Sanya ePrix Free Practice 1 Match Detail on SportFeed

Edoardo Mortara laid down an emphatic opening marker on the streets of Hainan Island, steering his Mahindra Racing machine to the top of the timesheets during a fiercely contested Free Practice 1 at the 2026 Sanya E-Prix. Showcasing pristine handling through the technical sections of the Haitang Bay layout, the Swiss-Italian veteran clocked a blistering benchmark of 1:05.616 to edge out his closest rivals in the opening session of the weekend.

The session carried immense tactical importance as teams worked frantically to adapt to the high track temperatures and coastal humidity. Drivers wasted no time exploring the limits of the dusty street circuit, resulting in several minor lock-ups as they adjusted to the heavy braking zones following the long straights.

Defending world champion Jake Dennis showcased formidable pace throughout the 30-minute window, ultimately claiming the second spot for Andretti Formula E by a razor-thin margin of just 0.127 seconds behind the leader. Mahindra Racing enjoyed a highly encouraging start to their Chinese campaign as Nyck de Vries secured the third-fastest time, verifying the team's strong baseline package in low-grip conditions.

Championship frontrunner Pascal Wehrlein kept his Porsche firmly in the mix with a solid fourth-place finish, while Norman Nato rounded out the top five for Nissan. With the top five drivers blanketed by just over three-tenths of a second, the opening session pointed toward an incredibly tight competitive field ahead of the main event.