Andretti Formula E team believes problems with new powertrain fixed
The Andretti Autosport Formula E team is confident it has solved the problems that have blighted its pre-season testing programme with its new powertrain
Simona de Silvestro has failed to complete a single timed lap across the two tests, with myriad problems disrupting the team's progress over the four days at Donington Park so far.
After identifying and fixing the problems that compromised the opening two days of running, the team was then thwarted by a coding error in the Andretti ATEC-01's software that forced it to miss the Monday of the second test.
When that was repaired for Tuesday, a failure with its Williams battery delayed the team further - though de Silvestro made it out before the end of the day to complete some installation laps.
While an option remains for Andretti to revert to the season-one Spark SRT_01E, team principal Roger Griffiths told AUTOSPORT those laps were a breakthrough for the team and its new technology.
"We're a small team and taken on a lot of stuff ourselves, we've built the motor and inverter from scratch," he said.
"It's a huge challenge, but something we've relished, because it's very exciting.
"It's all new technology so it's not something you can buy off the shelf [to fix a problem].
"Even those installation laps, it's data we never had before in this configuration and we're improving the technology as we go.
"It's immensely valuable."
Griffiths said the team was still in discussion with a number of drivers about partnering de Silvestro for the 2015/16 season.
The team hopes to field a second driver in the final test next week, which Griffiths admitted it has a lot riding on.
"We want to go to Beijing having run as many cars as possible and not turn up with equipment that hasn't run," he added.
"Our plan is two have two drivers for the final test - in an ideal world.
"We've got to make sure it doesn't become a difficult situation because then you've got two cars with issues sat in the garage and not one.
"We have a limited amount of time [left], and we'll look at it."
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