BMW is getting ready for the upcoming Formula E season and is currently in Valencia, Spain, testing the new iFE.18 car on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. The first results are encouraging with both BMW works drivers, Alexander Sims and Antonio Felix da Costa, setting great times at the wheel of their respective BMW iFE.18 cars. The BMW i Andretti Motorsport team is quite happy with the good results so far.
Sims was the fastest driver in the field on Tuesday, with a time of 1:17.553 minutes. On Wednesday, Félix da Costa topped the combined rankings with a best time of 1:16.977 minutes. To put things into perspective, we should mention that the Ricardo Tormo circuit is usually host to superbikes and the fastest lap time a bike ever recorded here is 1:29.40, posted by Jorge Lorenzo with a Yamaha YZR-M1. Marc Marquez did a 1:29.74 with his Honda RC213V.
“Overall, testing has gone very well for us so far. Our car is fantastic – and it felt great when I recorded the best times in both sessions on Tuesday. We will have to wait and see how much of an indicator the results of testing here will turn out to be. Nevertheless, it is great to be quick off the blocks. Compared with last year’s car, the BMW iFE.18 feels very advanced. We have more power and the new ‘Brake-by-Wire’ system in particular gives you so much more confidence in the cockpit,” said Alexander Sims.
“We’ve had two good days of testing so far, on which the BMW iFE.18 made a very good impression in terms of both pace and reliability. It is just so much fun driving this car. The powertrain works perfectly. As a team, we are absolutely moving in the right direction. On Friday, we will once again be focused on starting the season well prepared,” added Antonio. The two drivers from BMW completed a total of 312 laps so far and BMW i Andretti Motorsport will continue testing on Friday.
