Key details from extraordinary Porsche Formula E Monza test revealed

Porsche successfully completed a two-day private test of its new Gen4 development Formula E car, the 975 RSE, at Monza, running the machine in both dry and wet conditions as it builds towards the car's competitive debut in Season 13.

Nico Müller and two-time world champion Pascal Wehrlein shared driving duties during the test last weekend, with Saturday's running taking place in dry conditions before rain arrived overnight, leaving Sunday's session wet and damp.

Porsche customer team Cupra Kiro also joined the test on Sunday, with Pepe Marti getting time behind the wheel of the 975 RSE.

It represented a landmark moment for Formula E machinery, given that Monza had never previously been used for a test by a team in the all-electric series, let alone seen a car look completely at home on the historic circuit.

Monza's long straights and heavy braking zones proved particularly useful for assessing the 975 RSE's high-speed braking systems, with the circuit requiring significant energy absorption under braking at the end of each straight.

According to RacingNews365's sources, the quickest lap of the test, a 1m 32s, was set early on day one, before the car had been fully optimised and while running on used tyres, with no all-out, qualifying-style simulation on fresh rubber scheduled.

It was instead simply the quickest lap time while sticking to a scheduled run plan. A simulator lap had suggested an even faster time was possible.

Porsche Monza test adds to Formula E Gen4 excitement

It is understood that during the test, the car did get close to its theoretical top speed without pushing all the way, with the 975 RSE comfortably exceeding 300 km/h before the braking zones and reaching its peak speed around the start/finish straight.

More straight-line speed remains available, with a small margin having been kept. What is clear is that the performance of the Gen4, which is still very much in its development phase, is extraordinary.

Sunday's wet-weather running with Marti is believed to have been especially impressive, with the car's permanent all-wheel-drive system and Bridgestone tyres cited as the main factors behind its performance in the damp conditions.

The Ascari chicane stood out as the most striking section in which to watch the 975 RSE in action. It was a smooth test for the German manufacturer overall, with no pressing issues across either day.