Nissan has announced that Sam Bird will be the squad’s Reserve and Development Driver for the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Bird has been ever-present on the Formula E grid since its maiden race in 2014 and has taken wins across all three generations of car in the championship.
A title contender in several Formula E seasons, Bird claimed victory in the series’ second-ever race in Putrajaya, Malaysia and has competed in 144 races, scored 27 podiums and claimed 12 wins – the fourth highest in Formula E history.
His most recent victory came at Sao Paulo in Season 10 (2023/24), when he crossed the finish line first in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 for NEOM McLaren Formula E team, who were then a Nissan customer team.
The team say Bird’s extensive knowledge of the Nissan Formula E powertrain will be a major asset to the squad throughout Season 12, as he works alongside Oliver Rowland, Norman Nato and Abbi Pulling to push the team forward.
I’m extremely happy to be joining Nissan Formula E Team. I’ve worked closely with Nissan over the past two seasons, so I feel prepared as I know the Nissan Formula E powertrain well. I’ve got a great relationship with both Oli and Norman and they are two drivers I respect very highly. I’ll help them in any way possible trackside and by aiding to further develop the current GEN3 Evo and future GEN4 car. The knowledge I have built up over the last two years will mean I can jump straight into the simulator and give feedback instantly, supporting the squad to build on its recent success in Season 11. Bird on the news.
We’re very happy to welcome Sam as our Reserve and Development Driver for Season 12. He is one of the most experienced and successful drivers in the championship and has competed with our powertrain for the past two seasons, so there was really no question that he would be a great fit for the team. He will play an important role as we look to keep consistently fighting at the top in the upcoming campaign while we get ready for GEN4. Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal, Nissan Formula E Team.
NEOM McLaren has confirmed Sam Bird and Taylor Barnard for the 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Barnard has been Reserve and Development driver at NEOM McLaren and had his first competitive experience behind the wheel of Formula E machinery for the team across the 2024 Monaco E-Prix and Berlin E-Prix, stepping in last-minute for the injured Sam Bird.
Finishing those races in 14th, 10th and eight respectively, Barnard impressed – becoming the youngest points-scorer in Formula E history at the age of 19.
Barnard entered single seater racing in 2020. On his way up the motorsport ladder, the Brit became 2022 ADAC Formula 4 runner-up as well as the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship runner-up.
In 2023, during his debut season in FIA Formula 3, he took his maiden victory in the championship at Spa-Francorchamps.
In 2024 Barnard shared duties in FIA Formula 2 with AIX Racing alongside his role as Reserve and Development Driver for NEOM McLaren.
Following his first season with NEOM McLaren, Bird will be continuing with the team for Season 11. The 37 year old has competed in Formula E since Season 1 and is one of only five drivers to have done so.
Bird is among the most successful drivers on the grid with 12 wins, 26 podiums and six Julius Baer Pole Positions to his name over the course of those 10 season.
Bird secured the team’s first and only win to date in Formula E with last lap heroics at the 2024 Sao Paulo E-Prix one of the series’ most memorable.
I am delighted to be racing for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team in Season 11. In Season 10, I was the team’s Reserve and Development Driver and during that time I learnt a lot, putting my new knowledge into practice in Monaco and Berlin. I am excited to race alongside Sam this season, and I am sure I will learn a lot from him. He is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, and I hope that together we can score plenty of points and collect some trophies for the team. It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to continue the journey with the team as full-time Formula E driver, and I can’t wait to get started. Barnard on the news.
I’m very happy to be staying with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team for Season 11. This team has become like family to me, and I believe that we can achieve even better things together in the upcoming season. We’ve done some good work in our first season together; now it’s time to build on that and create even better memories in my second year. Bird on sticking with McLaren.
NEOM McLaren have confirmed the return of Sam Bird, following his absence in Berlin due to injury.
Bird was found to have broken his hand after an incident in Free Practice 1 at the 2024 Monaco E-Prix which saw the Brit lock up and hit the wall in the run-off area at Turn 1, Sainte Devote.
McLaren confirmed the injury in a statement after the session, once Bird had been examined and sent to hospital for further checks.
The Brit then went on to have a successful procedure to rectify the injury to the same hand he’d injured back in July 2022 during the London E-Prix.
He was on-site in both Monaco and Berlin to support and advise Barnard who had replaced Sam in both races, with the youngster calling out the positive impact Bird had on his Formula E debut weekends.
Barnard went on to score points in Berlin finishing 10th and eighth to set another record as the youngest points-scorer in Formula E. The Brit is continuing in his role as the team’s Reserve and Development Driver, dovetailing that work with an ongoing FIA Formula 2 campaign.
Sam Bird will sit out this weekends Berlin E-Prix double header, as he recovers from surgery on his hand.
NEOM McLaren have confirmed that 19 year old Taylor Barnard will be continuing his duties as Reserve Driver, covering for an injured Sam Bird.
Barnard was drafted in after Sam Bird broke his hand in an accident during Monaco in FP1, when his car locked up and went down an escape road near Sainte Devote. Despite his best efforts to rescue the car, Bird hit the barrier and failed to let go of the steering wheel which then led to the injury.
Bird has now undergone a successful surgery on his left hand, with the team supporting Sam and his recovery to ensure he can compete again as quickly as achievable.
During his Formula E debut, Barnard managed to finish the Monaco E-Prix in 14th after he started at the back of the pack.
We’re very pleased to report positive progress on Sam’s recovery, with a successful operation on his hand supporting his journey back into the car. Taylor did a stellar job in his last-minute call-up in Monaco, as did the team, who provided him with great support and guidance throughout. He will now be able to build on that experience, while Sam works on his recovery – with the team’s full support. We’re looking forward to having Sam back in the car soon. Ian James, Team Principal.
Free Practice 1- Mitch Evans started his Sao Paulo weekend in the best way possible, as the Jaguar TCS Racing driver topped the first free practice session of the weekend.
The Jaguar team come into the weekend as the favourites after dominating the race result here last season. The British manufacturer achieved their first 1-2-3 result here as a powertrain supplier, and will look to replicate it again.
This 2.93km street circuit is home to the longest straight in Formula E, and will certainly be a prime overtaking spot. ERT’s Dan Ticktum was using the session to find the limits, going off at the entry into the first chicane and having to rejoin the track down at Turn 3 where ATTACK MODE is.
With halfway through the session, Stoffel Vandoorne was fastest on track. However, track evolution meant the times kept tumbling. Edoardo Mortara of Mahindra Racing went second just 0.028s off Mitch Evans. Ticktum slot into third with less that two minutes to go.
Free Practice 2- NEOM McLaren’s Sam Bird topped the timesheets for the second and final free practice in Sao Paulo, as the grid prepare for qualifying. The Brit, who stood on the podium here last year, set a time of 1:12.773s in a session that was impacted by a red flag.
Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans also suffered an unlucky mechanical issue which limited the running time for him. Team Principal, James Barclays confirmed that the problem was with the car’s front driveshaft but the team were quick to try and fix it.
Maximilian Guenther went quickest 10 minutes into FP2, but despite the German’s rapid pace he will be starting toward the back of the grid as he picked up a 20 place grid penalty for changing his gearbox before FP2.
Double waved yellows were waved with nine minutes of practice left to go, after Edoardo Mortara received a warning on the steering wheel of his Mahindra Racing telling him to stop the car. The six time race winner pulled his car over to the side off the track just after Turn 3, and brought out the red flags as his car needed to be recovered.
The session did get back to green flag racing for the last minute, but left no time for setting fast laps. Instead, the grid completed some practice starts ahead of the race.
Qualifying-
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein managed to grab a second Julius Baer Pole Position of the season, beating DS Penske’s Stoffel Vandoorne but just 0.002s – the second closest pole margin in Formula E history.
It was a dramatic session for the Jaguar powertrain cars, with Evans being the highest placed car in fourth. Nick Cassidy, who leads the championship, failed to make it through to the Duels and will start ninth, with both Envision cars down in 17th and 18th.
DS Penske had a very strong qualifying, as Vandoorne starts second and Jean-Eric Vergne just behind him in third. A great result for new Deputy Team Principal Phil Charles.
Nico Muller made a surprise appearance in the Duels, but an earlier incident meant he wasn’t able to make it to the track in the Quarter finals.
Maserati’s Maximilian Guenther will start from the back of the pack due to the grid-drop penalty mentioned earlier – the German’s penalty also incurring a stop/go penalty on the race.
The full top 10 are- P1: Wehrelin, P2: Vandoorne, P3: Vergne, P4: Evans, P5: Bird, P6: Mortara, P7: Muller, P8: Da Costa, P9: Cassidy and P10: Dennis.
Round 4-
Sam Bird sealed one of the most dramatic victories in Formula E history in the Sao Paulo E-Prix Round 4, with a stunning final lap move on former teammate Mitch Evans to secure NEOM McLaren’s first victory in the World Championship and his first with the team.
Wehrlein started sharply to lead with Vandoorne following as you were into Turn 1 in second, with Evans jumping Verge for third. Porsche’s da Costa made a demon launch, gaining two spots to sixth off-the-line and defending hard from Mortara’s Mahindra to hold that spot over lap 1.
The lead group squabbled constantly as each looked to maximise their energy consumption while keeping pace with leader Bird. Evans had briefly took third before losing it at Turn 1 on lap 6 to Wehrlein.
A Safety Car was required for the recovery of a rogue Andretti front wing as Nato hit Di Grassi as the pack squeezed through the first chicane. The Brazilian also lost his front wing while standings leader Cassidy gave the front of his car a nudge into the same corner at the start of lap 8.
More lead changes happened once green flag conditions continued, as Da Costa and Evans hit the front then dropped back into the mix with their second attack mode activations- but Jake Dennis had been quietly working his way through from 10th at the start to lead on lap 12.
Lap 16 saw a huge moment, with Drivers’ World Championship leader Cassidy’s three-race podium streak coming to an end as the Jaguar driver smashed into the wall through Turn 9 as he slid wide at speed – his front wing falling loose beneath his front wheels.
Through the clamour before the Safety Car, Bird managed to retake the lead and had half a percent of usable energy in hand over Evans, now in second. Lap 20, saw the green flag fly again with Bird leading Evans, Wehrlein, Dennis, Da Costa, Vergne, Rowland, Vandoorne, Guenther and Buemi in the top 10.
As the laps ticked down, Bird and Evans continued to hold the advantage. Despite Dennis in third, keeping 1.5% usable energy in hand, his car was running too hot to capitalise. Inside the final seven laps, including three added on for those periods under the Safety Car, Evans appeared to have done enough with a move around the outside of Bird at Turn 3 for P1.
However, the McLaren driver was not done. He could not resist a last-ditch manoeuvre on his old teammate. Bird went all the way around the outside of Turn 10 is last chance to make something stick and hung on to take the inside line and the lead into Turn 11, steering to the win with Evans just half a second back.
The full top 10 are- P1: Bird, P2: Evans, P3: Rowland, P4: Wehrlein, P5: Dennis, P6: Da Costa, P7: Vergne, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Guenther and P10: Buemi.
We don’t have to wait too long till the next race, as it’s less than two weeks away on the 30th March and we head to Japan for the Tokyo E-Prix!
NEOM McLaren has announced that Sam Bird will be lining up for the team in the 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Bird will be competing alongside Jake Hughes, who extended his stay at the outfit last week, McLaren will now have an all British line-up.
The 36 year old has raced in Formula E since the very first campaign and Season 1. He is one of the most successful drivers on the grid, claiming 11 wins, 26 podiums and six Julius Baer Pole Positions over the nine seasons.
He left Jaguar TCS Racing after a three-season spell at the end of 2022/23 and says his move to McLaren – one of the most recognisable and successful names in motorsport history – is a “special” one.
Bird began his single seater racing career in Formula BMW in 2004, coming runner up in the series in 2005. He has competed in Formula Renault and various Formula 3 and GP2 Series seasons, before holding a number of Formula 1 roles including Williams Racing and Mercedes AMG Petronas.
Since 2014, he has also competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Highlights including winning the LMP2 class in 2014 with G-Drive Racing and finishing second in the LMGTE Pro Class with AF Corse in 2016.
I’m super excited to get going with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team. Becoming part of a team with so much heritage and prestige as the McLaren Racing family feels special. We know there is some work to do ahead of Season 10, to ensure we get to where we want to be, which is at the front of the Formula E pack. It feels great to be part of the team and I can’t wait to kick off the season preparations, I’m super motivated and driven to deliver success with the team in Season 10.
Bird on the move.
It’s great to be able to share the news that Sam will be joining the team for Season 10, alongside Jake. Sam is a proven force in Formula E, as well as other categories of racing, and his experience and determination will fuel the team ahead of an exciting season to come. As soon as the deal was done, his first question to me was when he could come into the office to start the preparations for Season 10 – this clearly shows his hunger and commitment to making Season 10 a success for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team. Having both Sam and Jake on board has already instilled confidence in the team.
Ian James, Managing Director and Team Principal.
It is a pleasure to welcome Sam to the McLaren Racing family. Throughout his time in Formula E, Sam has proven himself to be an impressive talent, and we are eager to leverage his experience and expertise to help bring the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team further success in Season 10. Alongside Jake, I’m confident that we have one of the strongest pairings on the Formula E grid. Bring on Season 10!
Jaguar TCS Racing has confirmed after the London E-Prix weekend that Sam Bird will be moving on to new pastures.
Bird has spent three seasons with Jaguar, where he took two wins, seven podiums and a total of 233 points.
The Brit wound up eighth at the end of the inaugural Gen3 campaign, with the team praising his contribution as “fundamental” to its Formula E efforts. Bird hit his Formula E century of race starts this year in Race 1 in Diriyah.
As the Brit alluded to, his season had its peaks and troughs. Colliding with his team mate Mitch Evans in Hyderabad with both looking capable of the race win and a podium at the very least. The two came to blows again in Jakarta, with Evans running eighth at the time; costly again, and with the margins so fine at the end of the season in both Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championship – those incidents could have proven the difference makers.
We gave it everything and did what we could but unfortunately, we just had too much of a deficit coming in at the beginning of the weekend. Congratulations to Envision for their World Championship win. On the whole, this season has been fairly disappointing for me, with a lot of wasted opportunities early on but I have to take the positives – the pace has been strong, I’ve had four podiums, scored nearly 100 points and finished eighth in the championship ahead of some big names. It’s bittersweet to be leaving the team, the past few years have had their fair share of ups and downs, but I want to take the opportunity to say thank you to the team for everything, and I look forward to what the future holds.
Bird post London.
I would like to extend a huge thank you to Sam. It’s been an amazing three years together and he has contributed to the success we’ve seen as a team. Sam joins an illustrious list of drivers that have raced for a Jaguar line-up, and I know he’s proud of that, as are we. Sam is an extremely talented racing driver who has been a privilege to work with and I know he will see great success in the future.
Formula E race winner and Jaguar TCS Racing reserve driver, Norman Nato will step into the Jaguar car at the Hana Bank Seoul E-Prix Rounds 15 & 16, as Sam Bird misses out through injury.
Bird was found to have broken his hand in a Lap 1 incident in the SABIC London E-Prix Round 14, following post race medical checks. The Brit tangled in the pack as its concertinaed around the tight Turns 1 and 2, with Bird later learning that the impact had fractured the metacarpal in his left hand, despite all this he climbed from 15th to eighth in the race.
Jaguar noted in a statement immediately after the London double-header that Bird would be assessed in the days to follow, but since has been determined that he would be unable to compete in Seoul.
It would mark the first races the 35 year old has failed to start in Formula E’s 98 race history as the championship approaches its centenary round to close out Season 8.
Nato capped a fine rookie 2020/21 campaign for ROKiT Venturi Racing with a collected race win in the Berlin finale. The Frenchman who impressed throughout Season 7, could have counted himself unfortunate to miss out on a race seat this time around, with Jaguar quick to secure his services in a test and reserve role.
I’m devastated not to be driving in the final two rounds of the season in Seoul, particularly as it would have been my 100th race in Formula E. I need to spend the next few weeks recovering from the operation on my left hand, so I am fully fit for testing and Season 9. I have confidence in Norman, he is a race winner and I’m sure he’ll bring some great points home for Jaguar TCS Racing.
Sam Bird on not racing next week.
We are hugely disappointed for Sam and that he won’t be competing next weekend in Seoul. It should have been his 100th Formula E race and I have to say his drive in London was nothing short of heroic, to drive through considerable pain and a slow puncture shows how much of a fighter he is. The priority now though is for his operation and focussing on a full recovery ahead of Gen3 testing and racing again in January. As a team we all have full faith in Norman to deliver valuable points for Jaguar TCS Racing. He won the season finale last year and is determined to help us fight for every place in the Teams’ standings.
James Barclay Team Principle of Jaguar TCS Racing.
Firstly I want to wish Sam the speediest of recoveries. As a reserve driver, I’ve been with the team every step of the way this season. Although I haven’t driven a Formula E car for over a year, when I get into the Jaguar I-TYPE 5 next weekend, I’ll be fighting for as many points as possible. I want to make the most of this opportunity.
Jordan's Track Talk 