Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Jeddah E-Prix

  • RND 3 – Jeddah E-Prix

    FP1-

    Formula E’s most recent race winner continued his strong pace and topped the timesheets for FP1 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    Nissan’s, Oliver Rowland was quickest in the Free Practice session in Jeddah, with his teammate Norman Nato taking second.
    It’s a promising start for the Nissan powertrains, especially with McLaren’s Sam Bird finishing the season in fourth.

    There was early drama between Pascal Wehrlein and Oliver Rowland as the two came close to contact as they scoped out the circuit.

    Jake Hughes set a great lap halfway into the session, going over a second and a half quicker than Rowland who was in P1 before the Maserati MSG Racing driver knocked him off the top spot.

    Zane Maloney and Lucas di Grassi received a drop of 20 grid positions for breaking the seal on their respective MGUS after Lola Yamaha ABT sought permission to perform checks and resolve a technical issue post round 2.

    FP2-

    TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa was quickest in the Free Practice 2 in Jeddah, as the grid prepared for the first qualifying session at the new Saudi Arabian circuit.
    Maximilian Guenther finished second for DS PENSKE and Maserati MSG Racing’s Jake Hughes third.

    Just under 10 minutes in, and it was Lola Yamaha ABT’s Lucas di Grassi who was top of the timesheets with a 1m17.150s.
    However, the session was brought to a brief halt after Robin Frijns was forced to come to a stop at Turn 13. The Dutchman mentioned troubles with rear brakes on team radio with yellow flags deployed for his Envision, which became a red flag.

    Once the session got going again, it was Maximilian Guenther and his DS PENSKE who was quickest, taking a second a half out of di Grassi’s previous lap.

    With 10 minutes to go, da Costa had set the benchmark with a 1m15.470s. His time wasn’t beaten after another red flag was deployed in the final minutes of the session due to a clash with Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries and Maserati’s Stoffel Vandoorne coming together.
    The former teammates had a misunderstanding on track, with de Vries on a faster lap clipping Vandoorne’s car and ending up in the barrier.

    Qualifying-

    Maximilian Guenther achieved his first Julius Baer Pole Position since singing for his new team DS PENSKE, as he lined up alongside TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein.

    Taylor Barnard had a fantastic session for NEOM McLaren as he started on the second row of the grid next to Nissan’s Oliver Rowland.

    The full top 10 are- Pole: Guenther, P2: Wehrlein, P3: Rowland, P4: Barnard, P5: Evans, P6: De Vries, P7: Hughes, P8: Ticktum, P9: Cassidy and P10: Vergne.

    Mahindra Racing’s Edoardo Mortara failed to set a time after a technical failure, so he had a lot of work to do in the race, apart from that there wasn’t too much drama in the qualifying session.

    Round 3-

    Polesitter Guenther led the field away through the tight left right of Turns 1 & 2 while Rowland edged by Wehlrein at Turn 4 with the Porsche slipping wide of the apex.

    Things would go from bad to worse soon afterwards for the reigning champion as the front wing of Mitch Evans’ Jaguar came into contact with Wehrlein’s rear tyre.

    With the debut of PIT BOOST and the 10% additional energy that brings, the field spaced out – Guenther racing to a two second lead come Lap 4 over Rowland.

    Guenther started to save energy as he brought the four behind him into play, all running in a pack with a gap back to Vergne in 6th.
    However, on Lap 8, the safety car bunched everyone back up together again.

    The German led the field away again on Lap 9 as things were. De Vries made moves for third at Turn 14 on Taylor Barnard on Lap 10.
    A lap later and Guenther ceded the race lead on track to Rowland at the same corner – the DS PENSKE driver looking to save up some energy having led from the front.

    Lap 14 brought about the first ever PIT BOOST stops. Hughes, Barnard and da Costa were the first to make the leap – looking to undercut with some flat out laps under ATTACK MODE following their 10% energy boosts.

    Rowland headed the way by some four seconds in had with less than 10 laps to go, from de Vries, Guenther, Hughes, Barnard, Mortara, Vergne, da Costa, Dennis and Buemi.

    De Vries drew that gap to Rowland down to two seconds by Lap 26, though as the leaders set about their second and final 50kW ATTACK MODE boosts and it was Guenther that leapt into second to spearhead the charge after the lead Nissan.

    From there, it was four lap duel to the chequered flag for the win but Barnard joined the fun on the final tour having dispatched de Vries a lap earlier.

    Guenther jumped Rowland on the way into the final chicane, energy in had with Rowland having to back off. The lead four fired to the line which was led by the German for his first win since Tokyo last season.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Guenther, P2: Rowland, P3: Barnard, P4: De Vries, P5: Hughes, P6: Vergne, P7: Mortara, P8: Bird, P9: Da Costa and P10: Vandoorne.

  • Daniil Kvyat to drive for DS PENSKE

    DS PESNKE has singed Daniil Kvyat for the Jeddah Rookie Free Practice Session.

    The former Formula 1 driver has taken part in a rookie session before, with NIO 333 at the Berlin rookie test.
    The Russian is now set to take the wheel of the DS E-TENSE FE25 during the FPO session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

    Kvyat, 30, is an accomplished driver with extensive experience in top-tier motorsport. Having competed in multiple Formula 1 seasons with teams such as Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso.

    I am very excited to join the team for the Rookie Free Practice. It is my first time driving a Formula E new-generation GEN3 Evo car, and I am eager to get a feel for it on track. I already know some of the faces in the team, which makes this experience even more exciting! I cannot wait to get started and see where this test will take us.
    Kvyat on the news.

    We’re delighted to have Daniil join us for FP0 in Jeddah. His background in Formula 1 and his proven ability to perform at the highest level will provide invaluable insights for our team. We are looking forward to seeing how Daniil adapts to the demands of the track and contributes to our overall weekend preparations.
    Deputy Team Principal, Phil Charles.

  • Alex Dunne set for Rookie outing

    NEOM McLaren have confirmed Alex Dunne for the Jeddah Rookie Free Practice session, ahead of the 2025 Jeddah E-Prix.

    Dunne, from Ireland, made his single-seater racing debut in 2021, competing in the Spanish F4 Championship and finishing third in his first race.
    After moving to Formula 4, Alex continued to deliver impressive results, becoming the 2022 British F4 Champion as well as the Italian F4 vice-champion.

    Dunne’s 2023 campaign saw his finish second in the GB3 Championship with five victories and eight podiums across the season. In the same year he also made his Macau Grand Prix debut, finishing second in the qualifying race.

    Since then, as well as joining the McLaren Driver Development programme, he raced with MP Motorsport in the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship, scoring two podiums and a further seven top 10 finishes.
    Dunne’s 2025 race programme, which he will contest alongside his Formula E duties, he is taking a step up to FIA Formula 2 for 2025 with Rodin Motorsport.

    I’m looking forward to getting my first chance to drive the GEN3 Evo for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team next week in Jeddah. To have this opportunity through the McLaren Driver Development programme feels incredible, and I’m so grateful to the team for putting their trust in me. I’ve been working hard in the simulator and with the team to prepare for this test, and I can’t wait to get out to Jeddah.
    Dunne on the news.

    I’m very pleased that Alex will have the chance to test with the team at next week’s Rookie Free Practice Session. As our Reserve and Development Driver, Alex has already been playing a key role within the team and has been supporting us through his work in the simulator. Throughout his junior career, Alex has shown great promise, and I know he’ll make the most of this opportunity.
    Ian James, Team Principal.

  • Cupra Kiro announces Jensen for Rookie FP

    Mikkel Jensen to represent CUPRA KIRO in Formula E’s Rookie Free Practice ahead of the 2025 Jeddah E-Prix, 13th February.

    Sportscar racer, Jensen started his professional career in 2013 and transitioned from single-seater racing to prototype and GT competition in 2016 after finishing on the podiums in his European Le Mans Series (ELMS) debut at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

    Since making the switch, Jensen has forged a strong reputation in endurance disciplines, racking up 18 wins and 38 podiums over the past nine years, alongside class championship titles in ELMS and the IMSA Sportscar Championship in the USA.

    The Dane, who most recently raced at the 2025 edition of the Daytona 24 Hours, will bring a diverse perspective to cockpit in Jeddah, says the team, alongside extensive manufacturer experience as part of Peugeot’s FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar program.

    FP0 in Jeddah will mark the first time I’ve driven a single-seater racing car since racing in European Formula 3 in 2016, and I’m looking forward to the experience of driving a Formula E car for the first time. Formula E has interested me for a while now, and from my time preparing in the simulator, the car feels completely different to anything I’ve experienced before in my career. I would like to thank CUPRA KIRO for giving me this opportunity – I can’t wait to get started.
    Jensen on the news.

    I’m delighted to welcome Mikkel to CUPRA KIRO for Formula E’s upcoming FP0 rookie test in Jeddah. Mikkel is one of the best sportscar drivers of our generation and has consistently proven himself across WEC, IMSA, and ELMS in recent seasons. Alongside his strong natural instincts, which are important for any racing driver, Mikkel has good technical awareness and understanding, and holds extensive experience working with manufacturers at a World Championship level. His perspective and experiences will be important for FP0, which will be crucial to the continued development of our technical package for this season. I’m very excited for him to have his first experience of Formula E in Jeddah, and I can’t wait to see what he can do.
    Alex Hui, Team Principal, Cupra Kiro.

  • Maini announced for rookie free practice

    Mahindra has announced Indian driver Kush Maini for the Rookie Free Practice in Jeddah on 13th February.

    The 24 year old, served as the team’s official reserve driver during Season 10, getting his first taste of action behind the wheel in the FIA’s all-electric series in May at the annual Berlin Rookie Test.

    In parallel, Maini also impressed in FIA Formula 2, claiming victory plus four further podiums in his sophomore season, and will also be returning again this season for a title fight.

    Mahindra Racing have enjoyed a strong start to Season 11, making the qualifying duels and scoring points at both rounds in Sao Paulo and Mexico City.
    The team currently sit fifth in the standings heading to Saudi Arabia next week with 22 points already – almost half the team’s total from last season.

    I’m excited to be back with Mahindra Racing for the Rookie Practice in Jeddah this month. I was very impressed with my first experience of Formula E in Berlin last season, and the new GEN3 Evo car is clearly another step up from that. I’ve been watching closely across the first two races this season and can’t wait to get behind the wheel for myself. The team has had a very strong start to the season, with a lot of the hard work from last year coming to fruition. It’ll be great to be back in that environment, and I’m sure with Mahindra’s ongoing support, we can have a productive session and build on the learnings from last year.
    Maini on the news.

    Kush impressed everybody at the team in his role as our Reserve Driver last season, and it was a no-brainer to continue that relationship for the Rookie Practice in Jeddah. We’ve made a strong start to the season with our new car, but it’s important we make use of all the track time available to us to keep progressing. Kush’s work ethic, diligence and skill make him the perfect choice to slot into the team for the session, especially on what will be a new circuit for all the teams.
    Frederic Bertrand, Mahindra Racing CEO and Team Principal.

  • Rookie Free Practice for Jeddah E-Prix

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will introduce a Rookie Free Practice session as part of the Jeddah E-Prix, specifically designed for drivers who have never raced in the Championship.

    The 40 minute session, scheduled for Thursday 13th February, will provide experienced racing talent from other motorsport championships valuable track time to discover the new groundbreaking technology of Formula E’s GEN3 Evo car.

    The rookie free practice is only open to experienced racing drivers from other series, with a free practice only e-licence.
    It offers hand on experience with the latest Formula E technology, capable of 0-100km/h in 1.82s.

    Teams must nominate a driver and allocate a race car number seven days prior to the event, with the teams announcing drivers already.

    This initiative follows the successful inaugural Women’s Test in Madrid in October, and further emphasises Formula E and the FIA’s dedication to creating diverse and inclusive pathways for the next generation of racing drivers.

    Following on from the success of our Official Women’s Test in November, we’re thrilled to introduce this dedicated Rookie Free Practice session at the Jeddah E-Prix. It’s a crucial next-step in fulfilling our commitment to nurturing the next generation of racing talent, including young women. This opportunity to drive the cutting-edge GEN3 Evo car will provide invaluable experience for these young drivers, and we believe it will significantly contribute to developing the future stars of Formula E and motorsport as a whole.
    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer.

    It’s crucial for the FIA to allow drivers to develop their careers through FIA World Championships, and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has one of the most competitive grids around. Many of its current stars gained their first Formula E experience in one of these rookie sessions or tests, and to provide such opportunities for the next generation of promising talents to discover the specifics of Formula E and EV racing – and adapt their driving style accordingly – is essential for the championship’s continuing growth.
    Pablo Martino, Head of Formula E Championship, FIA.