Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Berlin

  • RND 10 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP3-

    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.

  • Fittipaldi & Van Der Linde to drive for Jaguar

    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 Rookies for Berlin

    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.

  • Round 8 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP3-

    Mitch Evans led the way in a wet Free Practice 3 ahead of the SABIC Berlin E-Prix Round 8, with Gen3 seeing its first outing in rainy conditions, with Saturday’s race winner on it right away.

    Rain fell overnight with a light drizzle in the morning creating a slick track surface for the 22 car field to contend with.

    NEOM McLaren’s Rene Rast required recovery early on with technical issues, other than that brief Red Flag stoppage, it was a valuable, busy session as teams gathered data.

    Mitch Evans put in a 1m 15.955s – some 10 seconds down on FP1’s dry pace – with teammate Sam Bird down in 12th. More encouragement for Jaguar TCS Racing, with its car looking quick in all conditions.

    Qualifying-

    Robin Frijns and ABT CUPRA pulled off one of the shocks of Season 9 so far in Berlin as the Dutchman headed an all-ABT front-row lockout in the first wet qualifying session.

    We saw the ABT CUPRA cars hook it up and finally find their feet, with the stunning front-row lock out in front of the team’s home support. That was Frijns’ second ever Julius Baer Pole Position and a first for the team since its return to the series as well as for partners CUPRA.

    Sam Bird couldn’t replicate his pace from yesterday and failed to make it through to the Duels – a big change from being on the front row the day before.

    Maximilian Guenther also had a poor result, and will start his race towards the back of the grid after finishing last in the Group B qualifying. With it being the first time in five races that he has failed to progress into the qualifying Duels.

    Round 8-

    Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy picked his moment to hit the front and went on to seal the race win in the SABIC Berlin E-Prix Round 8, as he got the best of a tight field to clamber from eighth to the top set of the podium.

    The unique Berlin Tempelhof Circuit threw up a second intensely tactical race in as many days, brimming with overtakes – 172 in total making for 362 over the weekend.

    The Kiwi started eighth and hit the front on Lap 25, he drove supremely to stay there – setting the pace, given the okay from his engineer on Lap 33, and mastering Formula E’s tightrope of ultimate pace, racecraft and energy.

    Jake Dennis was in striking distance come the chequered flag, just half a second back at the flag but not close enough to topple Cassidy – who now has four podiums on the spin and draws to within four points of standings leader Pascal Wehrlein.

    Wehrlein started sixth, in a stronger position than recent races having complained of poor one-lap pace in qualifying. He did lead a couple of times – the first on Lap 15 – but ultimately couldn’t live with the leader and found himself shuffled to seventh at the race’s end.

    The standout drive was arguably Maximilian Guenther’s from 21st on the grid. The Maserati MSG Racing driver followed up on securing the team’s first podium in Round 7 with a sixth a day later – climbing 15 positions through the pack.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Cassidy, P2: Dennis, P3: Vergne, P4: Evans, P5: Da Costa, P6: Guenther, P7: Wehrlein, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Muller and P10: Ticktum.

    We are back racing in just under two weeks, with our next race being in Monaco on the 6th May for Round 9!

  • Round 7 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP1-

    DS PENSKE’s Stoffel Vandoorne set the early pace in Free Practice 1 at the SABIC Berlin E-Prix. The reigning Drivers’ World Champion popped in a 1m 05.803s at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit which has held the most races in Formula E history.

    A second split the top 20 drivers, with the top nine being separated by only three tenths!

    Behind Vandoorne, it was Avalanche Andretti’s Jake Dennis in second place, with Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther in third.

    The Maserati of Edoardo Mortara brought out a brief yellow flag around ten minutes into the session as his Gen3 car went into the barriers. Later on in the session, Robin Frijns went for a little spin in his ABT Cupra.

    FP2-

    Maserati MSG Racing continued to look strong at the SABIC Berlin E-Prix, as Maximilian Guenther delighted his home crowd by going fastest in Free Practice 2 with the quickest time seen around the circuit – 1m 05.301s.

    Behind Guenther was Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy in second who is currently on a streak of three consecutive podiums. Double Formula E Champion, Jean-Eric Vergne slotted into third.

    Edoardo Mortara, almost had a repeat of his FP1 incident yesterday. However, only moments later Mahindra Racing’s Oliver Rowland sent his M9Electro into the barriers after a hefty lock up at Turn 1.

    Qualifying-

    Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi took a Formula E record 16th, and second Julius Baer Pole Position of the season, much to surprise after making two mistakes on his final qualifying lap and dealing with a recently broken bone in his hand.

    With both Buemi and Bird being powered by the Jaguar I-TYPE 6, it was always going to be close, but it was Buemi who snatched pole by over a tenth to second place Sam Bird.

    NIO 333’s qualifying went from strength to strength after Dan Ticktum joined his teammate into Quarters, who have never had both their cars in Duels stage since it was introduced at the start of Season 8.

    For home heroes, TAG Heuer Porsche, Antonio Felix da Costa ended Group A in 10th, his worst performance in the Groups this year. His teammate, Pascal Wehrlein, could only manage eighth in Group A too – the same he did last time out in Brazil.

    Round 7-

    Jaguar TCS Racing played a blinder with their race strategy to seal a Mitch Evans, Sam Bird one-two in a beautifully chaotic SABIC Berlin E-Prix Round 7 that saw 190 overtakes and a record 20 at the line lead changes and eight different race leaders.

    Throughout the entire race distance, some 43 laps, the field never mind the top 10, proved to be completely inseparable. Dan Ticktum had launched himself into the lead in style with a stunning move around the outside of Turn 1 right by Sebastien Buemi, Sam bird and Stoffel Vandoorne.

    Glancing at the timing screens yielded a different race leader at almost every stage as positions changed left and right, with the first of two spells under the Safety Car compounding things further and seeing the field split by just over five seconds at a little over the halfway stage.

    The Jaguar pair and Buemi then clambered to fill out the top three spots after Guenther had briefly taken P1 as the race headed into its closing stages. The Jaguar powered cars went on to stretch their legs, with Guenther looking to pick up the pieces as the front three squabbled for the race lead.

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

  • Van Der Linde & Evans join Jaguar for Testing

    Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Champion, Simon Evans joins Sheldon Van Der Linde, in Jaguar TCS Racing’s Rookie Test line-up.

    Simon Evans, elder brother of Mitch Evans, will return to the iconic Tempelhof Circuit where he was crowned Champion of the 2020 Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY race series, three years after an epic ‘lockdown showdown’ finale.

    The 32 year old Kiwi will step into the cockpit of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 as part of his long-awaited prize for winning the all electrical production based race series.

    I’m incredibly excited to be taking part in the official rookie test for Jaguar TCS Racing. The Jaguar family has always meant a lot to me, and I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. It’s the first time I will have been back to Berlin since I won the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY at the Tempelhof circuit. It’s definitely going to bring back some great memories. I know the track very well but it’s been a long time since I’ve driven a single-seater. I’m going to enjoy myself, while hopefully getting some valuable data for the team.

    Evans on the opportunity.

    South African, Sheldon Van Der Line, will be joining Evans in his Gen3 test debut. The BMW factory driver has raced in DTM for the last four years and is currently 2022 DTM Champion.

    The 23 year old started karting at the age of six, and gained a wealth of experience and won multiple national titles before moving into cars in 2014. Since then, Sheldon has continued his impressive career and seen success in the ADAC Total 24 hour of Nurburgring.

    I’m very proud to be joining Jaguar TCS Racing for my first rookie test in the Jaguar I-TYPE 6. The rookie test is a really great opportunity for young and upcoming drivers to try new motorsport categories and I’m really looking forward to driving the Gen3 race car for the first time. I’ve visited the team in Grove and have been working closely with the engineers to familiarise myself with the simulator, systems and procedures to be best prepared for what’s ahead in Berlin. From what I’ve heard, Formula E is particularly challenging if you’re a rookie, so it will be great to get some valuable experience in the all-electric racing series.

    Van der Linde on the experience.

    The test is an important day for both teams and drivers and I’m very pleased that we have Simon and Sheldon driving the Jaguar I-TYPE 6. It’s an opportunity to give new and upcoming talent a chance and assessment in the GEN3 race car and for us as a team to continue to build valuable data and insight into this new car. Simon has been a stand-out member of the Jaguar family, racing in the Jaguar I-TYPE eTROPHY for two seasons and ultimately becoming champion in a very competitive season. Mitch is also very proud to see his brother have this opportunity. Sheldon’s resume is without question and we are very pleased to have this very talented young driver in one of our cars. We’re looking forward to seeing how he approaches his time with us and his feedback.

    James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.

  • Kvyat & Azcona for NIO 333 in rookie test

    NIO 333 has selected former Formula 1 driver, Daniil Kvyat and World Touring Car champion Mikel Azcona for the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Kyvat raced in F1 as part of the Red Bull stable for six years between 2014 and 2020 at Scuderia Toro Rosso/ Alpha Tauri and Red Bull Racing, securing three podium finishes.

    Since then, he has made three outings in the NASCAR Cup Series last year, and sits second in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 category this season.

    I’m really excited to be trying the Formula E car for the first time ever and with NIO 333 Racing. I think Formula E has proved for many years to be a very competitive, high-level championship, with very interesting environmental goals as well. The racing is very fast, and very competitive. The team has also been making a lot of progress, especially this year, and has room to grow and fight for even stronger positions in the future. It’ll be interesting to see what we can do together at this test.

    Kvyat on the test.

    Spaniard, Mikel Azcona will appear alongside Kvyat in the sister ER9 at the test. The touring car specialist won the WTCR FIA World Touring Car Cup last year, and is a twice European touring car champion in TCR EUrope.

    Azcona also went two seasons competing in the FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup, where he was a three-time event winner in the electric touring car series, which featured rear-wheel drive EVs competing at up to 500kW of power.

    It’s a really nice feeling to be at the Rookie Test, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that NIO 333 has given me. It’s something new for me in my career, and it’s my first time driving a single-seater since 2012. So I really want to improve my skills there, and I really want to learn about this new technology. It’s going to be interesting seeing what I can bring from my time in electric touring car racing, which was also new to me, but where I was very competitive. Some of the technology is similar in theory, but I’m expecting it to be quite something else when I get into the Formula E car.

    Azcona on the opportunity.

  • DS Penske confirm Shwartzman & Stevens

    DS Penske has confirmed Will Stevens and Robert Shwartzman for the Rookie Test on the 24th April.

    Stevens started his career as a European and Asia Pacific Karting champion, through the top junior single seater categories before impressing enough to make it to Formula 1.

    He them moved into sportscars and endurance racing in 2016 – joining the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 category, where he’s sealed multiple wins and podiums as well as the 2023 title as well as a win at Le Mans.

    I am really happy to be taking in a new challenge in Formula E with DS PENSKE. This is completely different from any other race series I’ve been in, but I am hoping my experience in many other categories will give me a head start as a rookie. I have a sense of what the car is like from the work I have done in the simulator so far and look forward to the challenge ahead. I am curious to try it first hand, especially around such a unique track that is Berlin. Together with some of the best drivers and manufacturers in the world makes it an exciting place to be.

    The 31 year old on the experience.

    Shwartzman is currently a reserve driver for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team. He started early, at the age of five in karting and up the ladder to Formula E.

    Three wins and 10 podiums saw him take the FIA Formula 3 crown in 2019, and a move to Formula 2 followed, where he finished runner-up in 2021.

    I am thrilled to get the chance to drive a Formula E car, and I thank Jay Penske for giving me this opportunity. This championship is a very interesting, growing platform, it has quite a different approach compared to other racing series but that’s why it’s fascinating. As a driver I’m 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 in a year that sees me involved in Formula 1 as third driver and in GT racing as an official driver of Ferrari. To get to do my Formula E debut with the most awarded manufacturer on the grid makes this particularly special. I am also very excited to work alongside this team, who have been very welcoming, and shares with me the will to succeed in every aspect of the sport!

    Shwartzman on the opportunity.

    It is always a special moment for the team to host talented drivers and give them their first taste of Formula E. This event is an amazing opportunity to see how they perform in a Formula E car. I am very excited to have Robert and Will behind the wheel of our GEN3 car, they have both demonstrated their raw speed and racecraft throughout the single-seater categories. Robert is a fierce competitor and Will has impressive technical skills, their mindsets fit perfectly with DS PENSKE and I am glad to have them in the team for this test!

    Jay Penske, Owner and Team Principal of DS PENSKE.

  • Mahindra Racing choose rookies

    Mahindra Racing has confirmed Jehan Daruvala, Jordan King and Roberto Merhi will drive for the team at the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Merhi, who raced for Manor Marussia F1 Team during the 2015 season, joins the Banbury based outfit in Berlin for his first taste of electric motorsport.

    A successful single-seater career saw the Spaniard win races across Formula Renault, Spanish F3, British F4 and Formula 3.5 Euro Series before progressing into Formula One, first as a test driver and then a competing driver.

    Since then, he has advanced into sports cars and endurance racing, finishing third in the Asian Le Mans Series Drivers’ Championship in 2020.

    I’m very happy to make my debut in Formula E with the Rookie Test in Berlin. I would really like to thank Mahindra Racing for trusting me. I will put in all my effort to do a good job for the team. Adapting to a new challenge is exciting and I look forward to it.

    The 32 year old on the test.

    The Berlin test event will be Reserve Driver Jehan Daruvala’s first official outing in the M9Electro, after joining Mahindra Racing at the start of the season. He has since shadowed the teams drivers, Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland in Diriyah and Hyderabad earlier this year.

    The young Indian racer has impressed in recent years competing in FIA Formula 2, scoring multiple wins and podiums, most recently achieving two third-placed finishes during the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix weekend.

    The GEN3 is the fastest Formula E car yet and I’m really excited to be given the chance to drive it in Berlin. My role as Reserve Driver means I have already driven laps in the simulator, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the M9Electro for real. As an Indian, I’m especially proud to be driving for the only Indian manufacturer on the grid and I’m really grateful to Mahindra Racing for giving me this opportunity.

    Daruvala on the test.

    Formula 1 development driver, Jordan King has been Mahindra Racing’s Simulator and Development Driver since 2021.

    The 29 year old has enjoyed a strong single-seater career, wining the 2013 British F3 Championship and competing in GB2, F2 and IndyCar as well as working with the Manor Marussia and Alpine F1 teams.

    I’m really looking forward to getting in the car and continuing the development work we’ve been doing behind the scenes. It’ll be good to take the weekend’s simulator work straight to the track on Monday morning and carry on the progression and learning. As always, I’m grateful to the team for the opportunity to represent them and I can’t wait to get out there.

    King on the opportunity.

  • Drugovich & Barter to drive for Maserati in Rookie Test

    Maserati MSG Racing has secured reigning FIA Formula 2 champion, Felipe Drugovich and FIA Formula 3 racer, Hugh Barter for the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Felipe Drugovich is one of the most promising young driver on the junior single-seater scene. The Brazilian commenced his professional racing career in 2016 and quickly tasted success by winning MRF Challenge Formula 2000 in the 2017/18 season.

    Felipe secured back to back titles in 2018 by triumphing in Euroformula Open and Spanish Formula 3 and joined Formula 1’s support bill in 2020 by competing in F2.

    In a campaign marked by five wins and 11 podiums, Drugovich dominated the 2022 season to seal the Drivers’ Championship by an impressive 101 point margin over his next nearest rival.

    The 22 year old is currently the Reserve Driver for Aston Martin and McLaren in F1 and most recently represented the former during 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain.

    I can’t wait to get my first taste of the Maserati Tipo Folgore and Gen3 Formula E in Berlin. Formula E is a category that has always fascinated me, and it will be intriguing to experience the differences of a fully-electric car in comparison to the single-seaters I’ve raced in recent seasons. Knowing that I will be playing an active role in the development of such an iconic brand, in its first season back in World Championship motorsport, is a huge honour. I’m very excited.

    Drugovich on the opportunity.

    Australian-Japanese racer Hugh Barter first sat behind the wheel at the age of six, and after excelling on the go-karting scene, stepped up to single seater in 2021.

    He was runner-up in French F4 after scoring 12 wins and 22 podiums in the series across two seasons and finished as the runner-up in Spanish F4 last season.

    For 2023 he joined the F1 support bill, by making his competitive debut in FIA Formula 3, driving for Campos Racing.

    I would like to thank Maserati MSG Racing for giving me the opportunity to experience Formula E for the very first time. I’ve really enjoyed my experience in the sim so far and I can’t wait to get out on the track in Berlin. Working closely with James, Edo and Max will be an invaluable learning experience for me, especially at this stage of my career.

    Barter on his first experience of Formula E.

    We’re delighted to welcome Felipe [Drugovich] and Hugh [Barter] to the team for our rookie test in Berlin. It provides a key chance for the next generation of racing talent to experience electric motorsport for the first time. In Felipe and Hugh, we’ll have a driver line-up formed from experience and youth. We can’t wait for them to take to the track in the GEN3 car in Berlin.

    James Rossiter, Team Principal Maserati MSG Racing.

  • ABT Cupra confirm Tramnitz & Tambay for rookie test

    Adrien Tambay and Tim Tramnitz will join ABT Cupra for the Formula E Rookie Test in Berlin next Monday, 24th April.

    Tambay, the reigning champion of ETCR from France and German Tramnitz, who is only 18 years old, will get the chance to get to know the third generation of the purely electric single-seater on the track in Berlin for one day.

    Both drivers have already familiarised themselves with the circuit in the simulator in Kempten.

    We’re looking forward to spending the day together with these two guys. The aim is for them to have fun, get to know Formula E and at the same time gather data that will help our engineers prepare for the second half of the season. Adrien, who previously competed for ABT in the DTM, returns for a day as a seasoned champion in CUPRA colors. And Tim has often proven his talent as a supported driver of the ADAC Sports Foundation – now I’m excited about the Formula E test.

    ABT CEO and Team Principal, Thomas Biermaier.

    Tambay completed a total of 66 DTM races for ABT between 2012 and 2015 and celebrated the title in the ETCR electric touring car championship with CUPRA last year.

    It’s a great feeling to work with the guys again and see a lot of familiar faces. After successful years in touring cars, it’s also exciting to be back in a single-seater, continuing my journey with CUPRA. I’m delighted to have the trust of ABT and CUPRA and will do my best to support the team in their comeback year.

    Tambay on his opportunity.

    Tramnitz is a Motorsport Team Germany supported squad driver and has been part of the ADAC Sports Foundation squad for six years, including finishing runner-up in the Italian and German Formula 4 championships in 2021.

    I am really looking forward to the rookie test in Berlin. For the opportunity I would like to thank ABT CUPRA especially. The test came about at short notice through the mediation of the ADAC Sports Foundation with Motorsport Team Germany. Together with the ABT team, the foundation is helping me to get to Berlin on Sunday evening after my race in the Formula Regional European Championship in Imola, so that I am ready for action on Monday morning. To be able to gain initial experience in a Formula E race car with such a professional and experienced team as ABT CUPRA is a great opportunity and a special challenge for me.

    Tim Tramnitz on the rookie test.

  • McLaren confirm rookie test drivers

    NEOM McLaren will field Charlie Eastwood and Luke Browning at the official Rookie Test in Berlin on the 24th April.

    Eastwood, from Belfast has built an impressive resume over the past 10 years predominantly in GT and Endurance competition.

    During this time, he became the 2017 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britian champion, 2019 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (Pro-Am) champion and won the European Le Mans Series – LMP2 Pro-AM in 2022, as well as the Asian Le Mans Series – LMP2 earlier this year. He has also held several reserve and development driver roles.

    I’m absolutely buzzing to drive the GEN3 car at the Berlin Rookie Test. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend some of the races earlier this season, and I really like the championship. I love the complexity of the series, as well as the car itself. I’ve had a taste of it on the simulator and I am sure there will be a lot to learn on the day. I’m super excited and can’t wait to work with the team.

    Eastwood on the test.

    Luke Browning, from Kingsley in the UK, is the 2022 Autosport BRDC Award winner. Looking at his short career so far, Browning grabbed the F4 British Championship in 2020.

    The following year he took part in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and the Drexler Automotive Formula 4 Cup where he finished 3rd in both. In 2022 the 21 year old took part in the GB3 Championship and ended up winning the Championship.

    Now in 2023, he is competing in his first season of FIA Formula 3 Championship where he currently sits 10th after two rounds.

    I’m really looking forward to be jumping into the NEOM McLaren Formula E car. I’m grateful for the opportunity to gain some experience in very different machinery than usual. I’ll be looking to pick up as much as I can from the successful and experienced team I will be surrounded by. It will be a different style of driving compared to what I’m used to – I don’t doubt I have a lot to learn, but I’m eager to pick it up as quickly as possible. I’m really looking forward to the 24th!

    Browning on the opportunity.

    I am happy to be able to host an official rookie test again this season. It is a good way for us as teams to give talent the opportunity to get a taste of the Gen3 machinery, while being able to evaluate them at the same time. Our line-up is an exciting combination of Charlie, who we’ve been working closely together with for a while now, and Luke, who is an emerging talent. It will be great to see both of them out on track. It’s good to see significant interest in the series, from both up-and-coming talent, as well as established drivers.

    Ian James, Team Principal.

  • 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.