It’s time to set the grid for the first Formula E race of the weekend with Qualifying in Shanghai. Who willl be on top in China? Maybe two times FP leader Da Costa, or will instead championship leader Rowland manage to extend his lead?
Group A
The first group of drivers to go out on track will include the Nissans and the Andrettis , as well as Da Costa,, Mortara, Maloney, Hughes, Cassidy and Buemi. All drivers immediately joined the track apart from Rowland, who’s making Formula E history by leading the championship with the largest margin of his history, 72 points.
After the first set of attempts the Andrettis are in the lead, with Dennis ahead of Muller, Maloney and Hughes. The Maserati driver moves up to P1 as Rowland exits the pits to complete his outlap. At the halfway point of the session, Nato finds his way up in P3 as Da Costa struggles running over the kerbs.
At the halfway point of the group Hughes’s 1:10.321s is still the fastest lap recorded, while Rowland’s first attempt is enough to make the provisional cut. Surprisingly, Da Costa would still be out of the Duels.
Cassidy, set to leave Jaguar, cycles at the lead but it’s short lasted as Gunther is the first driver to sign a lap in the 1:09s. In the final heated moments of the session plenty of drivers get incredibly close to making the cut, with Da Costa, Nato, Muller and Mortara switching up in provisional P5.
However, Gunther remains session leader as Dennis moves up to P2 to join Cassidy and Rowland in the Duels. Surprisinglythe Porsche driver in the lead for the first sessions of the weekend will have to fight his way from the bottom of the grid.
Group B
The group began strongly with Di Grassi almost spinning out on track. The Lola Yamaha driver mentions on the radio his massive oversteer.
After the first set of attempts Barnard leads from Bird, Di Grassi and Ticktum, who only has an outlap so far. De Vries moves up to the top with a little over 5 minutes left in the session. It’s short lasted as the rookie McLaren driver moves up to the top signing a 1:10.100s.
Wehrlein improves to provisional P3 and Vergne to P4 as Evans runs over the kerbs.
In the final stages of the group Beckmann kicks out Vergne. Other notable names not making the cut are Bird, Vandoorne, and much further down the grid, Evans. First time podium sitter Ticktum had tyre management issues and won’t advance as well.
Barnard, De Vries, Werhlein and Beckmann will thus take part in the upcoming Duels.
Quarte finals
Dennis and Cassidy will face in the first Duel of the day, for the first due appearence of 2025 for the Jaguar driver. In the first sector the Kiwi leads by 0.064s, with his gap over the former Formula E champion increasing during Qualifying in Shanghai. However, Denniis manages to close up a bit but it’s not enough as Caaidy is through.
Rowland and Gunther are on next. The Nissan driver began his lap with a strong 0.200s advantage, byt has a bit of a moment in the middle sector as in the end the DS PENSKE driver knocks him out by 0.276s. The championship leader was struggling for pace towards the end of his sessio.
Wehrlein and De Vries are the next drivers to take on the challenge. It was an incredibly close duel, but in the end the German driver manages to advance by signing the fastest lap of the stage so far, less than a hundred of a second faster than the Mahindra driver’s effort.
Barnard and Beckmann round off the Quarter Finals. The younger Brit had a strong advantage in Sector 1, while the CUPRA KIRO driver closed up the next one. However, Beckmann has a moment at Turn 8, and Barnard secures his Semi Final spot with almost 0.400s on the German.
Semi Finals
Cassidy and Gunther will feature in the first front-row setting battle. Cassidy had begun with a slight gap, but there wasn a final sector upset as Gunther ends his lap with almost three tenths of lead over the Jaguar driver.
Barnard and Wehrlein are on next. the McLaren driver began witha small lead over the reigning champion, but only 0.018s separeted the two drivers in the middle sector.1:08.500s was the fastest lap of the dy so far, and will take Barnard to the pole fight.
Final
Barnard will exit ahead of Gunther in the final duel of the day. The DS Penske driver however began with a strong 0.80s lead in the first stages, then Barnard ran slightly wide, ensuring the pole position for Gunther in 1:08.224s.
It’s a second seasonal pole for the German after Jeddah, and Barnard takes up another front row start since Monaco. Tune in later fro the main event!
Formula E Qualifying Results Shanghai Race 1
- Maxi Gunther
2.Taylor Barnard
3. Pascal Wehrlein
4. Nick Cassidy
5. Nyck de Vries
6.Oliver Rowland
7. Jake Dennis
8. David Beckmann
