Formulation E revealed the complete line-up for the Berlin rookie take a look at, with some acquainted faces from Formulation 2 showing. Every of the 11 groups has nominated two rookies to participate in a full day of testing following the weekend’s Berlin E-Prix.
Twenty-two drivers will participate within the take a look at session, with a number of present Formulation 2 drivers corresponding to Jak Crawford and Zane Maloney being joined by F2 2022 champion Felipe Drugovich. Final yr’s F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia may even be certainly one of two ladies participating within the testing, becoming a member of Alice Powell who completed third within the inaugural W Sequence championship in 2019.
The take a look at session is certainly one of six taking place over the yr and is the second rookie take a look at of 2024, after an preliminary rookie follow session occurred forward of the Misano E-Prix final month. Solely 11 drivers took half within the first rookie session in April, which included Formulation E driver Paul Aron.
The pinnacle of Formulation E, Pablo Martino, stated: “The Formulation E world championship is famend for its forward-focused method. That applies as a lot to selling new drivers because it does to growing applied sciences, which is without doubt one of the explanation why the rookie observe time in Misano and Berlin is so necessary. We’re agency advocates of granting drivers the chance to showcase their expertise, and what higher atmosphere than on the very coronary heart of a race weekend?”
When is the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at?
The Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at will happen on Monday 13 Could, following the Berlin E-Prix on 11-12 Could.
What’s a rookie take a look at and who can participate?
The rookie follow periods are designed for drivers who haven’t any earlier expertise driving a Formulation E automobile. They need to not be included within the present season’s entry record or have beforehand raced in Formulation E to participate within the periods.
The rookie practices are hoped to create a pathway for younger drivers to work up the motorsport ladder and probably transfer into Formulation E or different collection. Final season noticed Jehan Daruvala participate in a rookie session, and he has since superior right into a full-time seat this yr with Maserati MSG Racing.
Jehan Daruvala, Maserati MSG Racing
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
A driver should maintain both a full E-Licence or a Free Apply Solely E-Licence alongside an Worldwide Grade B licence as a way to participate within the rookie take a look at. Every driver shall be given a coaching session on electrical security and options of an FE automobile, in addition to the technical and sporting rules earlier than they’re allowed to take part.
Rookie drivers are solely in a position to take part in as much as two official take a look at days in the course of the Formulation E season and a most of two periods are reserved for rookies.
Formulation 2 drivers participating within the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at
Zane Maloney – Andretti
Zane Maloney is at present main the 2024 Formulation 2 championship with Rodin Motorsport. The Barbadian is the reserve driver for the Andretti Formulation E group while sharing the identical duty with the Sauber F1 group.
Maloney claimed the win within the first two races of this yr’s F2 and took an extra podium in the course of the newest race in Melbourne. He completed tenth in final yr’s F2 and got here second in Formulation 3 in 2022.
Maloney was the British F4 champion in 2019 after successful each the general and rookie championship and claiming 10 victories.
Jak Crawford – Andretti
Jak Crawford will make his Formulation E debut on the Berlin rookie take a look at for Andretti. The American is eighth within the 2024 F2 standings racing with DAMS after competing for Hitech in 2023.
Earlier than becoming a member of Formulation 2, Crawford spent two years in F3 and Formulation Regional, with the very best results of runner-up in Formulation 4 in 2020. In addition to competing in F2, the American can also be a part of the Aston Martin Driver Improvement Programme.
Kush Maini, Mahindra Racing
Photograph by: Mahindra Racing
Kush Maini – Mahindra
Mahindra’s reserve driver Kush Maini may even participate within the Berlin rookie take a look at. The Indian driver is at present fifth within the F2 standings the place he competes for Invicta after shifting from Campos who he competed with for the 2023 season.
Maini acquired his begin in Italian Formulation 4 in 2016, the place he took one podium in his rookie season. He progressed up into British F3 in 2018 and a profitable season noticed him place third within the championship. In 2020 the Indian driver completed second in British F3 earlier than shifting to the F3 Asian championship in 2021.
Maini spent 2022 in Formulation 3 and completed 14th earlier than shifting as much as F2 for 2023.
Dennis Hauger – Porsche
Dennis Hauger is at present competing in Formulation 2 with MP Motorsport and can be part of Thomas Preining for the Formulation E rookie take a look at with Porsche. The Norwegian driver is at present third within the F2 championship and this shall be his first expertise of Formulation E.
Hauger beforehand claimed the Formulation 3 championship in 2021 and the 2019 Italian F4 title. He additionally beforehand joined the Purple Bull junior group in 2017 and was one of many Formulation 1 group’s reserve drivers for 2023 earlier than departing from the group.
Enzo Fittipaldi – Jaguar
Enzo Fittipaldi is racing in Formulation 2 with Van Amersfoort Racing and is at present sixth within the championship standings. The Brazilian is from a household of motorsport legends and is the grandson of two-time Formulation 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
He’s making his debut Formulation E rookie take a look at drive, following within the footsteps of his older brother Pietro who has taken half within the rookie take a look at twice. Fittipaldi has claimed one victory on this season’s Formulation 2, the place he stood on the prime of the rostrum in Jeddah.
Frederik Vesti – Mahindra
Final yr’s Formulation 2 runner-up Frederik Vesti will be part of Kush Maini at Mahindra for the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at. This yr he’ll compete within the European Le Mans LMP2 class alongside his team-mates Alejandro Garcia and Ferdinand Habsburg.
The Danish driver can also be the F1 Mercedes group’s reserve driver the place he shares the position with Mick Schumacher.
Vesti received the Formulation Regional European Championship in 2019 and has additionally beforehand competed in F3 and F4.
Robert Shwartzman, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
Robert Shwartzman – DS Penske
Robert Shwartzman is the present reserve driver for Ferrari’s F1 group the place he has been since 2023. The Israeli-Russian driver competed in F2 in 2020 and 2021 and completed runner-up in his ultimate yr with Prema the place he was partnered with team-mate Oscar Piastri.
Shwartzman beforehand claimed championship victories on the 2018 Toyota Racing Sequence and the 2019 Formulation 3 championship. This yr he’s additionally competing within the World Endurance Championship with team-mates Rober Kubica and Yifei Ye for AF Corse Ferrari.
Felipe Drugovich – Maserati MSG
Felipe Drugovich is the 2022 Formulation 2 champion, after successful 5 races and 11 podiums over the season for MP Motorsport. The Brazilian has taken half in a number of Formulation E rookie take a look at drives beforehand, and he set the quickest time in Berlin final yr and once more in Rome later within the yr.
For 2024, Drugovich holds the position of take a look at and reserve driver for the Aston Martin Formulation 1 group and is competing within the European Le Mans Sequence.
Former W Sequence drivers participating within the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at
Alice Powell – Envision Racing
Alice Powell will participate in her first full Berlin rookie take a look at after working with Envision Racing since 2020 as their take a look at and improvement driver. The Brit is a five-time W Sequence race winner, the place she competed in 2019-21.
Powell completed second within the championship in 2020 with Racing X and third in 2019 and 2021 with Hitech GP and Bristol Avenue Motors Racing respectively.
Marta Garcia – ERT
2023 F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia will participate in her debut rookie take a look at for ERT. She beforehand competed within the W Sequence, putting 4th within the debut season.
In 2024, the Spanish driver will compete for the all-female Iron Dames within the Formulation Regional European Championship.
Different drivers participating within the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at
Jonny Edgar – DS Penske
Jonny Edgar had a profitable karting profession earlier than claiming the Formulation 4 championship in 2020. He spent the next three years in F3 however was unable to complete larger than twelfth within the general standings.
The British driver now competes within the LMP2 collection of each the European Le Mans Sequence and IMSA SportsCar Championship. Edgar spent six years on the Purple Bull junior group alongside Dennis Hauger, Jack Doohan and Harry Thompson. He’s additionally the cousin of F1 Academy driver Jessica Edgar.
Thomas Preining, Rookie Check Driver for Tag Heuer Porsche, Porsche 99x Electrical
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Thomas Preining – Porsche
Thomas Preining is the present works driver for Porsche and has some expertise with Formulation E, working because the group’s take a look at and improvement driver between 2019 and 2020. The Austrian is at present competing within the DTM collection and claimed the championship title in 2023.
Sheldon van de Linde – Jaguar
Sheldon van de Linde will return to Jaguar after participating in final month’s Misano rookie free follow. He additionally took half in final yr’s Berlin rookie take a look at the place he impressed many when he went quickest within the opening session.
The South African driver had beforehand claimed the 2022 DTM championship and titles within the South African Polo Cup Championship and Volkswagen Cup South Africa.
Nicolas Pino – Maserati MSG
Nicolas Pino will participate within the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at for Maserati MSG Racing alongside 2022 Formulation 2 champion Felipe Drugovich. The Chilean driver is a part of the Stellantis Younger Driver Programme and is at present competing within the World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 class.
In 2023, Pino completed third within the LMP2 class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside his team-mates Rene Binder and Neel Jani.
Dries Vanthoor – Envision
Dries Vanthoor will get his first expertise of Formulation E as he takes half within the Berlin rookie take a look at alongside Alice Powell. The Belgian driver is at present racing within the World Endurance Championship and beforehand held titles within the 2020-2022 GT World Problem Europe Dash Cup and 2021 GT World Problem Europe.
Ugo Ugochukwu – McLaren
Ugo Ugochukwu will substitute Taylor Barnard within the McLaren rookie take a look at drive after the British driver was called up to replace Sam Bird in Monaco and Berlin. The American is a part of the McLaren Driver Improvement programme and has completed runner-up within the Italian Formulation 4 championship and received the Euro 4 title.
Gregoire Saucy – McLaren
Gregoire Saucy will be part of Ugo Ugochukwu at McLaren for the Formulation E Berlin rookie take a look at drive. The Swiss driver claimed the 2021 Formulation Regional Championship and had beforehand had a profitable karting profession.
He beforehand competed within the 2022 and 2023 Formulation 3 championship however has since moved to the LMGT3 class of the World Endurance Championship.
Mikel Azcona, ERT Formulation E Group, ERT X24
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
Mikel Azcona – ERT
Mikel Azcona took half within the Misano rookie take a look at for ERT final month and can return to the group for Berlin. The Spaniard received the 2022 World Touring Automobile Cup, in addition to beforehand claiming the Europe Touring Automobile Sequence twice.
Azcona additionally took half in final yr’s Berlin rookie take a look at alongside former Formulation 1 driver Daniil Kvyat.
Caio Collet – Nissan
Former Formulation 3 driver Caio Collet will participate in his second Formulation E take a look at session for Nissan, after participating within the Misano E-Prix rookie follow session final month. The 2018 French F4 champion has been working with Nissan because the begin of 2024 doing simulator work.
Gabriele Mini – Nissan
Alpine Academy driver Gabriele Mini will be part of Caio Collet at Nissan for the Berlin rookie take a look at for his debut session. The Italian driver received the 2020 Italian F4 championship and at present competes in F3, the place he’s third within the standings.
Tim Tramnitz – ABT Cupra
Purple Bull junior Tim Tramnitz is at present competing in Formulation 3 after ending third within the Formulation Regional Championship final yr. He beforehand took half within the rookie free follow in Misano and can return for the Berlin rookie take a look at with ABT Cupra.
Ricardo Feller – ABT Cupra
Ricardo Feller is a profitable GT driver and has claimed the 2023 GT World Problem Europe Dash Cup, and the 2021 GT Masters and World Problem Europe Endurance silver cup. He took a DTM victory in the course of the first race of the season at Oschersleben final month and is in his third yr of the collection.