King Charles III got up close and personal to the world of Formula E at a sustainability summit in London on Tuesday night.

The King viewed the car at Hampton Court Palace in London at a summit and was joined by CEOs and government representatives, which celebrated the five-year anniversary of His Majesty’s Sustainable Markets Initiative.

From the image posted on the Royal Family’s social media platforms, it appears that The King – a known and long-standing champion of environmental and sustainability issues – was being shown a display model of the FE GEN3 Evo car, as well as an example of the Pit Boost fast-charger, which made its debut at the Jeddah E-Prix last month.

This comes as FE announced Fortescue Zero as its official provider of Pit Boost.

A British company which deals in engineering with an environmental bent, Fortescue Zero is providing chargers which is capable of giving cars an extra 10 percent in a timeframe of 30 seconds.

The Pit Boost feature will return in Monaco in May, and will be present in all other double-header race weekends this season.

In a statement, Formula E’s CEO Jeff Dodds said: “The successful development and integration of Fortescue Zero’s Pit Boost technology has not only been a positive gamer-changer for the racing our fans can expect, but is one of the biggest new features introduced into world-motorsport in recent memory.

“Not only is it bringing huge new excitement to our race tracks, but allows the series and commercial partners to pioneer cutting edge technology that is directly relevant to road-going EV users.

“This new technology will have enormous real-world benefits and tangibly contributes to our overarching mission of accelerating the development and uptake of EVs around the world.”

READ MORE – YouTube star Driver61 praises technology of ‘very exciting’ Formula E championship

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YouTube creator Driver61 has praised the technology of the Formula E championship, describing the series as “very exciting” after sampling the GEN3 Evo car in last week’s Evo Sessions.

Scott Mansell, who set the fastest time over the two-day event at the Miami International Autodrome, has grown a new appreciation of the all-electric championship having now effectively experienced a regular Formula E driver’s race weekend.

Mansell was one of 11 personalities, made-up of YouTube creators, TikTok influencers and celebrities, who drove for each FE team on the grid in-front of cameras which captured the action for a future television documentary.

Speaking to Motorsport Week, Mansell praised the technical and engineering side of the series, which may not receive the sort of kudos it is due.

“I think the entire championship is very exciting,” he said. “The fundamentals are there. You’ve got technology, lots of incredible technology. It would be nice if some of that could be communicated a little bit more, because I think being on the inside now, the way that the teams are developing this car and what they can do with it is unbelievable.

“I didn’t actually understand how deep they were going with how they’re adapting the rear drive train of the car. That’s been super interesting.

“Formula E, it’s got fundamentals, as I said. It’s got the tech, which is super interesting; it’s got really close racing, which for me, is what I love about watching any sport – it’s the battle of it all, and I think that’s what Formula E does extremely well, you never really know who’s going to win.

“It’s always a great wheel-to-wheel battle all the way through the field and for me as a driver, one of the best things is that the drivers look like they’re working hard.

“You watch the onboard and you’re like ‘well, these guys are millimetres from the walls.’ The cars are jumping around.

“Also, a lot of the street circuits are less than perfect in terms of surface. If you compare it to Silverstone, super smooth, everything’s perfect, the kerbs are all the same.

“Go to Berlin [Tempelhof Street Circuit] or one of these proper street courses that are bumpy and difficult and a bit unusual, it’s a big challenge for the driver, and then add to that all of the power changes during qualifying and the race and the duels and all of that, there’s just many more things moving around.

“So when I look at it from a driving perspective, it’s a huge challenge, right? And that’s what you want as a fan, as a viewer.”

“And then events like this are doing a great job.

“I think it speaks volumes about Formula E’s mentality on the fact that they’re willing to put something like this together. It’s a crazy event. It’s shining a spotlight on this area of the sport.

“And hopefully they do it again at some point because it’s been fantastic. I think the engagement that us as creators are able to put on the sport again will definitely bring in some new viewers.”

Formula E’s drivers ‘underrated’

It has been suggested that Formula E drivers are not given the credit they deserve, given the skillset required to be a successful driver in the series.

The peloton races provide a lot of close-quarter action and the energy-saving and treaded tyres provide a unique challenge that no other series really offers, and when asked, Mansell is inclined to agree.

“I think, you know, like you said, if you’re comparing it to Formula 1, then they’re very different disciplines.

“But a great racing driver will get into anything and adapt themselves and learn, right? They’re just great learners and they’re great at adapting.

“If you look at the line-up here, these guys are fast. They’re really fast, so to answer your question, they probably are underrated.

“When I’m seeing them out on track and talking to them as well, they’re all fantastic drivers.”

One other thing that impressed Mansell was his tutor – Formula E rookie Zane Maloney. Laughing when he admits his age is double the Bajan’s, Mansell gave Maloney credit in how he taught him and echoed the thoughts of Lola’s owner Till Bechtolsheimer, who recently spoke of his praise of the youngster to Motorsport Week.

“Well, yeah, I’m twice his age, but he’s incredibly mature.

“The maturity that he’s got at 20 years old and the way that he’s able to explain the technical aspects of the car has been really impressive.

“Also, he’s a super nice person, he’s been so welcoming to me. He’s spent a lot of time with me, helping me out, so I’m very, very grateful for how much time he’s given me.

“For sure, he’s going to be bringing success to the Lola team.”

Evo Sessions ‘such a success’ says Mansell

Despite being a successful YouTube creator for a decade, Mansell has evidently got the Formula E bug, joking: “I’m trying to get the team manager here to get me on the rookie test, but I’m just saying it as much as I can everywhere, just so he gets it in his mind.”

Many eyebrows have been raised about the Evo Sessions event, which was organised as a replacement for the cancelled Thai E-Prix set for this month, in order to fill what was a two-month gap on its regular calendar, but Mansell is in no doubt – minus other YouTube creator Mr Beast’s crash, perhaps – as to how smoothly the event has gone.

“I think it already looks like this has been a success, and actually, we’ve only done one day of driving, right? And all of the content hasn’t gone out yet.

“Yeah, it’s been fantastic here. I’ve been seeing everything on social media and obviously, we’re putting content out on YouTube as well.

“I think it’d be wonderful if it could happen again. To be honest with you, I can’t see why not. It’s been such a success. And everyone has been… I don’t want to speak too soon, because we’re only in the morning of the second day, but everyone’s been very sensible and driven the cars well.

“It’s been impressive, right? Some of the drivers have been quick. JUCA, who’s a Mexican content creator, has been very fast; Sergio Aguero was very fast and Brooklyn Beckham did a really good job as well. So it’s been impressive.”

READ MORE – YouTube creator needed ‘no convincing’ to take part in Formula E Evo Sessions

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YouTube creator Driver61 has said there was “no convincing needed” when he was asked to take part in the Formula E Evo Sessions event held in Miami this week.

The online star, real name Scott Mansell, boasts 1.33 million subscribers to his YouTube account, which delves into the world of motor racing with in-depth analysis and technical explainers.

Mansell, himself a former racing driver, did not win an overall prize for his efforts at the Miami International Autodrome, but Motorsport Week understands that he set the fastest lap time that was recorded over the two day event in his Lola-Yamaha-ABT.

In fact, such was his speed, Mansell’s best lap was not hugely different to the benchmark set by the driver assigned to coach him – Lola’s permanent race driver Zane Maloney.

The event comprised of 11 influencers, content creators and celebrities – one for each FE team – who were put through their paces under the supervision of a driver from their respective assigned team, and set laps to determine the fastest driver, but Motorsport Week learned that the lap times will not be officially published, but instead further in-depth information from the event will be included in a television documentary to be shown at a later date.

Mansell told Motorsport Week that when he was initially approached by FE to take part, he needed little time or persuasion to say yes.

“Formula E reached-out, saying we’re doing this crazy thing in Miami, would you like to be part of it?” Mansell said. “They said you’ll be driving on track in one of the actual Formula E cars and so there was no convincing needed to be honest with you!”

Close-knit work with Lola Formula E team rekindled past experience

Mansell’s apparent speed should not be a total surprise, given he had been a professional racing driver prior to his online successes.

A veteran of BOSS GP racing series, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and the Indy Pro Series [now Indy NXT], Mansell enjoyed a varied racing career, and his YouTube presence has enabled him to continue to turn his hand to other cars over the years since.

Mansell said that his experience with the team was his first of a similar nature since his end of his professional career.

“The first thing, I spent a couple of days in the sim with the team. So if you start from there, the first thing is just me working with a very professional team.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, probably not since 2010, it’s been a while.”

Such as the content his channel creates, Mansell was able to use his experience and interest in the technical and engineering side to assist him get to grips with the car, the world’s fastest accelerating car, the GEN3 Evo.

Mansell said that working with the engineers was “massively enjoyable,” adding: “If you look at my YouTube channel now, I love the engineering behind it, I love getting into the details of it, I love understanding how the cars work.

“And that’s probably the biggest thing about the Formula E car is that they’re very complex machines in different ways that I’m used to.

“With all the software and all the tools that you have to change how the cars behave, that’s been really, really interesting to get my head around. 

“You have to drive it a different way. But then going out on the track, yeah, of course. I mean the headline figures are crazy.

“Obviously, they’re very fast under acceleration with all the torque that they have, but the ultimate grip that these cars have, because they don’t have a huge amount of aero and because they’re on the treaded tyres, it means that they are massively fun to drive.

“[They’re] One of the most fun cars that I’ve ever driven, because you can buy loads of power, loads of torque with not a massive amount of grip, you’ve got something that’s moving around all the time and as a driver, you really feel like you’re properly driving it.”

Lola’s ‘incredible history’ an additional excitement

Mansell was hugely excited to drive for the Lola team in Formula E Evo Sessions, given its history and heritage, and it added to the list of Lolas he had already driven.

“This isn’t made up, but I have actually driven a few Lolas of old! Driven the T70s [the 1960s sports prototype], driven a T210 [another prototype, from 1970] at the Silverstone Classic races.

“And so, of course, I’m very aware of the brand. It’s got such incredible history. I’ve driven the cars, the cars that I’ve driven also had lots of power and not a huge amount of grip and were lots of fun as well. So yeah, that was really the connection.”

Whilst technically a novice to Formula E, Mansell’s experience enabled him to observe how his fellow creators were reacting to how driving the cars felt, revealing he was able to engage with them.

“I’ve spoken to most of them. It’s been good fun actually just meeting them and seeing how they’re approaching it,” he said.

“You’re right. I do have more experience than most people here. There are a couple who have racing experience, but there are also people who’ve never been on track before, so that’s been super interesting meeting the guys as well. They’re a lot of fun.

“Some of the YouTubers as well, like Cleo Abram and Yes Theory – I love their content, so it’s been great to meet them and talk about the driving experience as well.

“I’ve worked on driving experiences myself on the other side of things [through his channel]. I’ve been running events where people have come and driven cars for the first time.

“And so I know the emotions that they’re going through, and you can see when they get out of the cars, they’re full of adrenaline.

“They’ve had a great time, and that’s what it’s all about really.”

READ MORE – Is Formula E now the biggest champion for women in motorsport?

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On International Women’s Day, Motorsport Week asks if Formula E is now a forerunner for promoting the cause of further inclusion of women in motorsport.

The all-electric championship announced on Friday that a second all-female test will take place on October 30, and will comprise of a full day’s running across two sessions.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the work Formula E has already put in on the issue of female representation.

FE’s first women’s test, which took place at the conclusion of its pre-season programme at Circuito Jarama last November, was a huge success, with 18 drivers taking part across the 11 teams that make-up the grid.

It was also a first of its kind event, the first time a mixed-gender FIA-affiliated series held an event for just women competitors.

Alongside the regular press pack that comprises the FE media centre, a plethora of other outlets flocked to Madrid to witness the historic event, the success of which was cemented with winning the Most Inspiring Campaign gong at The Race Media Awards in January.

From Day 1 to today – women have been no strangers to the Formula E paddock

When it comes to female inclusion, the test was most certainly not the championship’s first rodeo, with two women – Katherine Legge and Michela Cerruti – lining-up on the grid at the very-first Formula E race in Beijing in 2014.

Simona de Silvestro was the next to follow, ending the inaugural season with a seat at Andretti, which was retained for the duration of Season 2, and in Long Beach and Berlin, completed two top-10 finishes to become first, and so far only woman to score points in the championship.

Women have also been afforded opportunities in a number of its rookie tests, usually held over a race weekend during the season.

Alice Powell has been a prominent figure in the series, having been a part of the Envision Racing team since Season 7, conducting simulator work and driving in the designated rookie test sessions.

Jamie Chadwick has been a frequent visitor to the FE paddock for sometime, and amongst her dominance in the now-defunct W Series, her previous role as a member of Williams’ Academy and her drives in both Extreme E and Indy NXT, she has made time for jumping into an FE car, setting the second-fastest time at Jarama.

Last year’s F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling was given a shot with Nissan in the same test, and stormed to first in the timesheets, with a lap three tenths ahead of Chadwick and within 3.5s of the fastest time of the week, set by Mitch Evans.

Speaking to Motorsport Week at the Jeddah E-Prix, Pulling said: “I think Formula E is paving the way and they’re not trying to replicate something else. 

“They’re their own identity and their own brand and series that have their own kind of perspective on things and they’re really trying to make a better future, for obviously the sustainability side but also for the drivers and to give us the opportunities.

“If it wasn’t for that test [Jarama], I probably wouldn’t have been having conversations that I’ve been having and in contact with some really powerful figures within the paddock. 

“So for that, I’m really thankful that Jeff [Dodds, Formula E’s CEO] and the whole team have managed to put it together. The whole Formula E team.”

It’s prudent to also note that Chadwick has taken part in two tests staged in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, most recently for Jaguar TCS Racing at the Jeddah E-Prix last month.

The first was an in-season test over the weekend of the Diriyah E-Prix, in which Chadwick was one of nine female drivers that took part.

At the same weekend, a Nissan GEN2 car was piloted in a demo run by Reem Al Aboud, the groundbreaking female Saudi Arabian racing driver.

This two-pronged promotion of female inclusion was in December 2018, just six months after women were legally enabled to drive in the country for the first time, further enhancing the series’ want to always be at the forefront of social issues through the medium of motorsport.

Amid the publicity and excitement the Jarama test would bring, it might be forgivable to forget that, earlier in 2024, Al Aboud returned to create a new piece of history – setting a new benchmark for an FIA single-seater racing car by achieving 0-60mph in 2.49 seconds in the GENBETA car, just over 0.1 of a second faster than a Formula 1 car.

From on-track to off it – the unsung heroes of Formula E

Whilst Formula E has been able to give so many female drivers opportunities to show their speed and worth on the track, the whole series is comprised of a great number of hugely talented female employees off it.

A myriad of women work tirelessly behind the scenes within various roles, a notable example being in the media centre, where you will find a high percentage of women making-up its communications department.

This representation carries over into the teams as well, with a vast number of women who are tasked with heading-up the hard job of looking after the drivers’ schedules with the media, all of which handle their roles with guile and a quiet calm and authority.

Formula E has also been a prominent supporter of the FIA’s Girls On Track initiative, which has given countless girls aged between 12 and 18 the chance to be present at FE races and events to learn more about motorsport with behind the scenes access, workshops and activities to engage and and encourage them to forge a future pathway into a career in the industry.

And of course, media representation is evident to television viewers, with long-time member of the broadcasting team, Nicki Shields, now the lead presenter of its English-speaking TV coverage.

Shields is supported by pit lane reporter Alexa Rendall, and amid its roster of pundits, Chadwick and Extreme E star Catie Munnings.

Whilst the world of motorsport is making more conscientious efforts in heightening the inclusion of women in motorsport, there are many reasons to consider Formula E, like its GEN3 Evo machine, has accelerated through the glass ceiling faster than any other series.

READ MORE – Exclusive: Abbi Pulling says self-focus the priority ahead of GB3 bow

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Formula E has announced that a second all-women’s test will take place on October 30, following the success of last year’s inaugural event.

At the Circuito Jarama in November, each FE team fielded at least one female driver for an afternoon session of track action, concluding the pre-season testing programme.

As part of International Women’s Day celebrations for March 8, and to encompass its theme this year – ‘Accelerate Action’ – FE has announced that this particular test will be comprised of two sessions, ensuring a full day of track action.

Up to 22 drivers will be able to participate in the test, with, as before, FE teams being required to field a minimum of one.

Formula E’s Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Alberto Longo, said: “Building on the success of last year’s pioneering all-women’s test, we’re excited to make the event even bigger and more impactful by extending it to a full day of testing involving two lengthy test sessions.

“Our goal is to continue breaking down the barriers to entry for women in motorsport and provide them with an equal opportunity to showcase their skills, driving the same cutting-edge technology as the rest of our championship drivers.”

“Formula E’s ongoing commitment to attracting the best drivers in the world within motorsport is reflected not only in this expanded test but also in its broader initiatives to support women at every level of the sport.

“This includes the FIA Girls on Track initiative that hosts 120 young women at track the day before each of its races for immersive educational workshops and talks, helping them understand more about science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, while getting a rare and unique insight into what it’s like working in motorsport. 

“The all-women’s test forms a key part of Formula E’s long-term strategy to promote diversity and equality in motorsport, with a continued focus on identifying and removing the structural barriers that limit women’s participation.

“By amplifying the visibility of women in the sport and providing equal access to the latest technology and resources, Formula E is making bold strides toward a more inclusive future for motorsport.”

READ MORE on Formula E here

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In the second part of Motorsport Week’s exclusive interview with Till Bechtolsheimer, the Lola chairman reveals more detail about the signing of rookie sensation Zane Maloney, and the Formula E team’s realistic expectations for the remainder of Season 11.

One of the first issues to navigate for the Lola-Yamaha-ABT team was to find a replacement for Nico Mueller, who left to join Andretti.

The motorsport community, particularly within Formula E, were surprised to learn the man chosen was Formula 2 driver Zane Maloney.

The Bajan was in the midst of a title battle in the premier Formula 1 feeder series alongside Paul Aron and new F1 signings Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto, the latter eventually taking the championship.

Maloney opted to forego his title aspirations to make the switch to FE in what was a demonstration of, not just Lola’s pulling power, but further indications that FE’s legitimacy as a top-level championship is more prevalent than ever.

Along with Bortoleto, Maloney made the jump from Sauber’s academy to take-up the drive alongside FE’s most long-standing driver, Lucas di Grassi.

Bechtolsheimer has nothing but praise for what he has seen of Maloney so far.

“I think it’s a really interesting driver lineup with the most experienced driver on the grids and the only real rookie,” he said.

“I mean, we’ve got a couple of rookies this year, but Zane is the only one who up until the first race of the season had never raced in a Formula E car before and that’s a really interesting dynamic. 

“I think it’s a great dynamic for where we’re at with Lola, as part of this multi-year campaign. Right now, we need someone like Lucas with the experience that he brings and the focus that he brings, and allowing a Lucas and a Zane, who are at such different points in their careers… I think they work really, really well together.

“And there’s a lot of positives. We want everyone pulling in the same direction, developing the car together, we have that dynamic with those two. 

“To have the opportunity to work with who I think is going to be the next big talent in Formula E is fantastic. He did exceptionally well in all of the junior formulas, including Formula 2. I mean, he was leading the championship for half of the season last year, and I think demonstrated that he’s got the chops to go up against this rising crop of drivers, a lot of whom are going into Formula 1 this year, and coaxing him over to Formula E, I think, is a real coup, not just for Lola, but for Formula E as a championship as well.”

Lola ‘impressed’ by ‘mature’ Maloney

A number of names including Dan Ticktum, Sacha Fenestraz and Kelvin van der Linde were all thought to have been contacted or at least considered, but shocked everyone by making the acquisition of Formula 2 talent Maloney.

Bechtolsheimer confirms that many names were sounded-out, but attributes showed by Maloney in their early conversations was enough to convince them.

“Yeah, I would say he was always on the shortlist and I think when you’re putting a shortlist together of drivers, I don’t think you rank the shortlist so much because until you’ve spoken to them and looked into them in more detail, it’s really just who would we be really excited to have.

“And there was a very small handful of young drivers that we were taking a look at and part of the problem with young drivers… you’re not hiring them into Formula 1, which is [what] they’ve grown up since little kids to wanting to do… one thing and one thing only, and that’s Formula 1, and we’re not a Formula 1 team.

“I get it. I respect it. I’m sure I’d be no different as a young driver, but the level of maturity that Zane demonstrated from the very first time we talked to him about how he thought about his career and how he felt Formula E could play a role in that was really, really impressive.

“When you talk to the Lola and the ABT engineers who work with Zane, they’re just so impressed with how mature of a driver he is, and Formula E is so different to what any of those younger drivers have had to deal with.

“It’s very different to Formula 1. You’re managing a lot of different things in the car. It takes time, and it takes, I think, a certain personality, a certain level of intelligence to be able to maximise [a package], and [in] Formula E [you] can’t be successful in this, and I think we’ve got that in Zane.”

Lola’s ‘good base package’ something to work towards in terms of progress

At the time of this interview – over the weekend of the Mexico City E-Prix – Lola had so far yet scored any points, and after rounds three and four in Jeddah, this is still the case, but there are many things to be positive about for the team.

Maloney qualified in the top 10 in Mexico, and in the season-opener in Brazil, he found himself running in the top six for a portion of the race, but his hopes were dashed after the red flag situation caused a chaotic change in the order.

But Bechtolsheimer sees much to be pleased about so far, saying that he is ‘”focused on where we are in the field come London, the last race of the season, not the first or second.

“I just want us to be making progress,” he added. “There are so many things that we need data on that right now, yes, we want to be competitive, don’t get me wrong, and the team is working incredibly hard to make sure that we get some good results here in the early part of the season.

“But the most important thing for us and for Yamaha is to collect data, make improvements, demonstrate to ourselves that we’re on the right path.

“I think Sao Paulo was that in a nutshell as well. We were disappointed that we didn’t end up with points. The fact that that was even a possibility in our very first race in Formula E, I think shows we’ve got a good base package.

“We’ve now just got to make these, not even baby steps, these significant steps every time we’re out and that’s what our main focus is.”

On the question of where Lola will take itself next, Bechtolsheimer is coy on what are the following steps but teases that the name will be seen elsewhere soon.

“We haven’t announced anything. Obviously, other than Formula E at this point, but I’m confident you’ll be hearing new announcements from us in 2025 about incremental projects,” he said.

“There’s one that’s a definite already, not ready to announce it yet. It’s less motorsport focused in terms of going to another series, but I think it’s an interesting product. 

“But in terms of racing in other series, I can assure you we’re working very hard on making that a reality.

“Lola has so much heritage in so many different forms of motorsport that we want to be going back to as many of them as possible.”

READ MORE – Exclusive: Lola supremo says Formula E entry was ‘no-brainer’

The post Exclusive: Lola boss says Zane Maloney signing ‘came from nowhere’ appeared first on Motorsport Week.

Tag Heuer Porsche driver Antonio Felix da Costa has said his team suffered a “kick in the butt” at the Jeddah E-Prix, and has warned its rivals that they are catching-up quickly as Formula E enters a mid-season break.

The Portuguese suffered a tough weekend at the city’s inaugural E-Prix, finishing ninth in Race 1, and then retiring in Race 2 after an early collision with Maximilian Guenther.

Having entered the weekend first in the championship, da Costa now sits in third behind leader Oliver Rowland and Taylor Barnard, 29 points adrift of the Nissan driver.

The Nissan powertrain – which also powers Barnard’s NEOM McLaren team – looked strong over both races, proving the Japanese marque’s progress and the works team’s credentials as a title favourite.

After the race, in which he retired after a first-lap collision with Maximilian Guenther, da Costa told media including Motorsport Week that the weekend was one that showed the German giants must not rest on its laurels.

“I think the biggest takeaway from this weekend is that our competitors are waking up and getting close, so I think that’s also good for us,” he said.

“It’s a kick in the butt in the good sense of the expression, and we’re definitely going to work even harder, I’m not worried about that.”

Seemingly da Costa views Rowland as his – and the Porsche team’s – main championship challenger, the Brit having already equalled his Season 10 win tally, and said the break between Jeddah and the Miami E-Prix – scheduled for April 12 – will provide the team an ample opportunity to reset itself and work hard towards maintaining its reputation as the fastest overall package on the grid this season.

“We have some time between now and Miami, so I think that’s good for us, but as you’ve seen, the others are not sleeping either, so everybody’s going to improve, we just have to make sure we keep on improving as well.

“I’m sure we have a strong enough package to give Nissan and Oliver a run for their money.”

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The debut for Formula E in Jeddah provided a debut for Pit Boost, the emergence of a new UK star and the complete flipping on its head of the title race. Motorsport Week was in Saudi Arabia for all the news and gossip.

Ticktum’s ‘tantrum’ triggers the misinformed

The longer MW’s Formula E Editor has been around the paddock, one lesson that he has learned has been that Dan Ticktum is not quite the character that non-endemic watchers of Formula E believe he is.

Ticktum’s younger days in the F1 feeder series, and one or two radio outbursts, has unfortunately rendered him with labels like “bad boy,” and his expletive-laden rant to his engineers during Race 1 in Jeddah enabled such a conversation to rear its head again.

Being told that his car needed a system reset on top of his battery recharge in the Pit Boost portion of the race, Ticktum was understandably irked by the situation, particularly given he is now racing a car that is, by far, the quickest he’s ever driven in FE.

Several F-Bombs that dropped in the conversation has now made it onto social media, with many non-hardcore FE fans quickly putting the young Brit down, but what was also broadcast, which did not fit the narrative, was that he gave a “disclaimer” saying he was not angry at his team, but at the circumstances which presented themselves to him.

It is not a journalist’s position to be partisan to any driver whatsoever, but it is worth making that point that, every time Motorsport Week has spoken to Ticktum, he has been courteous, friendly and always willing to give answers to questions.

Prior to Race 1, Ticktum told MW that whilst “there’s more pressure” given the Cupra Kiro team now have to perform with its new investors, the lack of financial stress is “one less thing to worry about,” and that he has confidence in himself “to deliver the best in all situations.”

Chomping at the bit, Ticktum conveyed frustration that he now has a two-month gap from Jeddah to Miami in April, saying he’d like there to be 15 race weekends a season.

Female representation in Jeddah provides ‘further opportunities’ for a full-time Formula E seat

Jamie Chadwick once again filled the cockpit of the Jaguar in the rookie test prior to the weekend’s action, having done so in the all-female test in Madrid in November.

She was joined by Tatiana Calderon, who had run with Maserati in Spain, but this time represented the Lola-Yamaha-ABT outfit, revealed to Motorsport Week that she had received the offer from Lola’s Chairman Till Bechtolsheimer after Mexico, with the pair then racing together in the Daytona 24 Hours.

The Colombian was buoyant about the chances of a full-time female driver in Formula E very soon, saying: “I would wish nothing but that really and I think that kind of opportunity really creates further opportunities so I’m really grateful that they did that because I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that so I think sometimes you have to force or to encourage people to take chances in female drivers and I’m glad that it’s Jamie and me this time, but who knows in the future so hopefully we’ll see another woman full time here very soon.”

Barnard continues to surprise everyone, including himself!

The continued strength of the Nissan powertrain is being enabled, to the max, by NEOM McLaren’s Taylor Barnard. After making into the semi-finals of qualifying ahead of Race 1, Barnard took a second third-place of the season.

Speaking to Motorsport Week after the race, Barnard said he did “absolutely not” foresee his season starting this way. He added that he envisaged qualifying for Race 2 “a little bit more irrelevant,” however this did not stop him from becoming Formula E’s youngest-ever pole-sitter. His aim was to “control it from the front,” and he gave it a good go, losing-out only to winner and new title leader Oliver Rowland.

Leaving Jeddah also second in the championship, Barnard said he was “super happy,” adding that whilst he intends to add to his records and become the youngest-ever FE race-winner soon, he said he “can’t complain,” adding, saying “the main focus is to just score big points.”

Cassidy happy to get points ‘on the board’ amid fractious weekend

It’s been a shame to see such a talent as Nick Cassidy cut an unhappy figure so far in Season 11. No points up until Race 2 in Jeddah, the Kiwi put on a typical peloton display, making his way through the pack in a comparatively-uncompetitive Jaguar to take fifth place.

“We needed that,” he told us. “It’s a bit of momentum for the guys,” he added, saying the goal is to “keep working,” and improve the underwhelming package the British team has shown so far.

“We’re aware that to fight at all we need car performance and we need to improve. Ultimately, if you have performance, you’ll score big points.”

Cassidy went into a similar break last season first in the championship, and whilst the situation is different, we asked him if he felt confident in being able to turn things around, he said, with a grin: “We’ll see.”

Hughes sees further improvement in Stellantis package

Jake Hughes saw a double-points tally for him over the weekend, taking third in Race 2 to make it an FE first in an all-British podium.

Acknowledging the Stellantis powertrain took quadruple points finishes – through his Maserati team and DS Penske – in both Mexico and Race 1 in Jeddah, Hughes said it would have likely been a similar story had Friday’s winner Max Guenther not suffered his Lap 1 shunt.

“I think we’re further ahead than we expected,” Hughes told MW. “To have these points on the board is massively encouraging.

“It’s a big boost that we’re getting a podium already and fighting for wins and pole positions.

“For myself, I’m over the moon. It’s always challenging changing team, it’s a lot to take on to extract the most out of the package, so to be performing like this already is encouraging.”

Hughes, who was partnered by Barnard at McLaren for two weekends in Season 10, nearly came into contact with the youngster towards the end of Race 2, being forced off the track in an attempt to take second. Hughes was initially angry, but laughed it off afterwards.

“I wasn’t enamoured at the time, but I get it. I’d do something similar if I’m honest.”

Speaking on the British domination of race two, with Jake Dennis’ fourth-place making it a British 1-2-3-4, Hughes said: “I don’t know how we [the UK] keep churning it out to be honest! I don’t know what we have in the water, but we have everything we need.

“Infrastructure, a lot of the teams are based there, a lot of tracks, and the British motorsport scene, with kids starting in karting, is doing a lot of things right.”

Guenther foresees strategic differences in future Pit Boost races

Maximilian Guenther has said that the new Pit Boost regulation may provide different strategic problems for teams, depending on the different styles of track that will see the mandatory recharges take place.

Guenther became the first winner of a Pit Boost-influenced race in Jeddah, taking victory in Race 1, in which recharging made its debut.

Speaking to media including Motorsport Week, the German said that whilst he does not foresee any huge differences to Pit Boost, the influence of it on certain tracks will prove to make it harder to drivers to regain their pre-stop positions.

“I think it’ll be pretty much the same wherever we go. Obviously, every race has a different dynamic and style, and track position is more important than others,” he said. 

“Looking at Monaco [the next round with Pit Boost], I do believe dropping from the lead to P9 and to come back again would not be possible, just because overtaking is more difficult on a track like Monaco, those are the things you have to manoeuvre on a strategy side.”

READ MORE – Oliver Rowland: Nissan team ‘gelling’ after Jeddah Formula E success

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Oliver Rowland has said his Nissan Formula E Team are “gelling in a good way,” after the Brit cemented his title credentials with a commanding victory in Race 2 of the Jeddah E-Prix.

Starting from second, Rowland played a team strategy perfectly, using his Attack Modes well to overcome the challenge of NEOM McLaren’s Taylor Barnard to claim his second win of the season.

Rowland told Motorsport Week that, whilst his team and himself are now being labelled as one of the title favourites, you can’t be complacent.

“I don’t think you can expect it in this game,” he said. “Look, I’m always very clear with what I want to achieve each weekend. I have set out goals in my mind, which I focus on.

“I’m getting more and more experience with my team. We know what the car needs, we know what I need. We’re gelling in a good way, so I’m really happy.”

‘He’s very much like me’ – Rowland proud of protege Barnard

The race result had to significant additional points of interest with the first all-British podium in FE history, with Jake Hughes claiming third, and Jake Dennis finishing fourth to make it a UK quartet, as well as Barnard being a product of Rowland’s karting team initiative.

Rowland said that he noticed the talent of the 20-year-old – who became FE’s youngest-ever pole-sitter this weekend – and isn’t surprised to see him sharing a podium with him now.

“I saw his talent when he was 11, 12. He needed help because he had no backing or funding and managed to find him a really good seat so he could show even more of his talent. 

“And to be here at such a young age, youngest pole sitter, youngest podium, I think I have a good eye for that sort of stuff!

“But he deserves it. He’s very much like me. He came from a background that couldn’t afford to even do basic karting, so it’s nice to see him up here.”

Rowland added that he is proud of what the British youth system for young budding racing drivers has been able to do in terms of producing such a breadth of talented drivers.

“Britain is generally spoilt for drivers. You look in Formula 1, you look in Formula E, WEC, wherever, we have such a good grassroots karting that we really teach the kids very well and they’re able to perform.”

Rowland joked: “If we can put Britain on the map, from a selfish perspective, I don’t really care about the others, apart from him [Barnard] a little bit!”

READ MORE – Jeddah E-Prix: Oliver Rowland leads home British Formula E quartet

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Oliver Rowland extended his Formula E World Championship lead with a commanding Race 2 victory, leading home a chain of four British drivers in Jeddah.

The Nissan man utilised his strong package to perfection, overhauling the challenge of NEOM McLaren’s Taylor Barnard, who took second after a fraught final few laps, fending off the challenge of Maserati MSG Racing’s Jake Hughes.

Jake Dennis was the fourth of the British quartet to come home, overtaking Jean-Eric Vergne’s DS Penske in the final few corners, who dropped to seventh.

Nick Cassidy made good of a bad weekend with fifth place, with the second Maserati of Stoffel Vandoorne storming through to finish sixth, having started at the back.

Pascal Wehrlein was eighth, with Dan Ticktum scoring points for the second time this season with ninth, as Edoardo Mortara took the final points position in 10th place.

For Rowland, the pre-season chatter of a potential world title challenge was now looking to be well-placed.

How the race unfolded

At lights out, Barnard covered-off Rowland as Hughes took Rowland for second, and into Turn 4, chaos ensued.

On the entrance, Guenther showed too much enthusiasm and punted Antonio Felix da Costa sideways, sending both men to the back of the field.

Into Lap 2, Hughes looked keen to take Barnard’s lead, as the second McLaren of Sam Bird was now sitting in fourth, with de Vries fifth and Ticktum up three places to sixth.

Robin Frijns was another big mover in the pack, now in ninth, one place ahead of David Beckmann, as Guenther pitted, his race over. Da Costa was also out, his title lead that he took into the weekend firmly out of his grasp.

Barnard continued to lead, heading up a British 1-2-3-4, with Vergne in fifth, who then displaced Bird for fourth.

Lucas di Grassi was the first to take Attack Mode, and worked this way up to 10th, as Evans, Wehrlein and Cassidy all struggled to make headway.

Vergne was now third, touching Rowland as he muscled through for the position, as Ticktum took Bird on the outside of Turn 2 for fifth.

Di Grassi was now fourth with a minute of Attack Mode remaining, taking the fastest lap so far as he took third, and then quickly grabbed second, with Barnard holding off the veteran’s challenge.

Wehrlein was now in Attack Mode, and quickly gained three places and sat in 11th. Beckmann was now also in Attack Mode, as Wehrlein went up to 10th.

With di Grassi’s Attack Mode over, he slid down to fourth with Ticktum snapping at his heels, but the Kiro was to lose position to Wehrlein, who moved up into fourth ahead of di Grassi.

Rowland now led, with Barnard tucking in behind Vergne and Wehrlein. Frijns’ progress was continuing, now in seventh, as Cassidy set the fastest lap in Attack Mode, now up to 11th.

The Kiwi was now in eighth on Lap 9, and then seventh as three tenths was the gap between Rowland and Vergne at the front.

Evans and Frijns were now in Attack Mode, the Envision’s quick start condemning him to between two to three percent of energy less than those around him.

He was however up to third, and onto the start of Lap 12, breezed by Rowland and Barnard on the entry to Turn 1, opening up a nearly a second’s gap by the end of the lap.

Evans, with Attack Mode now over, took third from Barnard, as Frijns now had around a four percent deficit on the other leading drivers, as Hughes now moved-up to third using his first Attack.

Di Grassi continued to hold a points-scoring position with ninth, as Rowland took his first Attack Mode on Lap 14, handing second to Hughes, but as the Maserati’s extra power ran out, Rowland took both the Maserati and Frijns for the lead.

Barnard was now in fifth place, yet to take an Attack, but did so on Lap 15 along with Vergne. He quickly demoted Evans to fifth, and then moved-up to second as Vergne followed into third, as Ticktum now took his first lot of extra power.

Rowland now had a lead of around 1.5 seconds, but Barnard dispatched Frijns and closed down the Nissan, taking the lead into the first corner on Lap 17, as Ticktum dispatched Frijns for fifth.

Cassidy was now in his second Attack Mode, moving-up to sixth ahead of his team-mate, as Barnard opened-up a lead of one second on Rowland, with Vergne a further half-a-second behind in third.

Cassidy was now fifth, with Dennis quietly moving his way up the field in ninth. Barnard seemed to keep his powder dry in the hectic environment, allowing Rowland to take the lead back.

Cassidy now had third, as Rowland possessed a two percent advantage on Barnard’s McLaren, with six minutes of Attack Mode still left.

Cassidy was hounding Barnard for second, as Rowland led by half-a-second. Dennis, now in his second Attack, moved-up to fifth and then fourth, and then second into Lap 24.

Into Turn 13, Dennis took Rowland for the lead, as Barnard took second from Rowland who opted for his final Attack, as did di Grassi, moving his Lola up to sixth place, with Barnard now taking his final Attack.

Evans, suffering damage, was out of the race, his promising fightback over.

Vergne was now third on his final Attack Mode, with Ticktum and Hughes doing the same in sixth and seventh, as Rowland took Dennis for the lead, with three minutes of Attack left.

Dennis looked vulnerable to a manoeuvre from Vergne, as Barnard took both of the to grab second, now less than two seconds behind Rowland, but the Nissan having an extra 40 seconds’ worth of Attack Mode still in usage.

Hughes was now fourth, with more Attack left than anyone in-front of him, as Ticktum took Dennis for fifth place.

Race Control confirmed there would be no more added laps, with two to go.

Rule Britannia as Rowland takes charge

The front three of Rowland, Barnard and Vernge used all their Attack Mode, with Hughes still with a minutes’ worth left as Rowland led by 1.7 seconds.

Barnard threw his McLaren into the penultimate chicane in pursuit, as Hughes looked to pounce. Into Turn 1, the Maserati made his move, but was forced onto the run-off, but Barnard still looked ragged, as Rowland was now two seconds up the road.

Into the final lap, and Rowland was now over three seconds clear, the Nissan looking strong in all areas, as Hughes was swarming all over Barnard, the McLaren backing-up the pack as Rowland continued to open the advantage further.

Rowland took victory comfortably, with Barnard second, Hughes third and Dennis fourth after a phenomenal final lap from the Andretti, with Cassidy snatching fifth. Vandoorne finished sixth in a superb drive from last place.

Rowland, who had already cemented a championship lead with second in Race 1, now has two wins in the bag, the first driver to do so in Season 11, firmly cementing his credentials as a World Championship favourite.

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