with a 1:08.813 to take second, only to be edged out by NEOM McLaren’s Taylor Barnard, who posted a 1:08.791. De Vries’ teammate, Edoardo Mortara, improved to ninth with a 1:09.052. DS Penske’s Maximilian Günther then claimed fourth, pushing Jake Dennis further down the order. This sparked a late flurry of track activity in the final five minutes of FP2.
Despite the late drama, no one challenged the top three in the final minute. Da Costa ended the session fastest, ahead of Barnard in second and de Vries in third. In contrast, Oliver Rowland, despite a promising start, finished last in P22, just behind Lucas di Grassi in P21.
FP2 Session Classification at the FE Shanghai E-Prix
- António Félix da Costa
- Taylor Barnard
- Nyck de Vries
- Maximilian Günther
- Jake Hughes
- Jake Dennis
- Nick Cassidy
- Stoffel Vandoorne
- Nico Müller
- Zane Maloney
- Edoardo Mortara
- Dan Ticktum
- Jean-Éric Vergne
- Mitch Evans
- David Beckmann
- Sam Bird
- Sébastien Buemi
- Pascal Wehrlein
- Robin Frijns
- Norman Nato
- Lucas Di Grassi
- Oliver Rowland
