The stage is set for the 2025 Formula E season finale in the British capital. Free Practice 1 offered fans a tantalising glimpse of what’s to come.
After a brief spell of rain yesterday, the sun returned. For a warm and dry opening session at the ExCeL Circuit. With all 22 regular drivers back on the grid – including the returning Nyck de Vries and Norman Nato, who missed Berlin due to their WEC commitments – the atmosphere was one of anticipation and momentum.
Nato arrives in London on a high, having claimed a surprise victory for Cadillac in São Paulo. The Frenchman has struggled throughout the season, earning just 19 points so far.
Green Flag – Tactics from the Start
As the session began, only half of the field took to the circuit immediately. With the Hankook tyres running a softer compound this season, teams are carefully managing wear – a major talking point throughout the year. By the two-minute mark, just the DS Penske duo and Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara remained in the pits.
©Ellie Majumdar
Six minutes in, Jake Dennis topped the timesheets with a 1:12.516 – far off last year’s record of 1:09.871, but improvements were expected. Thanks to resurfacing, 350-kW all-wheel-drive deployment, and Hankook’s new rubber, drivers had predicted gains of up to four seconds.
Sure enough, by the ten-minute mark, the man who set that record – Nick Cassidy – moved to the top with a 1:11.237. Following him were familiar foes: Mitch Evans and Pascal Wehrlein, rekindling memories of last year’s title battle.
Di Grassi Drama Disrupts Session
Just a minute later, chaos struck. Lucas di Grassi stopped on the uphill run to Turn 19. His car reporting a crash alarm triggered by a bump in the track. A red flag was thrown as the Lola Yamaha ABT driver was towed back to the pits. The team principal later confirmed that the shutdown occurred while navigating a compression in the circuit.
©Ellie Majumdar
After a short delay, running resumed with 28 minutes left. But no sooner had things calmed down than more action followed.
Jake Dennis temporarily retook the lead with a 1:10.446. He was closely followed by Robin Frijns and a hard-charging Dan Ticktum, who briefly delighted the home crowd by going fastest – before Pascal Wehrlein swept past with a 1:10.057.
Mitch Evans then became the first driver to break the 1:10 barrier – a 1:09.996 – as lap times began tumbling rapidly.
Flying Laps and Flying Warnings
Lucas di Grassi was back on track but received a warning from the stewards. As he had failed earlier to follow marshal instructions after his incident. The exact nature of the infringement remains unclear.
The final phase of the session saw near-constant changes at the top. Mortara stormed to fourth after setting the fastest second sector, while David Beckmann moved into the top ten.
©Ellie Majumdar
With just 12 minutes to go, Cassidy posted two purple sectors and surged to the top once more. But heartbreak returned for di Grassi, whose car again grounded to a halt – this time after bouncing over the chicane. “If it’s the sensor, why don’t you just switch it off?” he fumed over team radio. Another red flag was necessary, chewing up valuable track time.
Late-Session Fireworks
With only a few minutes remaining, the entire field scrambled for a final attempt. Wehrlein immediately went purple in Sector 1 and looked poised for a flyer. The German then had to find Cassidy dawdling ahead just before the final corner, nearly causing a dangerous collision. The incident will likely be reviewed post-session.
Mortara improved to P2, but Cassidy’s earlier time still stood – until Dennis found eight thousandths of a second to edge past. Yet it was Pascal Wehrlein who had the final say on the very last lap of the session. The Porsche driver smashed the benchmark with a stunning 1:08.249 – almost three tenths clear of the field.
A thrilling first practice session sets the tone for what promises to be a fiercely competitive and unpredictable London E-Prix weekend. With championship hopes, reputations, and pride on the line, Formula E’s season finale is off to an electrifying start.