Photo: McLaren
Several Formula E teams have selected junior single-seater stars to represent them in the rookie-only practice session at this week’s Misano E-Prix and next month’s rookie test in Berlin.
McLaren’s reserve driver Taylor Barnard has been called up to drive at Misano on April 12, which will be his second outing in a FE car. His first came with the team in pre-season testing last year, which prompted McLaren to sign him.
The 19-year-old came second in Formula Regional Middle East at the start of this year, and his main racing programme for 2024 is Formula 2. He currently sits a points-free 22nd in the standings three rounds into his rookie season.
“I am delighted that Taylor will be representing the McLaren FE team [in Misano],” said Ian James, McLaren’s FE team principal. “In his current role of reserve and development Driver, Taylor is an integral part of the team and has helped us improve our performance on track.
“This session will help him further understand the team and the correlation between his work in our simulator and on track racing, while giving him that all-important experience in Gen3 machinery.”
Barnard’s F2 rival Dennis Hauger will get his first taste of a FE car with Porsche in the Berlin test on May 13. The former Red Bull junior is in his third F2 season and has taken a win, a second, a third, a pole and a fastest lap from the first six races of the year. The 21-year-old is a title outsider, currently occupying a distant third place in the standings.
Abt Cupra meanwhile has put its faith in 19-year-old Formula 3 racer Tim Tramnitz for the rookie-only action in Misano and Berlin.
Fresh from finishing third in the FRegional European Championship last October, Tramnitz travelled to Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit to drive for Abt in FE pre-season testing. While he was not given a team role off the back of it, he impressed Abt enough to be called up again now.
“I am really looking forward to the Abt team and the FE test. The first few hours last year were already a lot of fun – and it’s always cool to sit in a race car,” said Tramnitz. “I especially like working with the engineers when we look at and analyse all the data, because it’s much more comprehensive than it is for me in F3. I can learn a lot and take a lot with me.”
Tramnitz is sixth in the FIA F3 Championship points table two rounds into his rookie season, with a podium coming in his second race.
As anticipated, Nissan will use its reserve driver Caio Collet at Misano. The 22-year-old Brazilian was 2020 Formula Renault Eurocup, a race-winner in the FIA F3 Championship in each of the last two years and is now racing in Indy Nxt. He finished seventh on his debut in St. Petersburg last month.