DS Penske’s Jean-Eric Vergne went fastest in the first practice session for this weekend’s FIA Formula E finale in London.
The Frenchman, who still has a mathematical chance of winning the title this weekend, topped the timing sheets with a time of 1:11.290s, just 0.028s faster than Envision’s Sebastien Buemi, with McLaren’s Jake Hughes third [+0.058s].
Title-chasing Mitch Evans put his Jaguar in fourth spot, with the second Envision of Robin Frijns fifth. Max Günther was sixth, with Antonio Felix da Costa seventh.
The second Penske of Stoffel Vandoorne, driving in his last weekend with the Franco-American squad, was eighth, with Oliver Rowland ninth and Sam Bird 10th.
Nick Cassidy, who leads the title with a 12 point buffer over Evans and Pascal Wehrlein, was only 11th, but only just under four tenths of a second adrift of Vergne’s lap time.
Cassidy is looking to win his first Formula E championship, with team-mate Evans also in pursuit of his first title, having come so close before. If either driver wins, it will be the first time a New Zealander has become a motor-racing World Championship since Denny Hulme won the Formula One title in 1967.
Wehrlein, who like both Jaguar men, has two wins to his name this season, and with the sister Porsche of da Costa following close behind, the showdown between both giant manufacturers is set.
Correcting your statement “If either driver wins, it will be the first time a New Zealander has become a motor-racing World Championship since Denny Hulme won the Formula One title in 1967”, Brendon Hartley is a multiple World Sportswear Champion.