
For the first time in Season 9, the drivers took to the track in the rain. Conditions were wet on the 2.355-kilometre track at the decommissioned Tempelhof Airport for the third free practice session early on Sunday morning and qualifying. Furthermore, the track surface on the airport apron also made the double-header the biggest challenge of the year so far for the Hankook iON Race. Hankook Formula E race engineer Thomas Baltes. “The big challenge for the tyres on the Tempelhof track were the concrete slabs. Sometimes with some gravel, sometimes without, and repaired in many places. Over the years, however, the gravel has been washed out, repeatedly making for different grip levels, which did not make handling easy for the drivers. Plus, the concrete is very light and heated up far less than the dark asphalt. The rain on Sunday morning reduced the grip level yet further, and required some very sensitive driving in the Gen3 cars.”