Jake Dennis has hailed Formula E's introduction of four-wheel drive as "revolutionary", ahead of the upcoming season. The eleventh season of the all-electric series will see Gen3 EVO hit the circuit, with lap times expected to drop by around two seconds. A key reason for this is not only softer tyres but, more importantly, four-wheel drive, a first for a single-seater. It marks a significant milestone in FE's evolution. This will only be used when in Attack Mode, at the start of a race or during the duels in qualifying. When all-wheel drive is in operation, 0-60mph is possible in 1.82s, a new record for an FIA single-seater and 30% faster than a current F1 car. Despite only conducting two half days of private testing so far, the Andretti driver has been hugely impressed by the new technology. "It's pretty impressive, you just basically come out the corner and floor it," Dennis exclusively told RacingNews365 . "You can be really struggling with grip on two-wheel drive, and then you just activate the four-wheel drive and it fixes all your issues. "So I think, just from a driver's side, that's always amazing how four-wheel drive works. "It's revolutionary, and to bring it into a single-seater for the first time is a serious bit of kit in the evolvement of what Formula E are doing."
4WD bigger than an F1 upgrade
The entire FE paddock has been hugely impressed by the four-wheel drive, although most drivers have called for it to be used for longer. Four-wheel drive will only feature for a handful of minutes during races, with Dennis believing that the next step for the championship is to allow drivers more use of the technology. However, the Season 9 world champion is insistent that the series should be proud of what it has introduced and how it's a significant upgrade compared to F1. "From my side, I think Formula E's next step is to also allow us to have it [four-wheel drive] more," explained Dennis. "But, obviously, I understand their limitations with that. "I think drivers always want more grip, that's really the next big thing what will probably come from Gen4. This evolution is a big upgrade. We're looking at maybe two seconds a lap faster when you activate four-wheel drive. "So I think any evolution to find two seconds is a big step. F1 when they find a big upgrade, it's like two or three tenths, and we're just bolting on two seconds. "So I think Formula E should be proud of what they've achieved, bringing the four-wheel drive in, to be honest."
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