Envision has retained its System E driver line-up of Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns for the upcoming season, regardless of each drivers having potential World Endurance Championship clashes.
Buemi and Frijns enter the 2024-25 season, which will get underway with official testing in Valencia on 4-7 November earlier than the opening spherical in Sao Paulo (7 December), having endured a troublesome marketing campaign final time period.
Buemi took simply two podium finishes and Frijns three, leaving them eleventh and ninth within the drivers’ championship. This contributed to Jaguar-powered buyer workforce Envision slipping to sixth within the groups’ standings after profitable the title with Buemi and Nick Cassidy in 2022-23.
Envision workforce principal Sylvain Filippi stated: “It is nice to have continuity in our driver line-up as Sebastien and Robin lead us into Season 11.
“Regardless of Season 10 not being our strongest yr, we’re assured that the momentum we gained within the closing rounds may be taken into subsequent season and put us again the place we wish to be.”
Each drivers additionally missed the Berlin double-header final season on account of a conflict with the WEC’s Spa Six Hours, with Buemi and Frijns on responsibility for Toyota and BMW respectively.
This supplied the chance for System 2 race winner Paul Aron to make his System E debut, whereas Joel Eriksson found himself back on the grid for the primary time because the corresponding occasion in 2021.
One other battle is scheduled for the upcoming season, as the 2 races in Berlin will conflict with the Six Hours of Sao Paulo on 13 July 2025.
Sebastien Buemi, Envision Racing, Jaguar I-TYPE 6, Robin Frijns, Envision Racing, Jaguar I-TYPE 6
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photos
Autosport understands, nevertheless, that Envision hopes each Buemi and Frijns will prioritise the all-electric championship this season and never miss any rounds.
They don’t seem to be the one System E drivers with duel commitments within the WEC.
Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries missed Berlin final season to race for Toyota. His System E team-mate Edoardo Mortara a Lamborghini driver within the WEC, whereas Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Maserati MSG) are a part of Peugeot’s line-up.
Former Abt racer Nico Muller additionally missed Berlin final yr to race for Peugeot, however has since develop into a Porsche manufacturing facility driver after his transfer to buyer workforce Andretti and is predicted to compete in different races outdoors System E.
The identical applies for Antontio Felix da Costa, who will race with Porsche in System E this season, whereas Nissan returnee Norman Nato has raced Jota’s buyer Porsche 963 within the WEC this season however prioritised Berlin over Spa, which meant he missed out on sharing victory spoils with co-drivers Will Stevens and Callum Ilott.
Envision’s driver line-up affirmation means solely three areas stay open on the grid, together with Lucas di Grassi’s team-mate at Abt, and each seats at ERT with Dan Ticktum and Sergio Sette Camara having raced for the workforce final season.
System E 2024-25 driver line-up
Abt: Lucas di Grassi, TBC
Andretti: Jake Dennis, Nico Muller
DS Penske: Maximilian Guenther, Jean-Eric Vergne
Envision: Sebastien Buemi. Robin Frijns
ERT: TBC
Jaguar: Nick Cassidy, Mitch Evans
Mahindra: Edoardo Mortara, Nyck de Vries
Maserati MSG: Jake Hughes, Stoffel Vandoorne
McLaren: Sam Fowl, Taylor Barnard
Nissan: Norman Nato, Oliver Rowland
Porsche: Antonio Felix da Costa, Pascal Wehrlein