After a difficult race in Japan, the DS Penske team was back on track for the first round of the 2024 season in Europe. Misano is a permanent circuit and, for once, the track is not lined with walls. However, the electric single-seaters must not make too much of a gap, because on the other side of the vibrators there is grass or gravel, which can be just as destructive for the cars. This unusual configuration for the championship is not likely to impress the drivers, and the two DS Penske starters soon felt at ease.
On Friday afternoon, under slightly overcast skies, the two DS E-TENSE FE23s quickly got into the rhythm, before topping the timesheets with Vergne in the lead. Then, on this Saturday morning, it was JEV again who set the fastest time in the second session, with Vandoorne just behind in fifth position.
"The last few races have shown us that season 10 will be contested at the highest level", commented Vandoorne before this first race. "After Tokyo, we continued to work very hard, aware of our strengths and our potential to achieve our objectives. This potential was also demonstrated by Robert Shwartzman during the rookie test, the Russian-Israeli driver placing the DS Penske single-seater second in both the 300 kW and 350 kW classes.
Source: Autosport