Buemi fastest in first Formula E test

Sebastien Buemi topped the first day of official Formula E testing at Donington Park on Thursday for the Alain Prost-associated e.dams squad.

The ex-Formuula 1 racer, now a Toyota LMP1 driver in the World Endurance Championship, set the fastest time of 1m35.475s on a modified track with an extra chicane after the Old Hairpin, in the final hour of the day.

"I'm more than happy," said Buemi. "It is always nice to be P1 and let's hope it continues tomorrow. I didn't have any problems with the car at all and that meant we were able to learn quite a lot about it."

The test marked the first significant dry running for the championship's teams, after last month's shakedown was run in wet conditions at the same track.

Lucas di Grassi was second fastest for the Audi-backed Abt team, having taken over driving duties from morning pacesetter Daniel Abt when the German departed for this weekend's GP2 round supporting the British Grand Prix.

Sam Bird, Bruno Senna and Stephane Sarrazin completed the top five, with Sarrazin declaring the feeling of the all-electric engine "completely new" compared to the hybrid-powered sports cars he has driven.

Despite only completing 11 laps, Nicolas Prost made sure both e.dams cars were in the top six, just edging out grand prix winner Jarno Trulli's best effort, while Abt's morning benchmark was good enough for eighth overall.

The day did not run smoothly for all of the teams, as 12 seconds covered the 19 drivers that managed to set a time, and six of the 20 in attendance were more than five seconds adrift of Buemi's best.

Trulli's teammate Michela Cerruti was unable to complete a lap due to technical problems, while Karun Chandhok, 10th fastest, only managed one lap in the afternoon due to another technical issue.