Formula E Season 10 kicked off on Monday with the first and only collective testing session in Valencia before the start of the championship in Mexico next January. The first day of action on the track with the updated cars, especially in terms of software and management given that the common basis for all the teams remained unchanged compared to the last world championship, saw Mitch Evans finish with the best time at the end of the morning session , among other things with a time that marks the new Valencia track record for the electric category.
However, attention was focused above all on what happened during the lunch break, when the Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) technicians were carrying out checks on the batteries of those pilots who, in the morning, had reported small problems, enough to stop on the track.
WAE is in fact the sole supplier of batteries in Formula E, which is why they are in charge of the checks. However, during the analyzes a fire broke out which immediately alarmed the entire electric category paddock, which was evacuated for safety reasons.
Photo by: Stefan Mackley
Fire in the paddock
Fortunately, the only person who had been taken to hospital as a precaution was later discharged the same day without any particular treatment. When it happened, however, she pushed for caution, so much so that she canceled the afternoon session which was supposed to start at 2.00 pm, then postponed any choice on the program to a later time.
“Following today’s accident, the FIA has informed Formula E and all teams that on-track activities have been canceled for the remainder of the day. This will allow the area to be returned to safe conditions. Further updates will be communicated in due course,” read the press release released by the series.
Organizers of the all-electric championship then confirmed on Tuesday evening that the two sessions scheduled for Wednesday would be cancelled, also canceling the media day that was initially scheduled for Thursday as a result of the reshuffling of the programme.
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
FE car battery
A statement from Formula E states that: “Following the incident which occurred today during Formula E pre-season testing in Valencia, when a fire caused damage to a garage in the pit lane, on-track testing activities will not continue. will take place tomorrow, Wednesday”.
“The damage from the accident was contained after emergency procedures were activated. One person was taken to hospital as a precaution, but was discharged without treatment. The investigation into the causes of the accident is ongoing, but has an issue has already been identified and has been addressed. The investigation and further safety assessments will be completed and we aim to resume track activities from Thursday, subject to final confirmation tomorrow.”
The tests scheduled for Wednesday, which could potentially take place on Thursday (although Formula E has not yet provided a definitive schedule on how it intends to approach the rest of the tests), were to include two race simulations that would incorporate rapid-charging pitstops in view of a possible introduction this season.
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