16 December 2022 18:00 (UTC)
"It's been very important for the drivers and the team to get in some good mileage"
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Friday 16 December
Hear from NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers René Rast and Jake Hughes, and Team Principal Ian James after the pre-season test.
Dayone | 1:26.178 | 75 laps |
Daytwo | 1:26.298 | 72 laps |
Daythree | 1:26.627 | 25 laps |
Dayfour | 1:25.284 | 95 laps |
“It’s been positive, I would say. It was my first proper time in this car with this team and I feel good about it. As a team, we haven’t had much time with this new generation car. For me also, as a rookie, there is a certain level of expectation coming in – both from myself and the people around me. I’m very confident in my own ability and thankfully that has translated so far on track. We have had good pace in both push and race laps, but we will need to stay sharp as it won’t always be as smooth as it has been this week.
"The car has been pretty reliable. I wouldn’t say unexpectedly, but there is a certain level of teething issues you expect with a new car. The fact that it has been running so well regardless, is a testament to the hard work of all women and men at the team and at Nissan. Valencia is a completely different track than what we will race on in the season, so more challenges to come. I’m looking forward to the season start.”
Day one | 1:28.009 | 72 laps |
Day two | 1:26.506 | 67 laps |
Day three | 1:26.938 | 25 laps |
Day four | 1:25.470 | 86 laps |
“I think we can say it’s been an intense and good week. We have done a lot of laps, without any big issues. I don’t think that was a given going into this week. We were not sure how reliable everything would be, both as a team and across the paddock. I’m positively surprised with how it went. On top of that, the car seems to be quick, so, a lot of positives to take away from Valencia. For me, it was the first time working with the team during an official event and I’m happy it went smoothly so we could focus on the driving and processes. We still have a lot of preparation ahead of us before Mexico, but I’m really looking forward to the first race.”
“We came to Valencia not knowing exactly what to expect. We didn’t have sight on how the other teams and manufacturers had been preparing for the event and have had little track time with the new generation of cars. I’m pleased to say that overall, we’ve had a successful few days of testing here. It’s been crucial given how little time we’ve had as a team to prepare for the season and how little track time we have been able to get with the Gen3 cars. So, it’s been very important for the drivers and the team to get in some good mileage.”
“From a package perspective, the car performance has been promising. We’ve been able to see that Nissan have given us a very solid basis on which we can build on during Season 9. The team itself is getting used to the new generation of cars and the nuances of these cars. It comes with its own complexities, which we are just now starting to get to grips with. And we know there is still a lot more learning to do.”
“We are very pleased also with the performance of the drivers so far. Jake has been very impressive in the way he’s been able to hit the ground running. It’s testament to the hard work he’s put in over the last few years as he gets used to Formula E as a championship. That will hopefully provide him with a foundation upon which he can build. For René, after being away from Formula E for around 16 months, he’s been quick from the start and he’s starting to get more comfortable with the car with every lap he does – a car that which is significantly different from the machinery that he’s been driving in the past. That being said, each session he’s been improving his pace already.”
“We now return to the UK for an intense couple of weeks, full of further preparations and analysis of data we have been able to collect, ahead of the first race of the season in January, in Mexico City.”
Pre-season testing has now concluded for the 2022/23 season, which begins with the Mexico City E-Prix on 14 January 2023.
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