Edoardo Mortara leads London E-Prix FP2 as Mahindra sets the pace
Mortara establishes the benchmark
Edoardo Mortara gave Mahindra Racing the strongest possible boost ahead of the London E-Prixâs penultimate round of 2026, topping Free Practice 2 with a 1:07.284. The result came in the crucial 40-minute session and strengthened Mahindraâs position at the front after a busy morning of track action.
Mortaraâs advantage was significant. Porscheâs Pascal Wehrlein and Nico MĂŒller followed in second and third, while DS Penskeâs Taylor Barnard and Jaguarâs Mitch Evans completed the top five. Wehrlein and MĂŒller remained almost three-tenths of a second away from the outright benchmark, underlining the pace Mortara found when the field began its final qualifying simulations.
The result also continues Jaguarâs strong start to the weekend. Evans had topped FP1, as reported in our coverage of his opening-session performance, and again featured near the front during the early stages of FP2. However, it was Jake Dennis who initially led the way, despite once more voicing concern about slower traffic.
Incidents punctuate a competitive session
Lower Saturday morning temperatures created an additional challenge as drivers adapted to the conditions. Lolaâs Lucas di Grassi locked up at Turn 10 and narrowly avoided the barrier, while Nissanâs Oliver Rowland hit the inside barrier at Turn 9. Rowland reported damaged steering to his pit wall before returning to the circuit after repairs.
After 15 minutes, Dennis remained ahead of Wehrlein and Mortara. The order then changed repeatedly, with the DS Penske pairing of Barnard and Maximilian GĂŒnther briefly moving forward and Jean-Ăric Vergne placing CitroĂ«n into third. Mortara soon took control, initially going almost four-tenths clear before lowering the benchmark further despite encountering traffic at the finish of his lap.
Several close calls added tension. Rowland took avoiding action around MĂŒller on the main straight, earning the Porsche driver a black-and-white flag. Envisionâs Joel Eriksson and Cupra Kiroâs Pepe MartĂ also narrowly avoided contact at the final corner, while Wehrlein and Felipe Drugovich made contact into Turn 10.
With his first quick lap, Barnard moved into fourth as the chequered flag approached. Mortaraâs FP2 victory now gives Mahindra valuable momentum, while his four poles this season provide further encouragement as he fights to remain in championship contention in London.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.