The streets of Monte Carlo welcomed the second round of the Monaco E-Prix, and Sunday’s action began with yet another Free Practice session. Last year’s winner, Mitch Evans, topped the timesheets this time with a time of 1:26.614, while Dan Ticktum – who dominated both previous practice sessions – brought out a red flag.
After yesterday’s chaotic race – won in commanding style by Oliver Rowland, who extended his lead in the championship – many drivers were left with damage to their cars. However, the mechanics worked hard overnight, and everyone was ready to go.
Rowland once again topped the timesheets early on, continuing his momentum as rain began to fall, making the track slippery and causing a few lockups. Rain could play a big role later today in both qualifying and the race, although it’s expected to be only a light drizzle.
The session wasn’t without incidents. During a test Full Course Yellow, Zane Maloney collided with the back of Robin Frijns at the exit of the Swimming Pool section. Frijns was cruising on the racing line and didn’t see Maloney, who ended up with damage to his front wing. According to the Envision team, there were issues with GPS tracking, which prevented them from warning Frijns in time to avoid the accident.
Ticktum, who had a strong weekend so far, suffered a big snap of oversteer and came to a complete stop at Turn 18. This incident brought out a red flag, pausing the session for a few minutes while marshals cleared the track. The Briton reported that a million red lights appeared on his dash, which might be a serious issue that could even lead to disqualification.
This weekend was also a big step forward for Mahindra Racing, as Nyck de Vries finished the session in P3 and his teammate Edoardo Mortara in P5. This could be the weekend the duo scores valuable points or even secures a podium.
With plenty of data gathered over the weekend and many laps already completed, we’re set for an incredibly close qualifying and race later today. Plus, with rain still a possibility? You definitely don’t want to miss the action around the Circuit de Monaco.