PREVIEW: Milestone Season 10 kicks off with testing in Spain

Formula E and the FIA today confirmed the full driver line-up for Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship which begins with pre-season testing in Valencia next Monday. For the first time, rookie drivers will also test on the track alongside their elite teammates. 

Formula E’s 22 drivers from 11 teams will return to the Circuit Ricardo Tormo track where, almost a year ago, the new GEN3 car got a mixed reaction.

Since then, the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built has broken all Formula E speed records, while most races saw triple-digit overtakes in Formula E’s most entertaining and exciting season yet.

Drivers and teams will return to the track with a more robust understanding of the GEN3 car’s capabilities and a readiness to push its limits even further. 

Pre-season testing is the first chance for fans to see drivers in their new teams and car liveries. Only three teams retain the same line-up as last season – TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, DS PENSKE, and NIO 33 Racing – with plenty of high-profile changes. Some notable moves include: 

- Jehan Daruvala, Maserati MSG Racing – the 2023 Formula E rookie will make the step up to a full-time seat following his success in Formula 2. He was also previously one of three Force India F1 Team winners of the ‘One in a Billion’ Hunt. - Nyck De Vries, Mahindra Racing - De Vries first joined Formula E in 2019 where he immediately showcased his world-class racing ability to take home the FIA Formula E World Champion title. De Vries returns to Formula E with Mahindra Racing after driving for the F1 team Scuderia AlphaTauri. - Lucas di Grassi, ABT Cupra – the Formula E veteran and former Formula E World Champion will return to ABT Cupra for the team’s second season. - Nick Cassidy, Jaguar TCS Racing – last season’s runner-up in the world championship now shares a garage with Mitch Evans who finished just two points behind Cassidy in third, creating a formidable pairing. - Oliver Rowland, Nissan Formula E Team – The Brit marks his homecoming to the all-electric series with his return to the Japanese manufacturer. - Sam Bird, Neom McLaren Formula E Team – English team NEOM McLaren complete their all-Brit driver line up with the seasoned Bird joining the team.  - Robin Frijins, Envision Racing – Frijins returns to Envision for Season 10, where he previously spent four years with the customer team and secured a fourth overall in the 2018-2019 season. 

Welcoming rookies to Valencia for the first time

For the first time, all teams must nominate a rookie who has never driven a GEN3 in a Formula E race to test their skills on the track against the lead drivers.

Gabriela Jílková is among the rookies who will make her much-anticipated electric racing debut for TAG Heuer Porsche. One of Czech Republic’s brightest young talents, Jílková is an experienced Prototype Cup Germany race winner, and a Formula Renault and Sportcars competitor.

Integrating rookies into pre-season testing is designed to offer new and emerging talent the chance to showcase their skills in the cutting-edge GEN3. Formula E is increasingly seen as a test bed for the best young talent to gain exposure in the sport. They will be able to compete in any one of the six sessions across the week, excluding race simulations. 

Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said:“We are excited to give the very best emerging racing talent the chance to show why they deserve a seat in the championship in the future – by going up against the elite drivers and world champions in Formula E today.”