The hunt for honours stays as unpredictable as ever because the ABB FIA System E World Championship returns to China.
The ABB FIA System E World Championship will return to China for the primary time in additional than 5 years this weekend (25-26 Might), as Shanghai prepares to welcome the all-electric single-seater collection for a probably pivotal double-header duel.
System E’s story started in China again on 13 September, 2014, when the inaugural E-Prix was held on the streets of Beijing. Slightly below a decade on, opponents are getting ready to sort out the Hermann Tilke-designed Shanghai Worldwide Circuit, which opened in 2004 and whose structure has been barely modified for the championship’s go to.
Solely three drivers on the grid for that maiden race in Beijing are nonetheless in motion in Season 10, with Lucas Di Grassi taking the honours within the Chinese language capital in 2014, Sam Fowl becoming a member of the Brazilian inside the highest three and Sébastien Buemi prevailing 13 months later. The trio now compete respectively for ABT CUPRA System E Group, NEOM McLaren System E Group and Envision Racing.
It’s Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy, nonetheless, who tops the classification heading to Shanghai, after placing some respiratory room between himself and his rivals in Berlin earlier this month courtesy of a pair of podium finishes together with the seventh victory of his more and more spectacular profession.
The New Zealander has reached the podium on all-bar three events from the opening ten rounds of the marketing campaign, affording him a 16-point benefit on the summit of the standings with simply six races left to run.
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein is at the moment Cassidy’s closest menace – and a constant front-runner and podium contender – whereas British duo Oliver Rowland (Nissan System E Group) and defending title-holder Jake Dennis (Andretti System E) are equally in sizzling pursuit.
Rowland – who rejoined the fray in January following half-a-season on the sidelines – has been a revelation, and would seemingly be main the best way had it not been for a technical challenge that denied him a double triumph at Misano in Italy. Dennis, for his half, is bidding to change into simply the collection’ second two-time champion after Jean-Éric Vergne (DS Penske). The Frenchman, by the way, is the one different driver to have beforehand triumphed in China in System E, pipping pole-sitter Rowland to glory in Sanya 5 years in the past.
One spot above Vergne within the chase for the coveted crown in fifth, Mitch Evans – winner in Monaco final month for Jaguar – is perhaps trailing stablemate and countryman Cassidy by 43 factors, however the former championship runner-up could be very a lot within the combat and might by no means be discounted.
Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Günther and 2019/20 champion António Félix da Costa (Porsche) have additionally sprayed victory champagne in Season 10 – the previous producing an energy-saving masterclass in Japan and the latter ending a 20-race winless run in commanding style final day trip in Germany. Each may have their sights set on conquering extra silverware in Shanghai.
It’s a residence occasion, in the meantime, for ERT System E Group, who shall be eager to mark the event with a suitably sturdy efficiency. Sérgio Sette Câmara has completed contained in the factors 3 times up to now in 2024, with team-mate Dan Ticktum putting a career-high fourth at Misano. Rookie racer Jehan Daruvala (Maserati) will likewise be trying to construct upon his greatest outcome to-date after taking the chequered flag seventh in race two in Berlin.
Spherical 11 of the marketing campaign will get underway at 15:03 native time (09:03 CEST) on Saturday, 25 Might, adopted by spherical 12 on the similar time on Sunday, 26 Might.
THE 2024 TRACK
MEDIA CENTRE
Opening Hours of the Media Centre
- Thursday 23 Might: 0900 – 1800
- Friday 24 Might: 0730 – 1930
- Saturday 25 Might: 0600 – 2000
- Sunday 26 Might: 0600 – 2000
2024 SHANGHAI E-PRIX TIMETABLE
| Friday 24 Might | |||
| Begins | Ends | Size | Exercise |
| 14 :30 17:00 |
14 :45 17:30 |
00:15 00:30 |
SHAKEDOWN FREE PRACTICE 1 |
| Saturday 25 Might | |||
| Begins | Ends | Size | Exercise |
| 08:00 | 08:30 | 00:30 | FREE PRACTICE 2 |
| 10:20 | 10:32 | 00:12 | QUALIFYING Group A |
| 10:37 | 10:49 | 00:12 | QUALIFYING Group B |
| 11:05 | 11:20 | 00:15 | QUARTER FINAL |
| 11:24 | 11:34 | 00:10 | SEMI FINAL |
| 11:38 | 11:43 | 00:05 | FINAL |
| ≈15:04 | RACE (29 LAPS) | ||
| Sunday 26 Might | |||
| Begins | Ends | Size | Exercise |
| 08:00 | 08:30 | 00:30 | FREE PRACTICE 3 |
| 10:20 | 10:32 | 00:12 | QUALIFYING Group A |
| 10:37 | 10:49 | 00:12 | QUALIFYING Group B |
| 11:05 | 11:20 | 00:15 | QUARTER FINAL |
| 11:24 | 11:34 | 00:10 | SEMI FINAL |
| 11:38 | 11:43 | 00:05 | FINAL |
| ≈15:04 | RACE (28 LAPS) |
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
| Friday 24 Might | |
| 12:30 – 12:45 | Group Representatives FIA Press Convention |
| Alex Hui – ERT System E Group | |
| Sylvain Filippi – Envision Racing | |
| James Barclay – Jaguar TCS Racing | |
| 12:45 – 13:00 | Drivers FIA Press Convention |
| Nick Cassidy – Jaguar TCS Racing | |
| Dan Ticktum – ERT System E Group | |
| Nyck De Vries – Mahindra Racing | |
| 13:00 – 13:20 | Media Pen (All Drivers) |
| Saturday 25 Might | |
| 16:35 – 16:50 | FIA Press Convention (Prime 3) |
| 16:50 – 17:10 | Media Pen (All drivers) |
| Sunday 26 Might | |
| 16:35 – 16:50 | FIA Press Convention (Prime 3) |
| 16:50 – 17:10 | Media Pen (All drivers) |
2024 SHANGHAI E-PRIX ENTRIES
2024 ABB FIA FORMULA E WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
The 2024 ABB FIA System E World Championship Standings can be found right here: https://www.fia.com/occasions/abb-fia-formula-e-world-championship/season-2023-2024/standings
