Hyderabad E-Prix: Envision Racing’s Buemi top practice; home team Mahindra Racing fifth-fastest

Minutes into the session, championship leader Pascal Wherlein crashed in his Porche car due to a suspected throttle issue necessitating a brief red flag.

Envision Racing’s Sebastian Buemi topped the charts in the first free practice session at Hyderabad E Prix. | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

Envision Racing’s Sebastian Buemi topped the charts in the first free practice session for the Hyderabad E Prix FIA Formula E world championship ahead of reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne in the DS Penske on Friday.

The session was delayed by 50 minutes due to operational and logistical reasons before it finally got underway at quarter past five in the evening.

Minutes into the session, championship leader Pascal Wherlein crashed in his Porche car due to a suspected throttle issue necessitating a brief red flag.

Home team Mahindra Racing was fifth-fastest in the hands of former champion Lucas Di Grassi while his teammate Oliver Rowland was 18th fastest.

Following Wherlein’s crash, the Porche Formula E team and the Porche-powered Avalanche Andretti Formula E team did not run out of caution. The Porche-powered cars have won all the first three races, and their lack of running puts them on the back foot and could give a chance to other teams to post a good result this weekend.

Action resumes on Saturday with an early morning practice session followed by qualifying with the race to be held in the afternoon.