Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula E

  • Nissan announce rookie test drivers

    Nissan will be giving reigning FIA Formula 3 champion, Victor Martins and multiple Formula 2 race-winner Luca Ghiotto a seat at this month’s rookie test in Berlin on 24th April.

    Ghiotto will be taking to the Tempelhof Airport Circuit, with the former GB3 Series runner up also confirmed as simulator driver.

    The 28 year old has been working in the team’s simulator since the start of the current Formula E season and has a strong racing CV, including six wins in F2.

    I’m really excited to be part of the Nissan Formula E Team, in such an incredible championship. Nissan is a massive brand, which makes this even more special. I can’t wait to feel a Formula E car in real life for the first time. My job as simulator driver is to help the team by testing different settings and programs, as the on-track time in Formula E is quite limited, meaning our data from the simulator can be really important during race weekends. The Rookie Test will definitely aid my work at the factory, as I’ll have a reference and understanding of how the real car feels. So, on top of it being an exciting opportunity for me, it will also help for the next time I’m in the virtual world. The Berlin track looks really fun. I’ve driven it on the simulator and I’m looking forward to getting out there and experiencing it.

    Ghiotto on the test.

    Frenchman Martins is apart of the Alpine Academy – BWT Alpine F1 Team’s young driver program and has already grabbed two podiums and a pole position across the first 3 round of his debut F2 season.

    The 21 year old has impressed many during his junior career, winning the Formula Renault Eurocup title in 2020, before moving up to Formula 3, where he took the 2022 crown.

    It’s a huge honor to be selected for the Rookie Test with Nissan. The team has a close relationship with the Alpine Academy, which I’m a part of, and it’s a great chance for me to experience a Formula E car for the first time. I’ve already been in the simulator and found it really interesting. There’s a lot to learn and I have to use a different style of driving. It’s a great opportunity to keep expanding my skillset across different cars, and I’m excited to give it a try. I’ll look to make the most of the test and learn as much as I can from the team and my time on track.

    Martins on the opportunity.

    We’re really pleased to have Luca on board. He’s been working in the simulator since the beginning of the season so it made sense to give him an opportunity in the car. This will be valuable for the team as the test will benefit Luca in the simulator and give him plenty of experience to help us develop our performance. Victor is a young and promising driver, and we’re pleased to be using our connections with the Alpine Academy and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. It’s great for the championship to be attracting rising stars like him. He’s making his F2 debut this year and is showing strong signs, so it was a natural choice for us to offer him a chance in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04.

    Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal.

  • Maloney & Lundqvist to drive for Andretti

    Avalanche Andretti Formula E have announced their line-up for the rookie test in Berlin. Representing Andretti will be Formula 2 driver and Red Bull Junior and Reserve driver, Zane Maloney and reigning INDY NXT Champion, Linus Lundqvist.

    The duo will hit the Tempelhof Street Circuit to gather crucial data for Andretti, whilst gaining their first experience of Formula E. Maloney is “very excited” to have been invited to the test and is incredibly grateful to Andretti for making it possible, with him set to “learn as much as I can”.

    Maloney has come on leaps and bounds the past few years, last year he competed in FIA Formula 3 and finished 2nd in his rookie season, he then took the jump up to Formula 2 this year and so far has scored 29 points.

    I’m very excited to be part of the Berlin Rookie Test with Avalanche Andretti Formula E. Driving in Formula E is going to be a new experience for me so I’m very grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank everyone at Andretti for making this possible. I will be trying to learn as much as I can during this test and gain some beneficial experience in the GEN3 car.

    Maloney on the rookie test.

    Since winning the INDY NXT Championship last season, Lundqvist has tested an IndyCar at Texas Motor Speedway, as he continues to search for his next move. The Swiss driver is incredibly talented and has won four titles since 2016, making it understandable on why Andretti has picked Lundqvist.

    Like Maloney, Lundqvist is very excited to get a chance in the new Gen3 car and experience a new series with the Swiss driver now focused on “doing my best to be as prepared as possible”.

    Big thanks to Michael Andretti, JF Thormann, Roger Griffiths and everyone at Andretti for this amazing opportunity. I’m super excited and grateful for the occasion. It will be great to experience a completely new car and series that I’ve not driven in before. I know it’s going to be very different to anything I’ve done before, but I’m doing my best to be as prepared as possible to have a successful test with the Avalanche Andretti Formula E team. I can’t wait to get going!

    Lundqvist on the rookie test.

    The Avalanche Andretti Formula E team are very much looking forward to having both Zane and Linus join us for the Berlin Rookie Test after the doubleheader 2023 Sabic Berlin E-Prix. Both drivers have shown themselves to be highly competitive in their relative endeavors and represent some exciting new talent. Having the rookie test is fundamentally important for raising the potential and possibility of bringing new driver talent to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Formula E has fast gained status within the motorsport world as being a very competitive Championship and that makes it very attractive to up-and-coming drivers. It makes sense to have the test at the iconic Berlin-Tempelhof circuit immediately after the race weekend as we will have gathered a lot of data to be able support both drivers with. Zane and Linus will be with us for the duration of the race weekend, so we’re looking forward to integrating them into the team so they can understand how we both prepare for and operate over a race weekend.

    Roger Griffiths, Team Principal.

  • Aitken to drive for Envision, in the Rookie Test

    Envision Racing have confirmed that former reserve driver for Williams, Jack Aitken will be completing the test in one of the teams car at the Tempelhof Street Circuit.

    The rookie test is taking place a day after round eight of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Berlin, with twenty-two drivers set to get their first experience of the series.

    Aitken, will be one of the more experienced rookies; however, it will be the former Williams Racing driver’s first taste of Formula E.

    The 27 year old, will head into the test on the back of winning the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring, where he partnered former Formula E driver Alexander Sims and Pipo Derani. The British-South Korean driver is “really excited” to hit the track in Berlin and help build on the team’s “great start” to the Gen3 era.

    I’m really excited to be Envision Racing’s rookie driver. It’s a great opportunity for me to get behind the wheel of a Formula E car for the first time – the new Gen3 model looks like a lot of fun to drive. I can’t wait for the opportunity to experience that for myself in Berlin and assist the team with their work as they keep building on what has already been a great start to the season.

    Aitken on driving in the rookie test.

    We are delighted to welcome Jack Aitken to Envision Racing for the official rookie test day in Berlin. Jack has a wealth of talent and experience, and we are very excited that he will be getting his first taste of Formula E with our team. The test day will be hugely beneficial to him as a driver and for us to gather more crucial data for the season ahead.

    Team Principal, Sylvain Filippi.

  • Porsche announce drivers for rookie test

    Constructors’ Championship leaders, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team have announced their full driver line-up for this month’s Formula E rookie test, which will take place a day after the Berlin E-Prix.

    Completing the test for Porsche will be 22 year old Chinese driver, Yifei Ye, who is set to compete in this season’s FIA World Endurance Championship in a customer Porsche 963 hybrid prototype for Hertz Team JOTA.

    Ye does have some experience in single-seater racing but his career nowadays is spent almost entirely in sportscars, with his most recent appearance in a single seater having been in 2020, when he won the Euroformula Open Championship.

    Since the end of 2021, Ye has been a fully supported Porsche driver and is Porsche Motorsport’s Asia Pacific Selected Driver, highlighting the potential the German manufacturer see in him. Despite this, the young Chinese driver is very much looking forward to driving a Formula E car.

    I’ve always wanted to drive a Formula E car and I’m grateful that Porsche is giving me that opportunity. For me, this is an interesting new challenge that I’m really excited to get stuck into. Beforehand, I’ll follow the races in Berlin closely from the pits and try to learn as much as possible from António and Pascal. That will definitely help me to familiarise myself with the Porsche 99X Electric as quickly as possible. With Porsche, I’m concentrating on the WEC for now. But I’m still young and can certainly imagine contesting Formula E races one day. Electric motorsport has a bright future.

    Ye on the opportunity.

    Also completing the rookie test for the German manufacturer is former Formula 2 driver, David Beckmann who is also set to compete at the Jakarta E-Prix.

    Beckmann is Porsche’s official reserve and test driver this season in the all-electric series, with him having the same role for Avalanche Andretti Formula E in Season Eight.

    Following his time driving for Porsche in Berlin, Beckmann is expected to compete in the Jakarta double header for Andretti, with the German filling in for Andre Lotterer who has commitments in the WEC that weekend.

    Being able to drive the Porsche 99X Electric in Berlin just a few days before my birthday is a great present. For me, it’s a fantastic experience to enter the new era of Formula E with Porsche this season. I already got the chance to drive the new Porsche 99X Electric on the racetrack at the official Formula E test in Calafat. It was very impressive. I’m really looking forward to the rookie test and getting to know our car even better. Of course, I also hope to be able to share some useful insights with my team.

    Beckmann on the test.

    The rookie test is a great opportunity to show young drivers what Formula E is all about. It’s also about familiarising them with our Porsche 99X Electric, which is a very complex racing car and not easy to drive. For rookies coming into Formula E, the test offers them a good chance to experience what they’ll come up against in this racing series. As a team, we want to use this event to introduce young drivers to Formula E and see how they perform in a Formula E car. David has already tested for us. Now we’re looking forward to seeing how well Yifei gets on with our Porsche 99X Electric.

    Team Principal, Florian Modlinger.

  • Round 6 – Sao Paulo E-Prix

    Round 6 is now complete, lets take a look at what happened during the first ever Sao Paulo E-Prix weekend.

    FP1-

    Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi managed to top the timesheets for the first practice session with a 1m 12.341s, as speeds hit more than 266km/h down the Sambadrome straight.

    Behind Buemi, is the Nissan of Sacha Fenestraz, Formula E’s latest polesitter and holder of Formula E’s fastest ever competitive lap. NIO 333’s Dan Ticktum rounded out the top three, just 0.123s off the time of Buemi.

    All 22 drivers, quickly locked in laps on the new 2.933km circuit. A few brief yellow flags were issued as the grid found the limits of the bumpy track surfaces.

    Robin Frijns of ABT CUPRA returned to the track after he fractured his wrist during the first race of the season. The Dutchman was getting in as much practice as possible and trying to stay out of trouble.

    FP2-

    Nine different teams made the top 10 in Free Practice 2, with Antonio Felix da Costa topping the timesheets with a 1m 11.496s.

    Just behind him, was the Maserati MSG Racing of Maximilian Guenther. And Norman Nato rounded out the top three and was just 0.001s slower than Guenther.

    All drivers were on their best behaviour with the bumpy track, as they didn’t want to waste any time. But several had issues with track limits, with many going off at Turn 1 and Turn 6.

    Qualifying-

    DS Penske achieved their first Julius Baer Pole Position since 2016, as reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne became the ninth different pole sitter in nine races ahead of the inaugural Julius Baer Sao Paulo E-Prix.

    Vandoorne beat the TAG Heuer Porsche of Antonio Felix da Costa to lock in his first pole since Rome in Season 8. The Belgian driver also topped Group A, which continues a crazy coincidence that the fastest driver in the group has gone on to take pole in the last four consecutive races.

    Standings leader, Pascal Wehrlein finds himself down in 18th having failed to make it to the groups. Home heroes Lucas di Grassi and Sergio Sette Camara also struggled and will be starting at the back of the grid – the former hit a wall, pushing a bit too hard and the latter a bump which forced a reboot car.

    Round 6-

    Mitch Evans led home a first one-two-three for the Jaguar powertrain, with Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) and Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing) crossing the line together – with the trio just half a second apart.

    The New Zealander took the initiative and the race lead from his compatriot Cassidy as the race headed into four TAG Heuer Added Laps. His move on Lap 32 proved to be decisive, with neither Cassidy nor Evans’ teammate Bird able to undo the leader’s defensive driving.

    Polesitter, Stoffel Vandoorne had led the way early on, fending off Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa during the first round of Attack Mode activations until the race reached its half-way stage, with the lead impossible to keep track of on Lap 14 0 three or four changes over that tour alone and Cassidy came out on top.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Evans, P2: Cassidy, P3: Bird, P4: Da Costa, P5: Vergne, P6: Vandoorne, P7: Wehrelin, P8: Hughes, P9: Rast and P10: Buemi.

  • Sao Paulo Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is all set to make it a hat-trick of all new events with the series’ “dream” first outing in motorsport crazy Brazil as we head to Sao Paulo for Round 6 of Season 9.

    Hometown hero and former champion Lucas di Grassi hails from the city and will be joined by compatriot Sergio Sette Camara as Formula E sets for its debut in South America.

    With three long straights connected by tricky chicanes, sweeping corners and tight turns, the circuit is expected to be a challenging affair for the pack, with high speeds anticipated.

    Starting on the main straight that’s usually reserved for carnival floats and revelry, there will be a different type of dancing as the drivers put their toe tapping to use on the brake pedals into the series of sharp turns, that feed to a looping hairpin that fires the field down the straight.

    This straight is broken up with another challenging right-left series of corners to another long straight. The final sector sees more passing opportunities in the run to the finish line.

    circuit-map-saopaulo

    The Championship-

    Looking at the drivers standings, Wherlein still leads the championship by 18 points, and Dennis stays in P2 on 62 points, with Jean-Eric Vergne in third on 50 points.

    If we were looking at a closer battle, you’d be looking at, 4th/5th/6th/7th which is between Da Costa, Cassidy, Buemi and Rast who are all seperated by 7 points.

    Now looking at the teams, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team leads on a 126 points, Envision are in second on 84 points and Avalanche Andretti are in third on 80 points.

    Looking at 4th and 5th, Neom McLaren are on 66 points, 1 points behind Avalanche Andretti. Now looking at 5th DS Penske are on 61 points, 5 points between them and McLaren.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 24th-

    • Free Practice 1- 19:25pm – 20:15pm (GMT)

    Saturday 25th-

    • Free Practice 2- 10:25am – 11:15am
    • Qualifying- 12:40pm – 13:55pm
    • Round 6- 17:03pm -18:30pm.

  • Round 5 – Cape Town E-Prix

    Round 5 is here, and we are in Cape Town South Africa for a first time appearance, lets take a look at how the weekend went.

    FP1-

    Maserati’s MSG Racing’s Edoardo Mortara topped the timesheets with a time of 1m 09.700s.

    It’s the first time in Season 9 that one of the Maserati cars have topped a session, despite the team looking strong in pre-season testing. Mortara’s teammate, Maximilian Guenther finished the session in seventh.

    Fresh from a disappointing result last time out in Hyderabad, Jaguar’s Sam Bird was on a mission and finished the session in second, 0.158s off Mortara’s time. Sacha Fenestraz slotted into third on the timesheets to round out the top 3.

    But minutes into the start of the session, Sebastian Buemi brought out the red flags after a heavy impact with the walls of the rapid street circuit between Turn 9 and 10.

    FP2-

    The final session before qualifying ahead of the Cape Town E-Prix, Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy headed the pack with a 1m 08.118s.

    Cassidy was 0.307s ahead of Maserati MSG Racing’s Edoardo Mortara and some 1.6 seconds faster than the pace set in Free Practice 1’s session.

    Rounding out the top three was NIO 333’s Dan Ticktum with an impressive lap time. As well as the Jaguar cars looking rapid, Mitch Evans and Sam Bird were fourth and fifth.

    Qualifying-

    Nissan’s, Sacha Fenestraz sealed his first Julius Baer Pole Position for the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix, as well as setting the fastest-ever lap in the process.

    Fenestraz managed to beat the Maserati of Maximilian Guenther by over four tenths of a second to set a stunning time of 1m 07.848s.

    Disappointment came for all four Mahindra-powered cars as the quartet were withdrawn due to rear suspension safety concern. As well as a big shunt fro Edoardo Mortara and Sam Bird which brought out the red flag at the end of Group B.

    Round 5-

    Antonio Felix da Costa drove a storming race from 11th on the grid to his first win for TAG Heuer Porsche, after producing a copy of one of the best moves you’ll ever see for the lead, on two seperate occasions.

    The season 6 champion returned to form last time out with third in Hyderabad but this was something else in a properly attritional race at another meg, all new track with only 13 drivers making it to the finish line.

    With the quartet out front nose to tail thanks to Guenther clipping a wall and pulling the car over into retirement, throwing that caution, Cassidy headed Fenestraz by less than half a second with da Costa and Vergne for company.

    On Lap 24, Da Costa produced an outrageous pass to steal the lead from Cassidy at the trickiest part of the track – the Turn 7,8 and 9 combo.

    The Porsche driver then pulled enough gap to take his second mandatory ATTACK MODE and retake the lead but he missed the activation loop.

    Meanwhile, Fenestraz had made it by Cassidy to take a potential podium but heartbreakingly, the Nissan driver hit the wall on the final lap.

    The full top 10 are: P1: da Costa, P2: Vergne, P3: Cassidy, P4: Rast, P5: Buemi, P6: Ticktum, P7: Vandoorne, P8: Nato, P9: Lotterer and P10: Hughes.

  • Cape Town Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship makes it two brand new events in a fortnight, with the series’ maiden visit to South Africa and Cape Town for Round 5.

    The inaugural Cape Town E-Prix is Formula E’s first sub-Sahraran African event, with the spectacular Table Mountain providing the backdrop for the second of three consecutive events at new venues to the championship.

    The Mother City’s Green Point district provides the location for the high-speed 2.921km circuit, snaking around the DHL Stadium and skirting the coastline.

    It’s a fast-paced track, with bumpy braking zones, a tight chicane at Turns 4, 5 and 6 with a pacy, eye of the needle section midway around the lap.

    cape-town-track-map-details

    The Championship-

    With a quarter of the season complete, lets take a look at who is leading the championships.

    It’s TAG Heuer Porsche leading the Teams’ Championship, and Pascal Wehrlein leading the Drivers’ Championship. A double-win for the German in Diriyah followed a podium in the season-opener in Mexico City.

    Porsche didn’t have it their way in Hyderabad and neither did Jake Dennis in the Avalanche Andretti. The Brit was uncermoniously removed from a potential top three finish by an overenthusiastic move from Rene Rast.

    The resulting 16th-placed finish proved costly for Dennis – who’d won Round 1 in Mexico and followed it up with two 2nd places in Diriyah – allowed Wehrlein to extend his advantage.

    Jean-Eric Vergne kickstarted his and DS Penske’s season as they picked up the race win and silverware in Hyderabad with a vintage defensive drive.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 24th-

    • Free Practice 1- 14:55pm – 15:45pm (GMT)

    Saturday 25th-

    • Free Practice 2- 07:05am – 07:55am
    • Qualifying- 09:40am – 10:55am
    • Round 5- 14:03pm – 15:30pm

  • Frijns to sit out of Cape Town E-Prix

    After sustaining a hand fracture earlier this season, ABT CUPRA’s Robin Frijns has announced that he will also be sitting out this weekend’s trip to Cape Town.

    So Kelvin van der Linde continues in his spot, and what perfect timing as it’s Formula E’s first visit to South Africa for a ‘home’ Cape Town E-Prix

    Since the incident, which occurred during the first lap of the season-opener in Mexico, Frijns has been sharing updates of his recovery with fans online.

    Frijns had set himself the goal of racing at the upcoming round in South Africa. However, Kelvin van der Linde will continue as the reserve driver for the ABT CUPRA team.

    Frijns who has competed in 77 Formula E races will be hoping he’s ready to race at the next E-Prix which is Sao Paulo on the 25th March.

    We did the preparation in the simulator, which all went pretty smoothly. But after a few more checks on my hand, it seems that my bone has not fully healed just yet. It is a hard one to make, knowing the effort I put into this, but I will be back.

    Frijns on his injury.

  • Hyderabad Preview

    The 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be making an historic debut in India this weekend, with the city of Hyderabad playing host to Round 4 of Season 9.

    After a pair of storming night races in Diriyah produced a new standings leader and an overtaking masterclass across the second and third rounds of the season. The Hyderabad E-Prix Round 4 provides the next instalment of the Gen3 era and becomes the series’ 30th race location.

    The fourth race of the season, will be held on what is billed as India’s first street circuit, around the shores of the Hussain Sagar lake and by the NTR Gardens.

    A lap of the Hyderabad Street Circuit starts with a high speed lakeside run along the heart-shaped Hussain Sagar lake, before heading towards the first of the key overtaking sports at the Turn 3 hairpin.

    From here the track loops back round from Lumbini Park, where a quick right-left flick launches the pack down a short straight to a sharp left-hander that feeds into a tricky tree-lined series of turns. The final sector sees a short run into a 90-degree right-left chicane, then it’s just a right at the roundabout before the run to the finish line.

    hyderabad-track-map

    The passionate support will have home team, Mahindra Racing to cheer on, with 2017/17 Formula E Champion Lucas di Grassi and teammate Oliver Rowland in the cockpit for the Indian squad.

    It is important for us to have a good race in India – not only for the fans, but for the championship as well. It’s a new track for us, as it is for everyone up and down the grid. It needs to be a good weekend for us. We are going to try very hard and push to the limit to get the best out of the car. We can’t wait to see all the Indian fans out in force to support us and we want to give them a good show.

    Di Grassi on this weekend.

    Heading into Hyderabad we know where we need to improve following a difficult weekend in Diriyah. Having the home fans behind us will add to the motivation we have racing on the team’s home ground. We know they will be fully behind us and supporting us, which will give us the extra push to perform well.

    Added Rowland.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 10th-

    • Free Practice 1- 10:55am – 11:45am (GMT)

    Saturday 11th-

    • Free Practice 2- 02:35am – 03:25am
    • Qualifying- 05:10am – 06:25am
    • Round 4- 09:33am – 11:00am

  • Round 2 – Diriyah E-Prix

    Round 2 is complete, lets take a look at all the action from our first race of the double header.

    FP1-

    A little bit of rain didn’t dampen an action-packed Free Practice 1, with Jaguar TCS Racing’s Sam Bird topping the timesheets.

    Less than a second split the top 10 runners, with DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne slotting himself into second and his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne placing himself in fourth. Mitch Evans crossed the line third to make it a one-three result for team.

    There was early drama as Rast was attempting to pass the reigning champion, but ended up making contact with Vandoorne’s car.

    FP2-

    Dan Ticktum led the pack with a time of 1m 10.099s – the first time he’s topped a Formula E session. The Briton also made an impressive 0.202s gap to Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi in second place behind.

    The Jaguar TCS Racing powertains looked strong, Mitch Evans crossed the chequered flag third, and teammate Sam Bird followed in fifth.

    Unfortunately for the ABT CUPRA of Nico Mueller, his session was brought to a half after whacking his Gen3 machine into a barrier. The heavy damage, which was sustained to the rear left of the car, saw him immediately forced to pull over and come to a stop.

    Qualifying-

    Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi fired to Julius Baer Pole Position for his 100th Formula E race at the CORE Diriyah E-Prix – Round 2, as he beat rookie, Jake Hughes at the last minute.

    Hughes was told to push harder on his outlap to get the temperature up to a more optimal temp, he earlier pipped third-placed Dan Ticktum in the NIO 333 and Lucas Di Grassi (in the quarters).

    Hughes hung it all out on his hot lap and over the half way point of the lap there was nothing between either driver… The McLaren racer pulled it out of the bag over the final sector to fend of a determined Buemi but the Swiss bit back, as he went ahead with a perfect Sector 3.

    Round 2-

    Pascal Wehrlein stormed from ninth to the race win in the 2023 Diriyah E-Prix Round 2, with standings leader Jake Dennis following home in second after working his way through the pack aswell.

    The move for the lead came on Lap 30 at Turn 16, with Bird unable to hold back Wehrlein – both driver and car looking monstrous for a second race on the spin.

    Dennis in the Porsche-powered Avalanche Andretti took the fight all the way to the line all the way back in 11th on the grid but he couldn’t find a way past the race leader.

    Sam Bird was overjoyed to make the podium for the first time since winning in New York City back in Season 7 – calling it a ‘mini victory’ for himself and Jaguar after a tough Season 8 for the Brit.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Wehrlein, P2: Dennis, P3: Bird, P4: Buemi, P5: Rast, P6: Cassidy, P7: Vergne, P8: Hughes, P9: Lotterer and P10: Evans.

  • Diriyah Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship heads to Diriyah for Rounds 2 and 3 of Season 9 as we have a pair of night races in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

    The Diriyah Street Circuit, just outside of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, forgoes the permanent circuit layout of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City for a full street circuit – snaking the historic city’s walls at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

    Its a second new challenge in as many weeks with the snaking, bumpy bobsleigh run of the Diriyah track a favourite of the drivers – and it’s one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar for balancing energy management and outright pace, through drivers have never found overtaking a problem.

    With 21 twists and turns, the 2.495km Diriyah Street Circuit skirts around the historic World Heritage site. The Drivers face a challenging lap from the finish line as a technical first sector leads into the snaking Bobsleigh Run at Turn 6, a series of fast changes in quick succession.

    diriyah-track-map-details

    Last year’s visit to Diriyah saw De Vries win Round 1, as well as his teammate making a 1-2 for the Mercedes EQ team and Edoardo Mortara then won Round 2.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Thursday 26th-

    • Free Practice 1- 14:55pm – 15:45pm (GMT)

    Friday 27th-

    • Free Practice 2- 10:25am – 11:15am
    • Qualifying- 12:40pm – 13:55pm
    • Round 2- 17:03pm – 18:30pm

    Saturday 28th-

    • Free Practice 3- 10:25am – 11:15am
    • Qualifying- 12:40pm – 13:55pm
    • Round 3- 17:03pm – 18:30pm

  • Van der Linde to step in for Frijns

    Kelvin van der Linde will be making his debut in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Diriyah, with the 26 year-old set to replace Robin Frijns as the Dutchman begins his recovery from an injury to his hand.

    Frijns suffered fractures to his left hand in a collision on the first lap of the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix and underwent surgery that same evening in Mexico.

    Since the decision, van der Linde, who also lives in Kempten, has spent every day from morning until late evening at ABT, on data analysis and countless hours in the simulator.

    The South African competed for ABT in DTM in 2021 and 2022 and was a title contender right up to the finale in his debut season.

    He first got a taste of Formula E, at the 2020 rookie test in Marrakesh and is supporting ABT Cupra in simulator preparation this season too.

    Kelvin has been part of the ABT family for years in a variety of roles. He has been involved since the beginning of our comeback project and was intended as Reserve Driver right from the start – so it was immediately clear to us that he would take over from Robin. We are in constant contact with Robin and wish him a speedy recovery. Even though everyone in the team misses him a lot, we’re giving him all the time he needs to fully recover from the injury – that’s our absolute priority. The task and challenge for Kelvin to start in a World Championship without any testing is of course gigantic but he is highly motivated, works hard and the whole team will support him without any pressure.

    Thomas Biermaier, Team Boss.

    To compete in Formula E is a dream of mine – but of course I wanted the circumstances of my debut to be different. I’m very sorry for Robin and I hope he’ll be fit again quickly. I am happy about the trust and the challenge. Now I have a few long days ahead of me and then I will do my best to stand in for Robin as well as possible.

    Kelvin van der Linde, on him stepping in.

  • Round 1- Mexico City E-Prix

    Round 1 is now complete, lets take a look at all the action from our first ever Gen3 race and first round of Season 9.

    FP1-

    There was no hanging about in the first session of Mexico City E-Prix, as all 22 drivers got a chance to lock in laps in their all-new cars…

    With only pre-season testing under their belts the half an hour session, proved extremely valuable for the drivers. Teams will be keen to compare the data from the first practice session to pre-season testing in Valenica.

    Rast saved a big spin in the final moments of the session but was left with damage to his rear-left wheel and suspension. Several drivers, including reigning champion, Stoffel Vandoorne complained of issues with their rear axels locking at certain points around the 19 turn circuit.

    But it was Jean-Eric Vergne who topped the timesheets with a 1m 13.294s, with rookie Jake Hughes following him closely in 2nd and Sergio Sette Camara rounds out the top 3.

    FP2-

    The early morning session, brought a very cold track and air temperature at just six degrees celsius; which is highly unusual conditions for a Formula E race weekend, but it brought a new challenge for the Gen3 cars and Hankook tyres.

    The top 18 drivers were split by just a second, with only 0.865s diving Wherlein at the top of the timesheets and McLaren’s Rene Rast in 17th.

    As seen in FP1, drivers were still finding the limits of their new cars. A handful of drivers were still going straight on at Turn 1.

    But it was Pascal Wehrlein who took the top spot with a 1:13.496, JEV continues his run of good form as he finished second and then Sergio Sette Camara makes it two top 3 finishes as well as he rounded out the top 3.

    Qualifying-

    Mahindra Racing’s Lucas di Grassi strode to Julius Baer Pole Position for the Mexico City E-Prix taking advantage of Jake Dennis’ slip in the final.

    Both Di Grassi and Dennis were fighting hard to keep their cars in check over what set out looking like a scruffy final effort for both drivers. Ultimately, Dennis did fall foul, with a real deep dive into the hairpin at Turn 5 costing him.

    Rookie, Jake Hughes impressed once again with the NEOM McLaren driver winding up third on the grid after bypassing Dan Tickum in a sharp looking NIO 333 in the quarters, the latter lining up fifth. Fellow rookie, Sacha Fenestraz fired his Nissan into eighth after also making the duels.

    Neither DS Penske or Maserati could count a driver in the duels – massive turn around given their benchmark pace in testing. That meant reigning champion, Vandoorne would settle for 14th on the grid with it all to do.

    Round 1-

    Dennis soaked in the adulation of the Foro Sol and the packed grandstands watching on, with ultra-passionate Mexican fans here to be a part of the first race of Formula E’s latest generational leap.

    The Andretti driver made what would be the race-winning move on lap 12. From there, Dennis stretched his legs through three safety car periods, he was able to run away with lead – eventually heading home Wehrlein by a huge seven seconds. Wehrlein produced a storming driver, as last year’s winner pulled out an eventual 11 second margin on third place di Grassi.

    Robin Frijns was one driver who didn’t make it through the first few turns of the race which brought out an early safety car. As he went into the back of Norman Nato’s Nissan at Turn 9, with the ABT driver breaking his wrist.

    One lap after the restart, Sam Bird then grounded to a halt with another technical issue on the inside of Turn 2.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Dennis, P2: Wehrlein, P3: Di Grassi, P4: Lotterer, P5: Hughes, P6: Buemi, P7: Da Costa, P8: Evans, P9: Cassidy and P10: Vandoorne.

    We are back racing in just under two weeks for a double header of night races in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on the 27th & 28th January.

  • Mexico City Preview

    The season opener is finally here as we head to Mexico for Round 1 of Season 9; the 2023 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix, where we are jumping into the Gen3 era!

    Mexico has always been a mainstay on the Formula E calendar, since its initial appearance. With the first race taking place in Season 2, Mexico City has been on the calendar every season since apart from Season (with Puebla filling the gap).

    The 19 turn, 2.630km circuit is a perfect mix of long, fast straights and a technical infield section that passes right through the legendary Foro Sol stadium – housing tens of thousands of fans.

    With race-ready surface and long corners, Mexico City is not only of the fastest tracks on the calendar but its also the highest at 2,250m above sea level.

    The Mexico City E-Prix will be running on a new track layout with a chicane being added after Turn 8, down the back straight. The 19 turn layout will be the fourth different configuration across the seven Mexico City E-Prix.

    Last years visit to Mexico saw Pascal Wehrlein claim his maiden Formula E victory, with the German leading home Andre Lotterer for a Porsche 1-2.

    The last three Julius Baer Pole Positions in Mexico City have been claimed by German drivers, however pole position isn’t always the spot to be in Mexico, with three of the six pole sitters having failed to make it to the chequered flag.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 13th January-

    • Free Practice 1- 22:30pm – 23:00pm (GMT)

    Saturday 14th January-

    • Free Practice 2- 13:30pm – 14:00pm (GMT)
    • Qualifying- 15:40pm – 16:55pm
    • Race- 20:03pm – 21:00pm

  • TAG Heuer Porsche announce test & reserve drivers

    David Beckmann has joined the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team as its Test and Reserve driver for Season 9, whilst Simona de Silvestro also makes a return in the role.

    Beckmann contested the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2022 and was Test and Reserve Driver for Avalanche Andretti through Season 8, which will be using Porsche powertrains as a customer outfit in 2022/23.

    He will retain his role this season and Porsche’s factory Formula E squad can now also draw on his expertise.

    We’re delighted that David will be joining our TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team as a test and reserve driver. He has spent a considerable part of his young career in single-seaters and has also gained Formula E experience with Avalanche Andretti. We’re excited to benefit from his input and expertise.

    Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport.

    Beckmann’s colleague Simona de Silvestro joined Porsche in 2019 and will continue as a Test and Reserve driver in Season 9.

    Throughout her career, the Swiss driver has competed in numerous international racing series. After claiming her first single-seater successes in Europe, she then moved to the USA at the age of 18, where she ended up in the IndyCar Series via Formula BMW and Formula Toyota Atlantic.

    Simona de Silvestro has also contested Formula E, driving for Michael Andretti’s team in the 2015/2016 season. In 2014, she was part of Sauber’s Formula 1 team.

  • Turvey joins DS Penske

    DS Penske have announced that Oliver Turvey would be staying in Formula E as a Reserve Driver and Sporting Advisor, having left long-time team NIO 333 at the end of Season 8.

    Turvey, one of the most experienced heads in Formula E, with 90 races under his belt which places him in sixth on the all time table for entries, will join double champion Jean-Eric Vergne and reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne in pushing the team forward.

    Having been around from Gen1 and Season 1 all the way through to Gen3, Turvey brings immense experience to the table and the team feels he adds considerable weight and know-how to an already strong line-up.

    Oliver not only brings incredible credentials to the team, but an acute racing intellect. He has all the qualities we were looking for with this role. He is experienced and has demonstrated his racecraft throughout the last seasons. We look forward to working with Oliver in Season 9 and beyond.

    Jay Penske, owner and team principal.

    I am delighted to be joining DS Penske as Reserve Driver and Sporting Advisor. It is a real privilege to join a championship-winning team and one of the most successful manufacturers in Formula E history. I am looking forward to working closely with both JEV, Stoffel, and the whole team, using my experience in the series to help them challenge for another championship at the beginning of the Gen3 era.

    Turvey on his new role.

  • Portland added to Season 9 calendar

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is set to race for the first time in Portland, Oregon on 24th June next year, following approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.

    Portland will host Round 12 of the updated Season 9 calendar of 16 races in 11 cities, which also includes championship debuts in Hyderabad, India; Cape Town, South Africa and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    Formula E has raced in the USA every year since Season 1 in 2015, with the exception of COVID-hit Season 6 in 2020. Long Beach, Miami and New York City have previously hosted races.

    Fans attending the race in Portland will see the USA debut of the Gen3 race car. New for Season 9, the Gen3 is the third generation of race car in Formula E and the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built.

    The updated Season 9 calendar reflects the removal of an event previously shown as TBD in May 2023 and means the race programme is complete, subject to FIA circuit homologation of new venues.

    We are excited to bring the premier electric motorsport world championship to Portland for the first time in June next year. There is a big, passionate fanbase for professional sports in the city, together with strong ecological credentials which makes Portland a perfect host for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The USA remains an important market for Formula E. We are delighted to maintain that critical presence and engage a new audience in the Pacific Northwest region in all-electric motorsport.

    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer.

  • Daruvala joins Mahindra Racing

    Mahindra Racing has added single-seater racer, Jehan Daruvala to the team’s roster as its Reserve Driver for Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    The 24 year old is the first and only Indian Formula 2 race winner and has recently completed three Formula 1 tests with McLaren. Having won four Formula 2 races, and being a multiple time podium sitter, Daruvala has built on a swift rise up the junior formula ladder after stepping up to Formula 3 in 2019, where he achieved two wins and finished third in his rookie season.

    Daruvala was then promoted to Formula 2 and in 2021, he came third in the F3 Asian Championship, racing for Indian outfit Mumbai Falcons, where he took three race wins and a further five podiums, as well as three pole positions and fastest laps.

    Daruvala will be pending his time at the team’s Banbury HQ, working on the simulator alongside engineers, proving car development and race support for drivers Lucas Di Grassi and Oliver Rowland. There are also plans for him to attend some races, including the team’s inaugural home E-Prix in Hyderabad.

    To be a part of an Indian motorsport team is a dream come true. Formula E is very competitive, and I am really excited about this new chapter of my career. Season 9 promises to be very exciting with the all-new Gen 3 car and I am looking forward to learning and contributing, especially to car development and supporting the team. Mahindra Racing’s pioneering efforts in promoting sustainability globally are commendable and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute.

    Daruvala on his new role.

    We are delighted to welcome Jehan to our team. As a founding member, Mahindra Racing has diligently worked towards promoting Formula E globally and we are pleased to bring a young, accomplished Indian race driver to this fantastic sport. Jehan, with his experience and results across single-seaters, will add a great wealth of knowledge to our development program. With Formula E’s debut race in India, this is an especially exciting year for us, and we are excited to give the Indian fans a truly global experience.

    Asha Kharga, Chairperson Mahindra Racing

  • Hughes signs with McLaren Neom

    Jake Hughes will complete NEOM McLaren Formula E Team’s driver line-up for the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with the outfit announcing he will compete alongside Rene Rast.

    Hughes can count on more than 10 years experience in single seaters across BRDC Formula 4, where he became its inaugural champion, Formula Renault, and eventually graduating to Formula 2 for 2022, having secured several during a prior stint in Formula 3.

    Alongside his Formula 2 campaign, Hughes took on the role of Reserve and Development driver with Mercedes-EQ, contributing to the title-winning campaigns.

    Hughes will now graduate to a race seat at the team as it kicks off its Gen3 effort under the McLaren banner.

    First and foremost, I’m very proud and feel very privileged to become part of the McLaren Racing family, being given the chance to represent such a prestigious brand. Growing up, McLaren was one of the teams that inspired me to start racing. To now go full circle, representing the team myself in Formula E feels incredible. I’ve obviously been with the Formula E team in a different guise before and we have already achieved great results. It’s good to have that relationship and I know what’s expected of me. Coming in at a time where a new generation car is introduced in the series excites me. It feels like a good opportunity and chance, especially being a rookie in Season 9. It’s set to be a great year and I can’t wait to kick off the journey ahead!

    Hughes on his seat.

    I am delighted to announce our full driver line-up for our inaugural season in Formula E. A hugely exciting prospect in single seater competition, Jake also has a history with the team as a development and reserve driver. Alongside Rene, who is particularly skilled in a wide range of series, which includes previous experience in Formula E, I believe that this pairing will be crucial in helping us hit the ground running in our first season in the series as the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team.

    Zak Brown, CEO McLaren Racing.

    Since May this year, when we first announced McLaren Racing’s entry into Formula E, we have been working tirelessly to get in place the best possible team and structure for sustainable success. On the one hand, we have been working on the retention of the amazing talent that already was in place before going into the transitional phase. I’m proud to say I think we’ve done a great job on that front. On the other hand, we have been focusing on putting in place new processes and new talent – and the latter includes the drivers. Jake is an exciting talent, who we have worked with before as our Reserve and Development driver. Over the years, the team and Jake have built a relationship, and that, combined with his sheer talent, will be what can give us an edge going into this season. We’ve given Jake a chance to prove himself on the big stage in Season 9, and his story is a perfect example of the talent development that we believe in as a team.

    Ian James, Managing Director McLaren.

  • Season 9 sporting regs announced

    Formula E and the FIA announced a series of updates to the sporting regulations for Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship following approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

    Laps replace time-

    Races will now run laps instead of time period. To maintain consistency with the switch to laps, Safety Car and Full Course Yellow interruptions to racing will now be compensated by added laps, replacing the additional racing time feature.

    Attack Charge will be introduced at select races later in Season 9-

    Attack Charge will be introduced later in Season 9: Formula E and the FIA have been working with strategic technology partner to develop pioneering battery and charging capabilities that will allow the new smaller, faster and lighter Gen3 cars to receive a boost of energy in the race.

    This collaboration has resulted in the development of a battery capable of receiving 4kWh of energy inside 30 seconds – the most advanced EV battery in the world today.

    A mandatory 30-second Attack Charge stop during a re-determined period in the race will unlock two enhanced Attack Mode periods to be deployed later in the race where the power output of the Gen3 race cars increase from 300kW to 250kW.

    Rookie drivers given platform to impress-

    Every team must complete at least two Free Practice 1 sessions during the season with a driver who has never previously competed in the championship. The goal is to give up and coming drivers the chance to experience the unique qualities of Formula E racing to contribute to the progress of the team.

    Our updated sporting regulations are evidence of the continued evolution and positive impact of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship for drivers, teams, partners and fans into the consumer EV world. The combination of sporting enhancements, a step change in car performance, cutting-edge battery technology and the innovation of Attack Charge will make our racing more competitive and entertaining while showcasing the future for EV development. This is at the heart of what Formula E set out to achieve and we look forward to seeing the new generation come to life in Season 9.

    Jamie Reigle, CEO Formula E.

    Capitalising upon a successful Season 8, we have now made further slight modifications to the racing format as we endeavour to bring the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to an ever-wider audience while encouraging teams to trial fresh talent. With the advent of the eagerly-anticipated Gen3 single-seater, a 22-strong grid featuring iconic automotive names and some of the best drivers in the sport, I am confident that Formula E’s new era will be bright.

    Pablo Martino, Head of Formula E Sporting Matters, FIA.

  • Maserati announce Season 9 line-up

    Maserati MSG Racing has confirmed their driver line-up for Season 9, which is Edoardo Mortara and Maximilian Guenther.

    Mortara extends his relationship with the outfit as Maserati joins the fold for Gen3, whilst Guenther makes the move after stints at Dragon, BMW/Andretti and Nissan.

    The former put himself in the picture for Drivers’ World Championship honours in both Season 7 and 8 and spearheaded the team to second in the Teams’ standings and its best points-haul to date in Formula E, under its prior Venturi guise.

    The Swiss-Italian took the title fight to the finale for the second season in a row, finishing runner-up last time out with four wins. That tally was an unbeaten high but a sticky patch – non scores in London and the Seoul opener – gave eventual champion Stoffel Vandoorne the edge despite Mortara’s victory in the final race of the Gen2 era in South Korea.

    Since joining in Season 4, the team has become home for me and I’m really happy to continue my journey with such a collection of hard working and talented individuals into Season 9 and beyond. The past five seasons have been some of the best of my career … and I’m looking forward to building upon our current success together in Gen3. As a Swiss-Italian, representing the Maserati brand in their return to international motorsport will be a great honour. I’m also looking forward to working with Max who has already shown promise as a Formula E driver. As the reigning Vice-World Champions, it’s a great time to be joining the team and I think Max and I will make a strong team as we take on the championship together.

    Mortara on racing for Maserati.

    Joining Mortara is Formula E’s youngest race winner, Maximilian Guenther, who will set about his fifth season in the championship. The 25 year old has three wins to his name. Guenther has crossed paths with Mortara as far back as 2016, and sees the pair’s analytical approach as a collective strength.

    I’m very proud to be joining the Maserati MSG Racing family alongside Edo ahead of Season 9. I have a lot of admiration for the team and their achievements in recent seasons – they have been tough to beat and fully deserve their current status as Vice-World Champions. To be part of the Maserati brand’s return to racing in partnership with MSG Racing is a huge honour for me and I‘m looking forward to building something very strong together. I first met Edo back in 2016 and we have similar values when it comes to racing – we’re both very detail orientated and driven for success. We have always had a great relationship on and off the track, based on mutual respect. I believe we’ll make a formidable team and I know that we will work hard together to ensure we extract the maximum performance together with the team. I can’t wait to get this exciting journey started.

    Guenther on his new team.

    Season 9 marks an exciting new era for Formula E and I’m delighted to extend our existing relationship with Edo, and welcome Max to the team. Edo has been a cornerstone of our operation since 2017 and, ahead of his sixth season, he’s undoubtedly one of the best drivers on the grid. We’re very excited to see him be partnered by Max who is an exceptional young talent with immense promise and potential. In this pairing, we have a very strong driver lineup for Gen3, and we intend to be in a position to fight at the very front. We have exciting times ahead.

    Team Principal, James Rossiter.

    As Maserati heads back to racing we’re delighted to welcome Max and Edo into the Trident family for Season 9 in what is set to be an exciting and electrifying new era in Formula E. We’re proud to be back on track where we belong, powered by passion and innovative by nature. In the race for performance, we’ll be taking Maserati forward as we charge on the streets of the world’s most iconic cities. Formula E is more than just a racing series, for us, it’s a competitive platform bringing new technologies to accelerate the development of high efficiency electrified powertrains and intelligent software for our sport road cars. And, as the first Italian brand to join, we’re looking forward setting in motion our full-electric Folgore strategy.

    Giovanni Tommaso Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse.

  • Cape Town added to Season 9 Calendar

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is set to race in Cape Town, South Africa for the first time on 25th February 2023, following approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.

    The original calendar draft unveiled after the WMSC meeting in June featured three calendar slots to be confirmed, with the already agreed Cape Town E-Prix left off the provisional schedule.

    In further updates to the Season 9 calendar, Berlin will now host a double-header race weekend on 22 and 23rd April while the two races previously announced for Seoul have been removed from the calendar. Rounds 10 and 13 are still to be finalised and will be announced at a later date.

    RoundLocationDate
    Pre-Season TestingValencia, SpainDec 13 – 16
    Round 1Mexico City, MexicoJan 14
    Round 2 & 3Diriyah, Saudi ArabiaJan 27 – 28
    Round 4Hyderabad, IndiaFeb 11
    Round 5Cape Town, South AfricaFeb 25
    Round 6Sao Paulo, BrazilMar 25
    Round 7 & 8 Berlin, GermanyApr 22 – 23
    Round 9MonacoMay 6
    Round 10TBDMay 20
    Round 11 & 12Jakarta, IndonesiaJun 3 – 4
    Round 13TBDJun 24
    Round 14 & 15Rome, ItalyJul 15 – 16
    Round 16 & 17London, UKJul 29 – 30
    Updated Calendar

    We are excited to announce Cape Town as a new destination for our series in Season 9. Our local partners are working incredibly hard to bring an ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race to the city and we cannot wait to see the futuristic Gen3 race cars competing against the iconic natural backdrop of Table Mountain. Renovation work at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul, the venue for our first races in South Korea earlier this year, means we cannot return to the same location next season as originally planned and so we are exploring other options in South Korea to replace this venue. We are also in active discussions with more world cities and venues to host an event on the other date without a confirmed location.

    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E.

  • DS Automobiles, Penske Autosport to partner as DS Penske

    DS Automobiles one of Formula E’s most successful marques is set to begin a new chapter as a partner of PENSKE AUTOSPORT, with the newly christened DS Penske.

    Not only this, they have confirmed their driver line-up for Season 9, they welcome the current World Champion, Stoffel Vandoorne alongside double champion, Jean-Eric Vergne.

    With the new partnership alongside one of motorsport’s most recognisable team names sealed, and two of the quickest drivers on the grid in the bag. With the Director of DS Performance, Thomas Chevaucher has his eyes on silverware including the world titles.

    DS was among one of the first manufacturers to enter Formula E back in 2015, and the French marque continues to see the world’s foremost electric racing series as key to its race to road technology transfer and research development.

    The start of a new association is always a big moment, and all of us at DS Performance are eager to begin this new adventure with PENSKE AUTOSPORT. We are starting this partnership in the best possible way by having two champions in the team! Thanks to Stoffel and Jean-Eric, we probably have one of the best line-ups and also the fastest pairing on the grid. With the powertrain and software expertise of DS Performance, we are now in an ideal position to continue our hunt for victories and titles.

    Thomas Chevaucher.

    We’re thrilled to partner with DS Automobiles, an iconic automotive brand who shares our ambitions in striving for excellence. This is a major milestone for our team, and something we have been looking forward to for years. Together we will push the technological boundaries in our hunt for performance and wins. With world champion driver Stoffel and two-time champion Jean-Eric, I am confident that we have one of the strongest line-ups on the grid!

    Jay Penske, Founder and Owner of PENSKE AUTOSPORT.

  • Ticktum sticks with NIO 333

    Dan Ticktum will be competing for a second year in Formula E with NIO 333, with the driver signing on for Gen3’s bow and Season 9 with the Anglo-Chinese team.

    Ticktum impressed in his debut campaign, regularly mixing it with outgoing teammate Oliver Turvey. His high of the season came in Rome with points and 10th spot.

    The British driver revealed over social media that he too had been in the car since the Seoul finale, and was at the team’s Silverstone HQ for a seat fit on Tuesday morning.

    I’ve been in the car a couple of times and it’s a big step forward from Gen2; I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m really looking forward to getting cracking with this new era of electric racing.

    Ticktum on his new contract.

    Sergio Sette Camara singed for NIO 333 in September and has since tested the teams ER9 Gen3 in both Italy and England as the team steps up its preparations for Season 9 and Formula E’s new era.

    With the announcement that Ticktum would join him, one of Formula E’s longest-standing and most experienced racers, Oliver Turvey says his goodbyes to the team – having been a part of the squad from the inaugural 2014/15 campaign.

  • Tokyo targets Formula E race for Season 10

    Japan has taken the first positive step towards hosting a round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship after Formula E and Tokya Metropolitan Government today signed an agreement with the goal of delivering a race in Tokyo.

    Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike and Jamie Reigle, CEO Formula E met this morning at an official signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

    The agreement will see Tokyo city authorities and Formula E work together with an objective of bringing a race to Tokyo in spring 2024, subject to FIA approval in the area around Tokyo Big Sight, the largest international exhibition centre in Japan.

    I am excited and honoured to stand alongside Governor Koike and announce the collaborative partnership between Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Formula E. Together we will work to bring a Formula E race to the city in 2024 in support of the Zero Emission Tokyo commitment. Tokyo is an iconic world city, recognised as an innovator in consumer technology, a leader in the automotive industry and a global cultural trendsetter. Formula E is delighted to partner with Tokyo Metropolitan Government to establish the city as a reference in zero emissions initiatives.

    Jamie Reigle.

    Nissan was among the first to commit to Formula E’s new Gen3 era, which is set to get underway with testing in Valencia in December, before the lights go out on the Season 9 opener in Mexico City on 14th January.

    We are very enthusiastic about this announcement from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Formula E. As the first Japanese automaker participating in the championship, we would be delighted to have an E-Prix in Tokyo in 2024. In addition, from this season we will be competing as one team for the first time, following the acquisition of e.dams earlier this year, and we would love to have the opportunity to race with our own racing team in our home market.

    The Japanese outfit’s Managing Director, Tommaso Volpe talking on the excitement of Japan possibly joining the calendar for the first time in Season 10.

    The planned schedule for next season currently features 18 races between January and July 2023 on street circuits in 13 cities, beating the previous record of 16 races in 10 different cities.

  • Buemi joins Envision

    Envision Racing has just signed Sebastien Buemi on a multi-year deal, starting with the inaugural Gen3 campaign in Season 9, racing alongside Nick Cassidy at the outfit.

    The Season 2 champion, has joined the British-based team after having a long association with both Nissan and Renault, run by e.dams which stretched back all the way back to Formula E’s very first 2014/15 campaign.

    Buemi is one of the most experienced and successful drivers on the grid with 98 race starts, 13 wins, 29 podium and 14 Julius Baer Pole Positions in his Formula E career so far.

    Envision are hoping, Buemi – who is also a four-time Le Mans winner will lead the team heading into Formula E’s new era with the 33 year-old having his eyes on the sharp end of the grid.

    It’s an interesting time to be part of Formula E and I can’t wait to start driving for Envision Racing next season. I have always had a huge amount of respect for the team, and I believe they’ve done a great job in maximising results over the years. The new Gen3 era is hugely important for the sport and presents a new challenge, with a faster, lighter and more powerful car. My objective is to fight at the front, so I’m looking forward to start testing and preparing myself ahead of the first race in Mexico City.

    Buemi on his move to Envision.

    As a team, we’re always aiming to be as competitive as possible. In Sebastien we’re confident that we have one of the fastest, most experienced, and ambitious drivers on the grid, which gives us great confidence going into the new season. We believe that alongside Nick Cassidy, we have two drivers that can help us to compete at the front of the grid and challenge for both team and driver championship titles next season.

    Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director

  • Hankook becomes Tyre Supplier to Formula E

    Hankook will be the new and exclusive Technical Partner and Tyre Supplier of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    At an event in the Swarovski Crystal World in Austria, Hankook officially presented the newly developed Hankook iON race tyres to guests and representatives of Formula E.

    The new tyres has been developed in close cooperation with the racing series and is particularly aimed at meeting the sustainability needs of Formula E and the future of e-mobility. Nearly 30% of the new tyre, which is specially tailored to the third generation of Formula E race cars, is made of sustainable materials.

    The Formula E teams currently have access to a tyre variant that can be used in both dry and wet conditions, in order to further save resources.

    Furthermore, the long durability of the tyre is another pioneering step. After the respective race weekends, Hankook completely recycles every set of tyres ensuring the championship is as sustainable as possible.

    We are thrilled to welcome Hankook to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. We are proud to partner with a global player recognised as a top tyre manufacturer that lives and breathes motorsport as a fundamental aspect of its corporate philosophy. Hankook’s vast experience working with race teams at circuits around the world, its pioneering innovation and commitment to sustainability make it a perfect match for the championship and our new Gen3 car.

    Formula E CEO, Jamie Reigle.

  • Sette Camara joins NIO 333

    NIO 333 Formula E team officially welcome, Sergio Sette Camara to the China and Silverstone based squad for the start of the new Gen3 era.

    Sergio will be making his track debut in the teams NIO 333 ER9 electric challenger at the Autodromo di Varano in Italy this week.

    The Brazilian joins the team after several impressive performances during Season 8 including reaching the Qualifying Duels, at the Berlin, New York, London and Seoul event and scoring a 9th place at the 2022 London E-Prix.

    It is unsure yet who will be his teammate for the next season, it would be wise to keep someone who knows the team but the Gen3 era is a fresh start.

    I am very happy to join the NIO 333 family and I want to thank everyone in the team who believed in me for this opportunity. I have been very open about my wish to remain in the Formula E championship, and I am super excited about the new Gen3 car.

    Sergio Sette Camara.

    We are delighted to be able to bring Sergio onboard. He is a fantastic talent and we have been hugely impressed by his approach already. Securing his services completes another part of the NIO 333 Formula E team jigsaw progressing further up the Formula E grid. We are heading towards Season 9 with a lot of motivation and some very positive momentum.

    Alex Hui, Team Principal.

  • Lotterer signs to Andretti

    Andre Lotterer will be joining Avalanche Andretti in Season 9, partnering Jake Dennis for the start of the Gen3 era of the Formula E World Championship.

    With five seasons in Formula E, three of which came at the wheel of the works TAG Heuer Porsche where the German scored four second place finishes, he now switches to the American-run outfit who will be getting powered by the Stuttgart squad.

    The 40 year old from Duisburg has had a storied motorsport career. On top of a total of eight podiums in Formula E he also boasts success in Japan with title success in Super GT and Super Formula, alongside an impressive endurance racing career, securing the World Endurance Championship in 2012 and winning the historic 24 Houre of Le Mans three times.

    I’m excited to be joining Avalanche Andretti for Season 9 and the start of the Gen3 era. Working together with Jake [Dennis] will be a great combination to continue to push the team to the front of the field in Formula E.

    Andre Lotterer on joining Andretti.

    We’re always building to be at the front of each series we compete in. Andre is bringing a wealth of experience to Avalanche Andretti and is another step in creating a team that can challenge for wins and the World Championship. We are looking forward to him joining alongside Jake to create a competitive and exciting line up.

    Andretti on the new signing.