DS PENSKE has announced that Stoffel Vandoorne, the 2021/22 ABB FIA Formula E World Champion, will be parting ways with the team at the end of Season 10.
The team signed Vandoorne alongside double champion, Jean-Eric Vergne for Season 9 and the start of the Gen3 era in what was at the time hailed as something of a super line-up, counting three titles between the pair.
While he hasn’t added to his haul of three race victories over the last two years, he did finish on the podium in Monaco earlier this year. He rounded out the current campaign with a pair of ninth place finishes in London last week.
Vandoorne’s next destination is currently unclear, with speculation linking him to a move to NEOM McLaren – which was previously the HWA and Mercedes squad which Vandoorne raced for in Season 5 to 8.
The other Stellantis-affiliated team, Maserati is a more likely destination, as both drivers have left the team this season.
Outside of Formula E, Vandoorne currently drives for another Stellantis brand, Puegeot, in the World Endurance Championship and serves as a test and reserve driver for Aston Martin’s Formula One team.
We are truly grateful to Stoffel for his commitment and the outstanding performances he has delivered for DS PENSKE. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors. Jay Penske, Team Principal of DS PENSKE.
My journey with DS PENSKE has been an incredible experience. I am thankful to the team for their unwavering support and look forward to new challenges ahead. Vandoorne on leaving the team.
Nico Mueller won’t be racing for the ABT CUPRA from Gen3 Evo onwards, as the German team shared the news of his departure ahead of the London race weekend.
Mueller, who currently sits 14th in the standings has been a part of the team since Season 9. He experienced a season best result of fourth in Misano earlier this year, narrowly missing out on the podium, and finished in fifth and sixth respectively in Portland last time out.
Nico Mueller, has been a part of the ABT family for a long time, driving for them in DTM from 2016 until 2020, and was twice runner-up in the championship.
He then joined ABT CUPRA for Season 9, as the all-electric championship embarked on its Gen3 era.
Nico has decided to take on a new motorsport challenge and leave the team. It was our wish to keep Nico in the team and to be successful with him again. Now we have to accept his decision and wish him all the best for the future. On behalf of the whole team, I would like to thank Nico for his commitment and dedication. Of course we would all have liked to have seen more success, but even in these difficult times he has always led the way and shown strong performances. Nico remains part of the ABT family and is always welcome here. Thomas Biermaier, ABT CEO and Team Principal.
This is going to be a very special weekend for me. On the one hand I’m looking forward to the location, the track and the fans. On the other hand, I feel melancholy and a lot of gratitude after two years in this team. It was an extremely challenging time, but it also brought us closer together. We’ve always pulled together and I’m sure this is what we will be doing in London for the last time. We want to give it our all with the whole team, enjoy the days and try to get two good results. London is a cool track – very tight, with indoor and outdoor sections and walls, as we know from Formula E. I will give everything to make the team proud again one more time. Mueller on the news.
The half hour session at the unique indoor-outdoor ExCeL Circuit in the afternoon heat in London saw all 22 drivers take to the track to prep ahead of the all-important finale double-header.
Of the title contenders, Evans placed best with the fourth fastest time, just 0.065s shy of Vergne’s session benchmark. The Kiwi’s compatriot, teammate and standings leader Nick Cassidy wound up almost four-tenths back from the ultimate pace and 11th.
Form man and reigning champion Jake Dennis – the man with by far the best record in London – find himself down in 15th with plenty to work through to get his Andretti up the grid come qualifying.
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Robin Frijns in his Envision Racing machine was at the top of the times for Free Practice 2, as the Jaguar TCS Racing powertrain looks strong. Fresh from his back-to-back podiums in Portland, Frijns will be hoping to make it three in a row.
Brit, Oliver Rowland was second, with Sebastien Buemi in third. The Envision team claimed the Teams’ Championship at this race last year and look strong around this circuit.
The session saw all the drivers pushing their cars to the limit, with drivers coming so close to the walls and riding over the kerbs.
The last 10 minutes to the practice session saw Nissan’s Oliver Rowland, have a spin on entry into the ExCel building, but was able to get back on track in style.
Qualifying-
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans achieved the Julius Baer Pole Position and closes the championship gap to his teammate Nick Cassidy to nine points.
The championship fight has got even closer, as the Jaguar of Mitch Evans managed to achieve pole and the three additional points whilst his teammate Nick Cassidy, struggled and will line up in 17th on the grid.
As well as a shocking result for Cassidy who leads the Drivers’ World Championship with 167 points and two races to go, there was also big results up and down the grid.
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa will be starting ninth, with Pascal Wehrlein in third at a circuit which can prove challenge to overtake on.
The top 10 for qualifying are- Pole: Evans, P2: Buemi, P3: Wehrlein, P4: Nato, P5: Vergne, P6: Muller, P7: Rowland, P8: Frijns, P9: Da Costa and P10: Dennis.
Round 15-
Mitch Evans got off to a strong start with Buemi close behind, but it was Norman Nato who pushed his way into third after a cautious Pascal Wehrlein took things easy.
However, there was drama further back as Jake Dennis squeezed out Robin Frijns which sent him into the wall and out of the race. The incident also picked up Sam Bird, and resulted in a Safety Car.
Things got back underway by Lap 5, and saw the pack start to take their Attack Modes. One notable activation belonged to Nick Cassidy who missed one of the sensors and had to try again, losing crucial time.
Oliver Rowland was getting his elbows out, fighting and trying to pass Jean-Eric Vergne but delivered a move up the inside. That wasn’t the only on-track battle for two-time champ JEV, as he also found himself getting tangled with Dennis and the two cars resting on top of each other for a brief moment.
Fighting for position, ROwland ended up clashing with Antonio Felix da Costa at the final corner and causing the two to come to a stop. For Rowland he was able to get going again but it was game over for da Costa as he limped back to the pits.
Buemi passed Evans for the lead on lap 10 in a lovely tidy move up the start-finish straight. Meanwhile, Dennis was out causing more trouble as he banged wheels with championship leader Cassidy.
Cassidy was also smacked into the wall as he fought Stoffel Vandoorne, but was able to continue. He also complained of his beacons not working and missed Attack Mode again when he tried to take the mandatory power boost.
Evans complained of energy issues, and was eventually passed by Maximilian Guenther for second place, yet disaster struck when his car suffered a problem and saw him drop down the order and eventually stop on track in the final stages of the race.
Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz added to the accident damage as they came together in the last moments of the race. But Pascal Wehrlein kept his cool up in front to take his third victory of the season, with Evans behind in second and Sebastien Buemi in third.
The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrlein, P2: Evans, P3: Buemi, P4: de Vries, P5: Mortara, P6: Muller, P7: Cassidy, P8: Bird, P9: Vandoorne and P10: Nato.
Formula E has announced that Liberty Global Ltd is to acquire shares held by Warner Bros. Discovery in the all-electric racing series.
The acquisition of shares held by Warner Bros. Discovery will, on completion, bring Liberty Global’s total share of ownership in Formula E to 65% and mean that Liberty Global will take a controlling interest in the world’s fastest growing motorsport.
Formula E is the only FIA sanctioned all-electric world motor racing championship, the number one-rated ESG sport on the planet and the first net zero carbon sport from inception.
In its 10th season of all-electric racing, Formula E boasts one of the best and most diverse calendars in world sport, with 16 races in some of the world’s most iconic city locations across four continents.
Now with almost 400 million fans around the world, 11 teams, 22 drivers on the grid, Formula E is a destination for the best motorsport talent on the planet, including racing teams Jaguar TCS Racing, Nissan, TAG Heuer Porsche and NEOM McLaren.
At the recent Monaco E-Prix, Formula E revealed its new car for Season 11, the Gen3 Evo, capable of accelerating to 60mph in 1.82 seconds, around 30% faster than a current Formula 1 car, and quicker than any other FIA sanctioned single-seater.
First of all I’d like to offer my thanks to Warner Bros. Discovery for the support and guidance they’ve provided Formula E over the past nine years. Liberty Global have a proven track record of building and growing businesses and their investment in us comes at the perfect time as we plan for a period of exponential growth. Having personally known and worked alongside the Liberty leadership team for over a decade, I’m thrilled to be able to further benefit from their expertise and their resources. This is a powerful vindication of the huge potential of our sport. Jeff Dodds, CEO Formula E.
We’re excited to take a controlling interest in Formula E, a business we first invested in nearly 10 years ago. Formula E has a massive potential for further growth while integrating the most advanced sustainability standards in sports. The investment continues our approach of disciplined capital rotation across our Ventures portfolio and our strategy of making long-term investments in highly attractive businesses.
The all-electric championship’s governing body is set to introduce an official Manufacturers’ title from the Gen3 Evo era.
There will be even more to fight for next year, as the FIA is creating the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship title for Manufacturers.
Formula E boasts one of the most impressive and competitive manufacturer line-ups in motorsport and will be home to seven manufacturers from Season 11, including Electric Racing Technologies, Jaguar, Mahindra Racing, Nissan, Porsche, Stellantis and new addition Lola Cars. Between them, they will be powering 11 teams across the grid.
The scoring for this trophy mirrors that of the Teams’ Championship with points awarded based on the performance of each manufacturer’s two highest-scoring cars in every race.
So, first place will be awarded 25 points, second place gets 18 points and third gets 15 points, etc. Points for the Julius Baer Pole Position and Fastest Lap are also factored into the totals.
Formula E had introduced the Manufacturer’s Trophy for Season 10, to celebrate the leading manufacturers in the championship. However in a recent World Motorsport Council meeting, it was confirmed that this will be recognised as an official FIA trophy.
In the WMSC meeting, it was also shared that the Technical Regulations have been updated to allow for the use of four-wheel drive on the Gen3 Evo car in specific scenarios such as qualifying duels, race start and Attack Mode from the 2024 -2025 season onwards.
I’m thrilled to bring another layer of competition and rivalry to our unique sport, where even more is on the line for the teams and manufacturers. For the first time in our series’ history, manufacturers will be able to compete for the coveted Manufacturers’ Title, where their best performing cars will contribute to a season-long leaderboard. This will enable the best, more efficient and fastest manufacturers to showcase their performance not just on the track, but to the public and consumers of their EVs all around the world. Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer.
Formula E has announced its provisional calendar for Season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with the largest number of races and locations set for a season, following validation of the FIA World Motorsport Council.
Formula E will complete a 17 race season for the first time in its history spanning 17 iconic venues as it continues to pioneer all-electric racing.
Round
Location
Date
Pre-Season Test
Valenica, Spain
November 4th-7th
1
Sao Paulo, Brazil
December 7th
2
Mexico City, Mexico
January 11th
3
Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
February 14th
4
Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
February 15th
5
TBC
March 8th
6
Miami, USA
April 12th
7
Monaco
May 3rd
8
Monaco
May 4th
9
Tokyo, Japan
May 17th
10
Tokyo, Japan
May 18th
11
Shanghai, China
May 31st
12
Shanghai, China
June 1st
13
Jakarta, Indonesia
June 21st
14
Berlin, Germany
July 12th
15
Berlin, Germany
July 13th
16
London, UK
July 26th
17
London, UK
July 27th
New race locations in Miami and Diriyah; a double header of separate races in Monaco – a first for the principality; a double header of races in Tokyo; and the return of Jakarta.
The Season 11 campaign will begin in Sao Paulo on the 7th December 2024, with pre-season testing on the 4th-7th November 2024 in Valencia. It will be the first time all-new GEN3 Evo race car will be put through its paces and tested in public, capable of 0-60mph in just 1.82s – 36% faster than the current Gen3.
A new venue in Diriyah will host the first double header of the season on 14th-15th February, while the series returns to Miami for the first time since Season 1 in an all-new location on 12th April 2025. The Homestead-Miami Speedway venue draws on its heritage and success in hosting thrilling NASCAR and IndyCar races for decades.
One location has been included as TBC while final discussions with a new venue take place, ahead of the confirmed calendar announcement due in the autumn following the FIA’s World Motorsport Council Meeting.
For Season 11 we’re taking electric racing to the next level and doing things never been done before in motorsport. Our world-leading GEN3 EVO will debut in front of hundreds of millions of fans around the globe, while adding two brand new locations and combinations of double-headers to grow our sport further. The new and improved calendar offers a perfect blend of circuits for drivers to push their upgraded cars to the limit, while staying true to our street racing DNA and the on-track action it produces. Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E.
We’re thrilled to offer a calendar with some fresh new highlights while building on our legacy locations. Returning to Miami gives us a home in one of the US’s most iconic and sports-mad cities, while securing a double-header in Monaco is a dream come true. We can’t wait to build on the success of Tokyo and deliver a double-header, while returning to Jakarta and entertaining our huge Indonesian fanbase too. With 17 races across the season and our most advanced race car debuting on track, we’re offering our fans cutting-edge sport we could only have hoped for when founding the championship just over 10 years ago. Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E.
The 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar features a range of circuits that will truly showcase the qualities of the brand new GEN3 EVO car, set to be introduced next season. I’m glad that Formula E capitalizes on the success of the Tokyo and Shanghai races whilst also returning to some of its iconic venues and retaining a good amount of street circuits, which is in its core DNA. I’m also hopeful that this new season will again play host to some fascinating action on track. Marek Nawarecki, Director, FIA Circuit Sport Department.
Lola Cars is set to compete in the GEN4 era for Formula E, extending its commitment until 2030.
Following the announcement of its highly anticipated return to competitive motorsport, Lola Cars revealed that its involvement in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will also extend into the Gen4 era.
The iconic, globally renowned motorsport brand, which has more than 500 championship wins, will join as a manufacturer from next season for the new GEN3 Evo era. The latest commitment to GEN4 will take their participation in the championship through to at least 2030, across six seasons.
Lola’s commitment to Formula E is the first of many projects to come, as the iconic British company re-establishes itself as an industry leader in sustainable engineering and motorsport. With their focus on electrification, hydrogen and sustainable fuels, its commitment to Formula E will act as a stepping stone to further innovate in these key areas.
Alongside Lola, three other major manufacturers – Nissan, Porsche and Jaguar – have also committed to the Gen4 era. Their participation promises electric racing fans even more excitement and competitive racing for years to come as the championship continues to grow and expand globally.
Formula E’s next generation GEN4 technology will be introduced in Season 13 (2026/27) and includes significant advancements in efficiency, performance and safety. Aligned with Lola’s goals to further develop sustainable mobility technology, advanced features like all-wheel drive and increased efficiency will provide a new technical challenge for the British manufacturer on an already competitive grid that includes some of the industry’s leading OEMs and teams.
While specific technical details for the Gen4 era are yet to be revealed by the FIA and Formula E, it is confirmed that the cars will feature 600kW of power, up from Gen3’s 350kW and 700kW regenerative braking, compared to the current 600 kW a significant increase.
With their historic return to top-tier motorsport for Season 11 next year, we’re delighted that Lola Cars will also be committing to the GEN4 era – promising their presence will be on the Formula E grid until at least 2030. Their trust in our series for their latest venture into electrification and innovation is testament to our ability to attract the biggest names in motorsport, as well as our joint ambition to continue to grow this championship. It’s a huge privilege for us, and we can’t wait to see what they can do next year when the famous Lola marque hits the Formula E track for the first time. Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer Formula E.
We are excited to be confirming our commitment to GEN4. Formula E is an ideal platform for powertrain and software development that we can use for broader motorsport and automotive applications. We feel the opportunity for innovation in this series will only increase as the performance of the cars and technology develops, giving greater scope to develop innovative technologies across global motorsport and in the broader zero emissions transportation space. Mark Preston, Motorsport Director Lola Cars Ltd.
We are delighted to confirm Lola Cars as Formula E’s fourth committed manufacturer for GEN4. It was only recently that this famous brand announced its entry to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship next season, so to now similarly sign up for the following era is testament to the belief that Lola has in the series’ technical roadmap. Lola is a name synonymous with success in the sport and we are excited to see what they can now achieve in the pinnacle of electric single-seater racing. Marek Nawaercki, FIA Senior Circuit Sport Director.
Porsche has committed to Formula E until at least 2030. Formula E has announced that Porsche has committed at least an additional four years to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Ahead of the 2024 Shanghai E-Prix, Porsche AG and Porsche Motorsport alongside Formula E and the FIA have confirmed Porsche’s registration to continue to be a manufacturer in the World Championship from Seasons 13 to 16, committing their involvement until at least 2030.
This decision ensures that the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer will be on the grid when the next generation of vehicles, known as Gen4, debuts in the all electric racing series. With features like all-wheel drive that can be activated at certain points in the race, the new generation presents an additional technical challenge for the teams.
Gen4 will be introduced in Season 13 (2026/2027) providing manufacturers with greater scope for development and offering valuable insights for their series production.
This announcement aligns with the long-term goals of Formula E, the FIA, and Porsche for electrification and innovation in the automotive industry, both on and off the track. The landmark agreement highlights a sustained partnership focused on advancing electric racing technology, showcasing the dedication of all three organisations in pushing the boundaries of electric mobility and sustainability worldwide.
Furthermore, it solidifies Porsche’s position as one of the pioneering Formula E manufacturers, ready to embrace the championship’s exciting Gen4 phase, ahead of its official debut.
Half a second split the top 17 runners as Nick Cassidy topped the times for Jaguar TCS Racing in Free Practice 3 ahead of the Shanghai E-Prix Round 12.
A warm, steamy morning saw 27 degree air temperatures early on in Shanghai, and times matching free practice 2’s.
Cassidy ran to a 1m13.500s late on and said he’d found something in himself to get there, while praising the team’s work over the weekend so far.
Dan Ticktum, on home soil for ERT followed just 0.089s back with Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa rounding in third.
Qualifying-
NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes achieved his second Julius Baer Pole Position of the season around the Shanghai International Circuit.
In a very intense qualifying battle, NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes managed to beat DS PENSKE’s Stoffel Vandoorne by just 0.001s!
The insane margin between the two in the final of the duels ties the record set by Lucas di Grassi in Berlin back in 2017. And it’s the second time we’ve seen a pole decided by such a small gap this season, with Wehrlein of TAG Heuer Porsche putting it on pole by only 0.002s in Sao Paulo.
Several of the big names were knocked out early on including reigning world champion, Jake Dennis who will start 16th. Yesterday’s pole sitter Jean-Eric Vergne couldn’t replicate his success a second consecutive day and will line up ninth.
Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries managed his best qualifying performance of the year to start fourth after making his first Duels appearance of the year.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Hughes, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Da Costa, P4: De Vries, P5: Cassidy, P6: Evans, P7: Nato, P8: Rowland, P9: Vergne and P10: Guenther.
Round 12-
A good start from Vandoorne saw the DS driver beat Hughes to Turn 1 with da Costa in tow. The Portuguese driver took Hughes’ second spot at Turn 10 a lap later, aiming to drag himself up to leader Vandoorne in the slipstream on lap 2.
Hughes, Nato, de Vries and Cassidy – third to seventh – all jumped for Attack Mode on lap 3, though could stick with the lead pair with the race pace as it was early on.
The Jaguars running sixth and seventh, Evans from Cassidy once again looked to play the team game, though the latter exclaimed over team radio at his unhappiness at the change of tactics for round 12.
Norman Nato led Vandoorne, da Costa, Hughes, de Vries, Cassidy, Evans, Guenther, Bird and Vergne – with da Costa a percent to the good on energy on those around him. Sure enough, the Portuguese’ progress started in earnest as he caught Vandoorne unawares with a dive around the outside into the final chicane complex to set about leader Nato.
On lap 9, da Costa jumped to the front, beating Nato to Turn 1’s apex before ceding P1 again to take his first Attack mode boost – a contrasting strategy for the Porsche driver.
Drama on lap 12, saw title contender Pascal Wehrlein forced into pitting to have his left-rear tyre replaced, punctured following contact with NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird.
Da Costa looked to be the man to beat given the energy he had in-hand on the rest 0 some three percent of usable energy to the good on the leaders, enabling him to jump to the front again on lap 16 and looked to dictate.
Hughes in third got the call to use more energy to move forward and set about Nato in second and da Costa in first on lap 18. A lap later, Cassidy tried to make a move on Hughes into Turn 1 and clipped his front wing in the process. Then at Turn 6, Hughes then it out around the outside of Nato to make it by the Frenchman for P2.
The battling in-behind da Costa was playing into the Porsche driver’s hands, despite being the car punching through the air first. From lap 16 to the end, da Costa had the energy, pace and temperature margin to hold fast and dictate to the end, despite severe pressure from podium debutant Hughes.
The full top 10 are- P1: Da Costa, P2: Hughes, P3: Nato, P4: Cassidy, P5: Evans, P6: Vandoorne, P7: Vergne, P8: Gunther, P9: Frijns and P10: Rowland.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans was the quickest person on track during the first free practice session in Shanghai, as the grid was separated by just over half a second.
The Jaguar team looked strong throughout the session, which was disrupted by a technical problem for several cars.
Just behind Evans, was the Andretti of Norman Nato, with his championship winning teammate Jake Dennis down in 14th. DS Penske’s Jean-Eric Vergne found himself rounding out the top three in third.
No sooner we had the 30 minute session got going it was brought under red flag conditions after several cars stopped on track. Both the Porsche and ERT’s as well as Nyck de Vries all had to be recovered from the Shanghai circuit for the technical problem.
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Andretti’s Norman Nato and DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne both set an identical time to top the running in Free Practice 2 ahead of the Shanghai E-Prix Round 11.
Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein’s second in the standings and just 0.013s back in third.
The fast sweeping corners in Shanghai made things difficult for the drivers, with plenty of correction on the steering wheel to keep things in order. Engineers will be busy getting the setup right for their drivers, and making sure all the simulator work tallies with how things felt for real on track.
Qualifying-
DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne will be starting the inaugural Shanghai E-Prix from the front of the grid as he secured the Julius Baer Pole Position in China.
The close qualifying battle saw all the drivers fight their was around the popular Shanghai International Circuit to sort the starting grid for the race.
Going up against Oliver Rowland in the Nissan, this pole position now sees Vergne equal the Formula E record for the most pole positions – 16 – which ties him with Sebastien Buemi.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Vergne, P2: Rowland, P3: Evans, P4: Wehrlein, P5: Hughes, P6: Da Costa, P7: Nato, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Frijns and P10: Cassidy.
Round 11-
Polesitter Vergne launched cleanly and into Turn 1 while Rowland bogged down from second passed immediately by Wehrlein and Evans.
Wehrlein was the first driver to take his first mandatory Attack Mode power boost – only he and Rowland jumping for it of the top 10 runners on lap 3. Robin Frijns briefly found himself in P1, before he took an initial two-minute Attack Mode boost, handing the lead back to Wehrlein.
The Porsche’s teamwork continued as da Costa hit the front at the start of lap 5, before taking his attack mode activation, and dropping behind teammate Wehrlein.
Jaguar’s Evans fired himself into the top three on lap 7, splitting the Porsches with a move through Turn 1 and a lap later, the Kiwi then took the lead.
The top six looked the place to be with the pack jostling to hit that front quarter of the field, steering clear of the mid-pack melee and positioning themselves for a potential podium push.
Evans led once again on lap 13, with the Porsches and Vergne still in that top four biding their time and waiting for their moment. The top 10 runners at the half-way stage had all used boosts, except reigning champion Dennis.
Berlin winner, Cassidy found himself in the top six and two percent of usable energy to the good. The Porsche pair, Wehrlein from da Costa, swept back to the lead on lap 16, by Evans – the Jaguar driver their closest company, though absolutely nothing split the field.
However, on lap 19, Evans had a percent of energy in-hand and managed to slice by da Costa through Sector 1, while the sister Jaguar TCS Racing of Cassidy had two percent energy over the leaders.
Wehrlein outbraked himself into the hairpin, allowing Evans to pounce and bolt into the lead, while Dennis finally went for Attack mode and made it into third.
Wehrlein had it all on to hold P1, with all of the defensive moves in the book on show but into Turn 1 of the final lap, Evans broke the German’s resistance right around the outside of Turn 1.
The full top 10 are- P1: Evans, P2: Wehrlein, P3: Cassidy, P4: Rowland, P5: Dennis, P6: Vergne, P7: De Vries, P8: Buemi, P9: Vandoorne and P10: Di Grassi.
NEOM McLaren have confirmed the return of Sam Bird, following his absence in Berlin due to injury.
Bird was found to have broken his hand after an incident in Free Practice 1 at the 2024 Monaco E-Prix which saw the Brit lock up and hit the wall in the run-off area at Turn 1, Sainte Devote.
McLaren confirmed the injury in a statement after the session, once Bird had been examined and sent to hospital for further checks.
The Brit then went on to have a successful procedure to rectify the injury to the same hand he’d injured back in July 2022 during the London E-Prix.
He was on-site in both Monaco and Berlin to support and advise Barnard who had replaced Sam in both races, with the youngster calling out the positive impact Bird had on his Formula E debut weekends.
Barnard went on to score points in Berlin finishing 10th and eighth to set another record as the youngest points-scorer in Formula E. The Brit is continuing in his role as the team’s Reserve and Development Driver, dovetailing that work with an ongoing FIA Formula 2 campaign.
Andretti has announced that the team will be extending its partnership with Porsche Motorsport through Season 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
The extended collaboration will see Andretti continue to use the Porsche 99X Electric and underscores the outfit’s commitment to leveraging Porsche’s renowned expertise and technology for future success in the all-electric racing series.
Since joining forces at the start of Season 9, the Porsche 99X has yielded a Drivers’ World Championship, three race wins, 15 podium finishes, five fastest laps, 112 laps led and a total of 365 points in Andretti colours.
The Porsche-powered teams of TAG Heuer Porche and Andretti has also yielded 209 points jointly scored in the newly-established Manufacturers trophy, which the German manufacturer currently leads.
The relationship between Andretti and Porsche Motorsport precedes the announcement of then GEN3 agreement. The partnership dates back to 1983, when Mario and Michael Andretti debuted at Le Mans in a Porsche 956, marking the beginning of shared victories including podium finishes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
It’s an exciting time to be a part of Formula E and we feel confident in our position in the series, which is due in large part to our partnership with Porsche. From day one our goal has been to win races and championships, and Porsche has helped us achieve both since joining forces in Season 9. With all the success we’ve shared with the GEN3 car, I can’t wait to see what we can do together in the GEN3 Evo era. Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO of Andretti Global.
We are very pleased to announce the extension of the Andretti and Porsche agreement to work together for the next two seasons. There was never any doubt in our mind about who we’d want to be working with. We have had a very special relationship with Porsche Motorsport, both on and off the track, and we have seen an awful lot of success together. Hopefully, we can share more success in the future. Roger Griffiths, Andretti Team Principal.
We are obviously very pleased about the continuation of our partnership. he Andretti name is one of the most renowned in global motorsports, so the contract extension is of particular importance to us. Andretti and the Porsche factory team work together in many areas in Formula E. We drive each other to peak performances. The standings at the halfway mark are proof for this: both teams find themselves in the top three, and so do two of the four drivers. Plus, together we are leading the Manufacturer’s Trophy for Porsche. Thomas Laudenback, Vice President, Porsche Motorsport.
We have enjoyed working with the Andretti team since we partnered up for the GEN3 era, and we are more than happy to continue to do so for GEN3 Evo. It’s also thanks to Andretti that the Porsche 99X Electric has had great results over the last one and half seasons, including Jake Dennis’ World Championship win. The exchange between the two teams contributes to the car’s performance, and that’s exactly what we’re all looking for. To enter GEN3 Evo in a well-working partnership makes me very optimistic for Seasons 11 and 12. Florian Modlinger, Director of Porsche Factory Motorsport.
Jaguar has confirmed its commitment to the Gen4 era of Formula E until 2030.
This announcement aligns with both Formula E, FIA and Jaguar’s long-term goals for sustainability and innovation in the automotive industry – both on and off track. The landmark agreement highlights a sustained partnership focused on driving forward electric racing technology, emphasising the dedication of all three organisations in pushing the limits of electric mobility and innovation worldwide.
Not only this, it cements Jaguar as one of the pioneering Formula E manufacturers to readily embrace the championship’s forthcoming phase: Gen4.
The upcoming GEN4 technology will witness a revolutionary leap in electric racing, promising significant breakthroughs in energy efficiency, race performance and safety standards. This next gen platform will introduce features such as regeneration capacity reaching up to 700kW and a power output surge up to 600kW.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s embrace of Formula E’s Gen4 platform reaffirms its commitment to pioneering sustainable racing solutions while propelling its own technological journey to new heights.
The Jaguar team is one of the longest-standing in the Formula E paddock, boasting a legacy of success that few can rival. Since its entry into Formula E in Season 3 (2016/17) Jaguar has continuously been at the forefront of competition. As they mark the midpoint of their eighth season, their track record speaks volumes: over 100 race starts, 14 thrilling victories, 38 podium finishes and eight Julius Baer Pole Positions.
Jaguar’s pledge to the Gen4 era extends it ABB FIA Formula E World Championship involvement to at least 14 years. This landmark decision heralds a remarkable chapter in the company’s motorsport narrative – choosing the Formula E grid for their return to motorsport competition after a 12 year break.
As a global icon with a rich heritage, Jaguar’s commitment to the Formula E Gen4 era will no doubt play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of sustainable mobility. This renewal of an already-successful partnership displays their vision for a cleaner, safer and more inclusive world.
We are thrilled that Jaguar TCS Racing are committing to the GEN4 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Jaguar’s dedication to innovation and sustainability perfectly aligns with our mission to redefine the future of racing. As we look forward to the exciting advancements that the GEN4 era promises, Jaguar’s continued partnership underscores the significant impact that Formula E has had on the development of electric vehicle technology, and on setting the pace for greener, more exhilarating motorsport. Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E.
This is great news for Jaguar TCS Racing and for Jaguar. As a team we recently celebrated our 100th race in Formula E and, with Jaguar being reimagined as a pure-electric brand from 2025, the timing couldn’t be better. Our commitment to the next, GEN4 era of Formula E is clear demonstration of the JLR Board’s confidence in the value of competition at the highest level, our race to innovate ethos and, importantly, how this aligns perfectly with our wider Reimagine business strategy. I am extremely proud of what the team has achieved to date in what is the pinnacle of electric racing, and we are all very excited for the future. Jaguar TCS Racing will continue to drive the rapid development of EV technology on the track, for the benefit of our future customers on the road. James Barclay, Managing Director of JLR Motorsport and Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.
We’re delighted to confirm Jaguar as our second committed manufacturer for Formula E’s GEN4 era. Jaguar has been a mainstay of the championship since Season 3 and a consistent title contender in recent campaigns, with the brand’s racing activities and future electric road car range underscoring its firm focus on sustainable solutions. As we simultaneously present the GEN3 Evo single-seater which will race in Seasons 11 and 12 before GEN4 takes over for Season 13, we do so with confidence that the roadmap we are following is in line with manufacturers’ expectations when it comes to race-to-road relevance. That bodes well for a successful future for Formula E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President.
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein was the fastest person on track in the third and final free practice for the 2024 Sun Minimeal Berlin E-Prix.
Just behind Wehrlein was Round 9 winner, Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing. DS PENSKE’s Stoffel Vandoorne finished in third.
ABT’s Lucas di Grassi continued his quick pace that he showed topping the session early on. Ten minutes into the session, rookie Paul Aron was quickest.
There was an unusual moment between Antonio Felix da Costa and Sergio Sette Camara during the third practice where the two drivers made minor contact.
Drivers were pushing their cars to the limit in the final practice session of the weekend, with the likes of Jean-Eric Vergne experiencing some snaps of oversteer and understeer on one of his laps.
Qualifying-
Andretti’s Jake Dennis achieved his first Julius Baer Pole Position since Rome last season. It was a huge turnaround for Jake Dennis, as he managed to secure his first pole of the season having voiced his concerns over the Andretti’s qualifying pace.
It was the first time that the Semi-Finals have been two pairs of teammates in the three years of the duels format – Jaguar versus Jaguar and Andretti versus Andretti.
The full top 10 are- P1: Dennis, P2: Cassidy, P3: Nato, P4: Evans, P5: Guenther, P6: Wehrlein, P7: Mortara, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Vergne and P10: Da Costa.
Round 10-
Antonio Felix da Costa sealed the title of Berliner Meister with a record third win at Tempelhof to hand Porsche a first win on home soil in Formula E.
Cassidy jumped Dennis into Turn 1 with Nato following, before Wehrlein was able to fire his Porsche into second come the end of lap 2.
A tour later and Cassidy decided to take his first of two mandatory 50kW Attack Mode power boosts, dropping him to third and promoting Wehrlein to the lead before the rest of the lead pack made the jump.
Da Costa made his first trip through the Attack Mode activation loop on lap 8, leaving Wehrlein to take the lead although again, only for a short spell as the Porsche team swapped their drivers around on track leaving da Costa to attack Cassidy.
Another shunt for Maximilian Guenther left him pointless on home soil and the Safety Car on track while the pieces were picked up. On the restart lap 15, da Costa and Wehrlein led the pack away in the Porsche’s with Evans, Rowland, Cassidy, Dennis, Nato, Mortara, Vergne and Fenestraz the top 10.
Lap 20 and the lead group were running millimetres apart in a constant battle with remaining energy levels looking even – it was anybody’s game at just over the half way stage.
The safety car was required again as Nato and Fenestraz came to blows towards the back end of the points-paying positions. The Nissan was left in the wall requiring recovery, while Nato found himself shuffled well down the order.
Evans gained track position on lap 31, moving by teammate Cassidy and then leader da Costa though the Kiwi was yet to take his final Attack Mode boost. Dennis and Wehrlein’s scrap continued at the hairpin – the Andretti driver nudging the Porsche, damaging his front wing in the process.
Cassidy made his claim for third with a move up the inside of Evans at Turn 9 on lap 39, before setting about Rowland and leader da Costa. Into the hairpin, Cassidy made further progress, dispatching Rowland, but da Costa had more than a second in-hand out front.
The full top 10 are- P1: Da Costa, P2: Cassidy, P3: Rowland, P4: Wehrlein, P5: Dennis, P6: Evans, P7: Daruvala, P8: Barnard, P9: Eriksson and P10: Vergne.
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa was the quickest guy on track for the first Free Practice Session for the 2024 Sun Minimeal Berlin E-Prix.
Getting to grips with the new layout at the iconic Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, with the Season 6 champion joined by ERT’s Sergio Sette Camara and the DS PESNKE of Stoffel Vandoorne in the top three.
There was also some early drama as championship leader Pascal Wehrlein came to a dramatic halt a few minutes into the session. The German was forced to jump out of the car before even setting a time, not the ideal start to his and the team’s home race weekend.
The super substitutes made the most of the running, with Joel Eriksson being the fastest of the bunch, who has experience in Formula E with eight race starts to his name.
Ten minutes was left of the session, and the grid was separated by a second from Dennis to McLaren’s Taylor Barnard.
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Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilan Guenther was top of the timesheets in the final free practice session before qualifying.
Guenther was able to set a time of 1m 02.177s in the final moments of the 30 minute session to give his home crowd something to cheer about. Just behind him was the ABT of Lucas di Grassi, and Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein in third after a technical issue in FP1.
Making the most of the last practice session before qualifying, drivers were pushing their cars to the limits. Yet, one going a bit too much was Envision’s Joel Eriksson who clipped the wall on one of his runs.
With ten minutes left on the clock, a brief red flag was deployed to collect a rogue advertising banner, however teams were quickly sent back out again.
Qualifying-
Edoardo Mortara sparked delight in the Mahindra Racing garage, as the Swiss-French-Italian steered to Julius Baer Pole Position and the team’s first points of the season.
Nothing split Mortara and Vandoorne over more than half of the lap at the reconfigured Tempelhof circuit. Two thirds of the lap were down before the two could be separated – with the Mahindra Racing driver pulling out a couple of tenths over the DS racer.
Some big names were knocked out in the Groups, including Antonio Felix da Costa, Mitch Evans, Jake Dennis and Nick Cassidy.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Mortara, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Vergne, P4: Sette Camara, P5: Guenther, P6: Wehrlein, P7: Daruvala, P8: Di Grassi, P9: Da Costa and P10: Cassidy.
Round 9-
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Nick Cassidy produced a stunning comeback drive having slipped to 21st at the half-way stage, to take the chequered flag first and the race win.
Mortara covered off Vandoorne into Turn 1 as the pack filtered through unscathed – only Sette Camara of the top six made moves, passing Vergne for third at the final corner but only temporarily.
Once the first round of Attack Mode shook out, Vergne led Vandoorne, with the DS pair working in tandem to maximise efficiency while keeping track position. The Porsche pair of Wehrlein and da Costa followed.
At a quarter race distance, Vergne led Vandoorne, Wehrlein, Mortara, da Costa and Sette Camara the top six while Joel Eriksson’s Envision was recovered under a full course yellow then a safety car – the Swede clipping the wall and breaking his right-rear suspension.
On lap 17, the race went green once again, with the lead a fluid concept between any of four cars out front as the second round of attack mode activations began.
Mortara hit the front once again as the race hit lap 22, before being passed again by early leaders Vergne and Wehrlein, with da Costa third on lap 24. Jake Dennis, meanwhile had clambered from the back of the pack to eighth with as much as six percentage points of energy in-hand on some of the leaders.
Less than a second split the top eight with 27 laps down. Wehrlein and da Costa were the current leaders, though things were changing by the sector.
Guenther’s forward foray came to an abrupt end, as contact with Hughes on lap 30 speared the Maserati into the wall and out of the race- which then required a second appearance for the Porsche Safety Car.
Evans led things away on lap 34, with Wehrlein holding off Rowland before the Yorkshireman fired it up the inside of the Porsche and Evans for the lead at the hairpin before da Costa sliced by just a turn later.
Dennis ran deep into the hairpin on lap 36, losing four spots and ultimately having to pit due to a right-front puncture having come into close contact with da Costa’s Porsche. With six laps left and energy in-hand, having driven from 20th on the grid, it proved to be a super costly coming together.
Six laps were added for those spells under caution, and Evans headed the way from Vergne – having taken his remaining Attack Mode.
Every corner seemed to be three-wide for the lead and beyond as the laps ticked away. Cassidy meanwhile, had come for nowhere – 21st on lap 21, having slipped down from ninth – to take second from Rowland with just three laps left to run and hit the front.
From there, he bolted – the Jaguar driver some 1.5 seconds quicker than Vergne behind and striding to a two-second advantage out-front as second to eighth squabbled.
The full top 10 are- P1: Cassidy, P2: Vergne, P3: Rowland, P4: Evans, P5: Wehrlein, P6: Da Costa, P7: Vandoorne, P8: Mortara, P9: Fenestraz and P10: Barnard.
Jaguar TCS Racing will be welcoming back Sheldon van der Linde for the Rookie Test, alongside new debutant Enzo Fittipaldi.
The team will be bring back Sheldon van der Linde, who represented the Jaguar squad during last season’s Berlin test as well as last month in Misano during the Rookie Free Practice.
The South African, who is the younger brother of ABT CUPRA driver Kelvin van der Linde, showed some impressive pace and went fastest in the opening session of the Berlin test last year.
As well as being the 2022 DTM Champion, van der Linde also won the South Africa Polo Cup Championship and Volkswagen Cup South Africa during his younger career. He was also a part of BMW i Andretti Motorsport as a test and reserve driver, during the seventh Formula E season before joining Jaguar as their Test Driver from Season 9.
Alongside him will be Brazilian racer, Enzo Fittipaldi, who will be getting behind the wheel of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 for the first time.
Fittipaldi comes from a long line of motorsport legends, with him also having a very impressive start to his 2024 racing season. The 22 year old won the FIA Formula 2 Feature Race in Jeddah with Van Amersfoort Racing, as well as picking up a podium in the Sprint Race that same weekend.
I’m very excited to get back for my fourth test with the Jaguar TCS Racing team within one year – I feel a bit of a veteran at these rookie tests by now. Formula E is a really exciting championship to be racing in, one I hope to be competing in in the future, so hopefully this is a stepping stone to that opportunity. Sheldon on the news.
This will be my first time driving a Formula E race car and I am really looking forward to the opportunity. I’ve spent some time in the simulator at the team’s headquarters in Kidlington to give myself the best chance to have a successful test in Berlin. The rookie test is a great opportunity for young drivers to try an all-electric motorsport category and I can’t wait to get some experience. Fittipaldi on the news.
NEOM McLaren announce Ugo Ugochukwu and Gregoire Saucy for the Berlin Rookie Test.
Ugochukwu, from New York City, US, has had an impressive junior career to date and is currently a member of the McLaren Driver Development programme, having initially signed with the team in 2021.
In his short career so far, he’s sealed the FIA OK-Junior European Karting Championship title, amongst other karting achievements. Moving up to single seaters, he finished his rookie season third overall and winning the Rookie trophy, and his second season as Italian Formula 4 vice champion and Euro 4 Champion, where he grabbed a total of 11 wins and 44 podiums to his name.
This season he is competing in the Formula Regional European Championship and at selected rounds of the GB3 Championship, whilst continuing his progression with the McLaren Driver Development programme where he will be supported in his journey from junior motorsport to professional racing driver. Ugochukwu has already spent time in the Formula E simulator at the MTC as part of his current role.
Gregoire Saucy, from Switzerland, began racing on his family kart track at three years old and quickly established himself as a talent, where he became the youngest licensed competitor at just seven years old.
His early career saw him regularly on the podium throughout karting championships and in 2015 he progressed to single seaters, claiming his first title in the Formula Regional Championship in 2021. He currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship with United Autosports, in partnership with McLaren Motorsport.
I’m looking forward to the Berlin Rookie Test in May with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team. It’s an amazing opportunity to take the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 to track and I’m grateful to be given this chance through the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m excited to learn and develop my driving further with a new category of car. I’ll be working closely with the great team at Bicester and MTC in the build-up, getting prepared for the test and making sure I’m as prepared as possible to help the team. Ugo on the news.
I’m really excited to start this new challenge. It will be my first time in a Formula E car. I’ve been driving single seater cars up until last year, before changing direction for this season, competing in GT3 and LMP2, so it will be nice to step into a single seater again. I want to thank the NEOM McLaren team for this opportunity. I’m looking forward to discovering Formula E first hand. See you in Berlin. Saucy on the news.
It’s great to see that Formula E is continuing to provide opportunities for talented drivers to show what they are capable of, by hosting another official rookie test this season. It is also a good way for us as teams to evaluate these drivers in the current GEN3 machinery. I’m especially excited about our line-up for this test; both Ugo and Grégoire have stood out in the categories they’ve competed in to date. I look forward to seeing them hit the track in Berlin. Ian James, Team Principal & Managing Director.
DTM star, Ricardo Feller is set for an outing at the Berlin Rookie Test with ABT CUPRA.
Fresh from the podium of DTM, Feller will be making his debut for ABT CUPRA team at the rookie test on the 13th May. The Swiss driver will take over the number 51 car for one day, which is normally driven by Nico Mueller in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Feller is in his third year in DTM for ABT and started the new season with a podium finish at Oschersleben. Last year he finished 3rd overall with ABT in DTM. Not only this he also competed in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Sprint Cup where he finished 1st.
To prepare for the new challenge, Feller will be spending a day at the simulator in Kempten to familiarise himself with the track in Berlin and the car’s systems.
We have already experienced victories and many great moments with Ricardo in the DTM – so he has more than earned his trip into the electrified world and we are all looking forward to seeing him in the Formula E car. Ricardo is a great race driver, he knows the team well and will certainly be able to support us perfectly in our test program – but of course he should also have a lot of fun during the day in Berlin. ABT CEO and Team Principal, Thomas Biermaier.
I’ve been following the team’s upward trend closely and now I’m looking forward to being a part of it. I want to help with the development – if my times in Berlin are reasonably good, that’s even better. Feller on the news.
DS PENSKE have announced Jonny Edgar will drive for the team alongside Robert Shwartzman at the Berlin Rookie Test.
Jonny Edgar is a British racing driver who is set to compete in the European Le Mans Series with AO by TF. Edgar has been busy since he went into single seaters back in 2019, in 2020 competing in ADAC Formula 4 Championship where he won the championship, he also competed in Italian F4 Championship in the same year where he came fourth.
He has been racing in FIA Formula 3 since 2021 until 2023, where he only managed one win and one podium. But in 2022 he pulled out of a couple rounds due to being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
Robert Shwartzman, reserve driver for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team, will continue his work alongside the DS PENSKE squad at the Berlin Rookie test after appearing in Misano earlier this season.
I am thrilled to get the chance to drive a Formula E car, and I thank Jay Penske and the team for giving me this amazing opportunity. As a driver I am always keen to be able to gain experience with different cars and this test offers me the chance to try a new kind of single-seater! This championship is like no other, very exciting and I cannot wait to be behind the wheels of this stunning car. Edgar on the news.
Alice Powell and Dries Vanthoor will line-up for Envision Racing at the Rookie Test.
Powell, has played a crucial role for many years with Envision Racing as the Test & Development driver, and previously tested the Gen2 in Marrakesh and Valencia.
The British driver, who has five W Series victories to her name, has completed shakedowns in the Gen3 car but will soon embark on her first full day of running in Berlin.
Dries Vanthoor is currently racing in the World Endurance Championship, who has an impressive racing CV. This includes a win in the LMGTE category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this test with Envision will mark his debut in Formula E.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to take part in the rookie test day in Berlin. I’ve been working with the team for a long time and have completed a lot of simulator work over the past few seasons, so to get the chance to have a full day in the GEN3 on track is going to be really useful for me, and hopefully also for the team. Powell on the news.
I’m really looking forward to my first ever Formula E test. It’s a great championship, and I’m excited to try out the Gen3 car with Envision Racing. It’s a good learning opportunity to try out a different discipline of motorsport, especially the advanced technologies in Formula E. Vanthoor on the news.
We are happy to have two very talented drivers step into our cars for the rookie test day. Dries and Alice have both achieved a lot in their careers, and we’re looking forward to seeing them out on track in Berlin. Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and CTO of Envision Racing.
Mahindra Racing will field Frederik Vesti in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s upcoming Berlin Rookie Test on 13th May.
The Dane is among the standout talents to emerge from the FIA’s single-seater pathway in recent times, where he has grabbed an impressive 37 race victories and 81 podium finishes across stints in Formula 4, Formula Regional, FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2.
The 22 year old from Langelund narrowly finished runner-up in Formula 2 last season where he scored an impressive six victories and 10 podiums.
Since departing Formula 2, Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Reserve Driver Vesti has been a pillar of the team’s simulator programme, and concentrated his racing efforts on sportscars in the European Le Mans Series but will get his first experience of the Gen3 with Mahindra Racing in Berlin.
Lining up alongside one of Formula 2’s current leading lights and of Mahindra’s current Reserve Drivers, Kush Maini.
In preparation, he has already visited Mahindra’s purpose-built factory in Banbury for a seat fit, and to begin building up his knowledge and understanding the car on the team’s simulator.
First of all, I’d like to say a big thank you to Fred for giving me this opportunity. It’s a great chance to test, and to prove myself as a rookie in a new championship. It’s an amazing opportunity to learn, which is only going to help me grow as a driver. It’s what motivates me, I’m really looking forward to trying the GEN3 Formula E car, which I understand is quite a challenge. That’s probably what I like most about Formula E, it is challenging and the fact it’s a competitive World Championship that attracts some of the best drivers – and teams – is a great platform for me. I’ve finished up my preparations together with the team, so now I’m counting down the days until Berlin! Vesti on the news.
We’re delighted to welcome Frederik to the team for the Berlin Rookie Test. This event is important for the team, in order to continue our testing programme and development work, but there is an equal focus on giving new talent the opportunity to experience the world of Formula E. He’s young, enthusiastic, and very quick – all the right traits for us to give him a chance in the car. His record in the junior categories speaks for itself. I’m confident that, with a drivers of Frederik’s abilities and experience, and together with Kush, we will be able to have a productive test and keep the team moving forward from there. Frederic Bertrand, Mahindra Racing CEO and Team Principal.
Sam Bird will sit out this weekends Berlin E-Prix double header, as he recovers from surgery on his hand.
NEOM McLaren have confirmed that 19 year old Taylor Barnard will be continuing his duties as Reserve Driver, covering for an injured Sam Bird.
Barnard was drafted in after Sam Bird broke his hand in an accident during Monaco in FP1, when his car locked up and went down an escape road near Sainte Devote. Despite his best efforts to rescue the car, Bird hit the barrier and failed to let go of the steering wheel which then led to the injury.
Bird has now undergone a successful surgery on his left hand, with the team supporting Sam and his recovery to ensure he can compete again as quickly as achievable.
During his Formula E debut, Barnard managed to finish the Monaco E-Prix in 14th after he started at the back of the pack.
We’re very pleased to report positive progress on Sam’s recovery, with a successful operation on his hand supporting his journey back into the car. Taylor did a stellar job in his last-minute call-up in Monaco, as did the team, who provided him with great support and guidance throughout. He will now be able to build on that experience, while Sam works on his recovery – with the team’s full support. We’re looking forward to having Sam back in the car soon. Ian James, Team Principal.
Nissan will field Caio Collet and Gabriele Mini in the Berlin Rookie Test, set for Monday 13th May, straight after the Berlin E-Prix double header.
Collet got his first taste of the Nissan e-4ORCE O4 during rookie free practice at the Misano E-Prix earlier this month. The Brazilian racer has been working with the team since the beginning of Season 10, helping to prepare for upcoming events in the simulator.
Collet has a strong junior CV, having taken a dominant French F4 title in 2018 and finishing second in the highly competitive Formula Renault Eurocup in 2020.
That earned him a seat in FIA Formula 3 for 2021. In the three years that followed, he was a regular feature at the front of the pack, taking three victories and several podiums, alongside his membership of the Alpine Academy. This season, in combination with his reserve and simulator role with Nissan Formula E Team, Collet is tackling the full Indy NXT campaign.
Meanwhile, fellow F3 race winner Mini is part of the current Alpine Academy and will be at the wheel of Formula E machinery for the first time.
Victory in the 2020 Italian F4 championship led him to the Formula Regional European Championship, clinching second in 2022. This then attracted the attention of the Alpine Academy, which signed him up ahead of his debut F3 campaign in 2023, where he picked up two wins, including the Monaco Feature Race.
The Italian driver currently sits third in the F3 standings after two round, having scored points at every race, including a podium finish in Melbourne.
It was my first time in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 in Misano, so in Berlin I’m looking to use that experience to help me develop my driving. It’s a very different car to what I’m used to, so it takes a while to understand what to do and how to get the best out of it. My target is to learn as much as I can and help the team continue to improve. To have more track time will also be useful for my simulator work, to make the sim more accurate. I’m looking forward to being with the team again and will do my best! Collet on the news.
I’m very pleased to test the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 for the first time in the Berlin Rookie Test next month. It will be a great chance to discover the car and to challenge myself in a different type of single-seater. I’m looking forward to giving my best and learning more about this category of racing. I would like to thank both Alpine and Nissan for their trust and for this exciting opportunity. Mini on the news.
We’re looking forward to the Berlin Rookie Test with two very talented drivers in Caio and Gabriele. After participating in FP0 in Misano, it will be important for Caio to continue developing in the car, becoming more and more comfortable. As our reserve and sim driver, it’s vital for him to have as much experience as possible to support the team at his best. This will be a good opportunity to gain confidence and make a step forward with plenty of track time available. The test also presents us with a great chance to introduce Gabriele to the team. He’s a very promising driver, part of the Alpine Academy and it’s great to count on cross Alliance synergies to bring young drivers these opportunities. It’s very positive for us to work with young, up-and-coming drivers like Gabriele and Caio, so we can not only play a role in their professional development, but also build a rapport and set important basis for potential future collaborations. Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal of Nissan Formula E Team.
Formula E and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) have revealed the next generation of race car, the new all-electric Gen3 Evo, capable of 0-60mph in 1.82s.
Leveraging a roster of innovative technical upgrades, the GEN3 Evo unveiled at H.S.H Prince Albert II’s Private Car Collection will debut in Season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship where some of the world’s greatest manufacturers and drivers race wheel to wheel in iconic locations around the globe.
Developed by specialists from Formula E and the FIA, the latest Gen3 Evo edition marks a significant leap in electric racing technology, with acceleration 0-60mph 30% faster than a current F1 car, and 36% faster than then Gen3 car.
Capable of accelerating nearly a full second faster than its predecessor – the Gen3 – that was the world’s first race car designed for street racing, it sets an even higher standard in performance, sustainability and efficiency. Then Gen3 Evo serves as a formidable ambassador for the future of motorsport, embodying cutting-edge advancements and a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Key technical enhancements for the new Gen3 Evo race car include:
The quickest accelerating FIA single-seater race car – capable of 0-60mph in 1.82 seconds.
Faster, stronger, more agile – Performance upgrades providing an estimated 2% performance gain from Gen3.
Leaner and meaner – An aggressive new body kit designed to be stronger, more robust and more aerodynamic, delivering closer wheel to wheel racing.
All wheel driver (AWD) – A first for a Formula E car, available during qualifying duels, race starts and ATTACK MODE. The feature maximises acceleration and control, elevating the thrill of critical race moments and intensifying driver rivalries,
Better grip – Optimised all-weather Hankook iON tyres providing 5-10% more grip.
As part of the technical roadmap of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, all powertrains will be newly homologated for Season 11, allowing manufacturers and their customer teams to implement key learnings and optimisations from Gen3 into their new cars.
The GEN3 Evo heralds a ground-breaking chapter in the evolution of Formula E, embodying our dedication to innovation and high performance achieved sustainably. Featuring unprecedented acceleration and an advanced aerodynamic design, the car that I had the honour of unveiling in Monaco is set to intensify the thrill of our racing, captivating our drivers and fans around the world with truly superior capabilities and performance. Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer, Formula E.
The FIA and Formula E have been working hard on the development process of this new GEN3 Evo race car, which represents another significant leap forward in electric racing technology. I would like to thank both FIA and Formula E teams for the hard work which underlines our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable motorsport, while delivering competitive racing. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans was top of the timesheets for Formula E’s first session in Monaco this season, as the Kiwi looks for his first Formula E win here around the principality.
With a time of 1m30.414s he was almost three tenths clear of Envision’s Robin Frijns. Close behind Frijns was Evans’ teammate Nick Cassidy in third.
Track evolution here was big, as time kept tumbling, and the Jaguar powertrains looked like they show some pace, as well as Sebastien Buemi.
The session was Red Flagged around half way through the session as there was debris on the track, which was easily rectified as things went back to normal and underway.
NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird, had a big moment down into Turn 1 with less than ten minutes of the session. He suffered a huge lock up going into Saint Devote, despite his best efforts, he made contact with the barriers on the right-hand side of his Gen3 car.
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Mitch Evans was on a roll, as he managed to go quickest in Free Practice 2 aswell. Not only that, but the top 2 remained the same, with Robin Frijns sticking his Envision car in second. With Pascal Wehrlein rounding out the top 3.
The biggest story though, was ahead of FP2, and it was Taylor Barnard making his Formula E race debut with NEOM McLaren! As Sam Bird had to miss the rest of the day, after fracturing his hand after the incident in FP1.
The Jaguar cars were continuing on with being fastest early on in the sessions, as Sebastien Buemi split the two/
Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara set a lovely lap to go top of the timesheets, with a 1m30.452s. However he was pushing too hard with a few minutes left of the session and ended up going to wide at Turn 1 and hit the barriers.
Qualifying-
It was a dramatic end to Group A qualifying, with lots of favourites hoping for their chance to progress into the Duels. Mitch Evans continued his trend of finishing every Monaco session so far and was joined by Pascal Wehrlein, Maximilian Guenther and Antonio Felix da Costa. Envision’s Robin Frijns was knocked out by just 0.002s!
In Group B there were plenty of drivers improving on their lap time during the final flying laps, including Stoffel Vandoorne who managed to go quickest in his group. He progressed through to Quarter Finals, as well as his teammate Jean-Eric Vergne. Joining them was Nick Cassidy and Sebastien Buemi.
Both Jaguar drivers, failed to make the Duel finals. For Evans he had a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, and Cassidy made a rare mistake where he clipped the wall.
But it was Pascal Wehrlein who took his third Julius Baer Pole Position of Season 10, where he navigated the challenging streets of Monaco!
The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrlein, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Cassidy, P4: Evans, P5: Vergne, P6: Buemi, P7: Da Costa, P8: Gunther, P9: Frijns and P10: Daruvala.
Round 8-
Wehrlein leapt away with a textbook launch to head Vandoorne and Cassidy through Sainte Devote, though by the end of Lap 1 Evans had made it past his Jaguar stablemate for third.
On lap 3, Vergne was able to make a move stick on Wehrlein for fourth, late on the brakes into the chicane. Meanwhile on lap 4, Wehrlein’s teammate da Costa got caught in the melee at the hairpin with an ERT clattering Buemi, which blocked the Porsche as the pack backed up.
Edo Mortara hit the wall in a big way a lap later. The Mahindra was squeezed out of position at the chicane, before Ticktum drew alongside through Tabac. The Swiss-French-Italian wouldn’t give the spot up easily, looking to hand on to the ERT around the swimming pool but he caught a bucket of understeer and found the wall with some force.
The Green flag was flown on Lap 8, with Vandoorne leading Evans. On Lap 10, Rowland made super use of attack mode to jump from ninth to sixth.
Reigning champion, Jake Dennis was making great ground, ninth on lap 10. However, his progress would come to a swift end in contact with Frijns in the Tunnel – an unusual accident. A broken front wing required a pit stop, demoting Dennis to the back of he pack.
Jaguar’s strategy looked clear on lap 11, Evans bolted to a three-second gap, with Cassidy sitting in and backing up the pack, allowing Evans to take attack mode and extend his advantage to four seconds come lap 12.
On lap 16, Vandoorne and Vergne looked to be up to a similar scheme – the pair working through their ATTACK MODE activations while looking to hold track position.
Da Costa made more progress on lap 21, aggressively squeezing by Rowland for sixth at Mirabeau. As the laps ticked down, the energy advantage was with the leader, some 0.5% up on Cassidy.
A late shunt for ABT CUPRA’s Nico Mueller at Rascasse saw the Safety Car make an appearance, with a couple of added laps to come to take us to a total of 31 and the green flag flying again came on lap 27.
Jaguar had plenty in their pocket to hold off the DS’ behind as Evans finally made it stick in Monaco heading home his teammate.
The full top 10 are- P1: Evans, P2: Cassidy, P3: Vandoorne, P4: Vergne, P5: Wehrlein, P6: Rowland, P7: Da Costa, P8: Fenestraz, P9: Gunther and P10: Nato.
Electric Racing Technologies have announced that reigning F1 Academy Champion, Marta Garcia will represent the team in the upcoming Berlin Rookie Test.
Ahead of the highly-anticipated Monaco E-Prix this weekend, the Shanghai-Silverstone based squad have shared the exciting news that they labeled as a “significant milestone in motorsport”.
Garcia is a hugely influential and talented driver, who gained worldwide attention when she won the very first season of F1 Academy last year. With the Managing Director of F1 Academy being former Venturi Formula E Team Principal, Susie Wolff.
This season, Garcia will be racing with Iron Dames in the highly competitive Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA).
The Berlin Rookie Test allows teams to give new talent a chance to try the latest Formula E machinery, as has been the birthplace for many of the biggest talents in the paddock today.
I am thrilled to join ERT Formula E Teamfor the Berlin Rookie Test. Formula E represents the future of motorsport, and I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to experience it firsthand. I’ve been following the championship closely, and I’m eager to get behind the wheel of the ERT X24 car and contribute to the team’s development. This test is a stepping stone in my career, and I’m determined to make the most of it. Garcia on the news.
We are incredibly excited to welcome Marta García to the ERT Formula E family for the Berlin Rookie Test. Marta’s exceptional talent and achievements in F1 Academy are undeniable. This test serves as a fantastic platform to showcase her skills within the dynamic environment of Formula E. We are confident that Marta will quickly adapt to the unique demands of electric racing and provide valuable insights for the team. Alex Hui, Team Principal of ERT Formula E Team.
Kelvin van der Linde will be returning to Formula E for ABT CUPRA in Berlin, where he will be replacing Nico Mueller for the weekend.
The South African-born driver will replace regular driver Mueller for Rounds 9 & 10 of the season on 11th & 12th May, with the German competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship that same weekend.
Van der Linde is the team’s Reserve and Simulator driver impressed in three Formula E races at the beginning of Season 9 while Robin Frijns recovered for a hand injury sustained in Mexico City.
After van der Linde’s appearance in the ABT Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 on the fabled Nordschleife of the Buerburgring, he will contest two weekend in DTM before the Formula E event in Berlin. This means that within a month he will be competing in all three motorsport categories in which ABT Sportsline is involved.
Nico is in extremely strong form at the moment, so of course it hurts a bit to be without him for two races. However, we don’t want to put any obstacles in the way of his parallel commitment to the WEC and have therefore given him the official go-ahead. With Kelvin we are in the fortunate position of having a driver who is familiar with Formula E, our team and the current generation of the racecar and who has already completed three races for us – we are all looking forward to another weekend together. Thomas Biermaier, ABT CEO and Team Principal.
I am really looking forward to my comeback in Formula E, especially to the many fans and the special location in Berlin. I’ve already spent many hours in the simulator with the team and been to the Formula E events, but of course it’s something completely different to drive myself. My goal is to play my part in the team’s upward trend. And maybe we’ll even pull off a little surprise. It’s exciting few weeks with commitments in a variety of cars and championships – but that’s exactly how I want it to be as a racer. Van der Linde on the news.
DS PENKSE are adding their own glitz to the glamorous streets of Monaco with a special livery for Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne.
The Monaco race is the jewel on the motorsport crown and to celebrate racing on the glamorous streets of this iconic city. DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne will race on Saturday 27th April with the special livery.
Named the ‘Grand Gala’ the special livery flips the usual two-tone colour palette with gloss black as the main colour complimented with signature chrome gold lining the angular shapes of the DS E-TENSE FE23.
The design was inspired by the golden era of art deco and motorsport from the 1920s and 30s, and Monaco is a very fitting place for the special colour-way as the roads are steeped in motorsport history having seen racing since 1929.
Both Vergne and Vandoorne have experienced winning on these hallowed streets in each of their championship winning seasons.
Formula E and the FIA have announced that they will unveil the highly-anticipated GEN3 Evo race car on Thursday 25th April during an exclusive evening launch in the build-up to the 2024 Monaco E-Prix.
As an evolution of the current GEN3 race car – the world’s fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever made – the all electric championship is set to raise the bar even higher with a race car that will be pushed to the limit across Seasons 11 and 12.
The GEN3 Evo is set to deliver even more dramatic wheel to wheel racing. With improved performance characteristics that will highlight Formula E and FIA’s role in pioneering technology and sustainable motorsport.
In addition to a revised body kit, a completely new all-wheel drive system and a softer compound of tyres from Hankook are set to provide a significant performance boost for the Formula E cars.
As we prepare to unveil the GEN3 Evo, we’re not just launching a car; we’re continuing to shape the future of racing. This next iteration not only exemplifies our dedication to innovation and pushing the limits of technology but also enhances our commitment to delivering exhilarating, competitive racing for our fans. We are setting new standards in performance that will intensify on-track rivalries and fan engagement, keeping us at the forefront of global motorsport. Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer at Formula E.
Mahindra Racing has confirmed Jordan King, will make his ABB FIA Formula E World Championship debut at the Berlin E-Prix next month on the 11th – 12th May as he substitutes for Nyck de Vries.
With de Vries unavailable to participate in the double-header around Tempelhof Airport due to a pre-existing commitment to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship on the same weekend, the team will utilise the service of King, one of its two existing Reserve Drivers.
The 30 years old extensive CV in international single-seaters includes stints in the IndyCar Series, FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3. King has previously acted as Test Driver for the Manor Racing Formula 1 team, and currently holds a simulator and development role with Alpine F1 Team.
King has extensive knowledge and experience with Mahindra’s M10Electro, having already completed eight test days – plus countless hours on the team’s simulator back at base – as part of his regular duties.
It goes without saying that I’m hugely excited to make my debut in Formula E next month in Berlin. Mahindra is a team that I know inside and out after four years of working together, and a car that I’m already incredibly familiar with and helped to develop. My focus is on keeping the team’s momentum going on the development front, and of course to enjoy the opportunity to be out there racing again.
King on the news.
Although it is frustrating to lose Nyck for a weekend because of a calendar clash, he has pre-existing commitments to honour, so we’ve known for a while now that we will need to find a solution. Jordan fits the bill perfectly, for us. He knows both the car and the team and has already played an integral role in our development so far this season, so there is no ‘on-boarding’ process.
Frederic Bertrand, Mahindra Racing CEO and Team Principal.
Jordan's Track Talk 