NEOM Pilot reserve from McLaren Taylor Barnard received the news that he would replace Sam Bird just 20 minutes before hitting the track for FP2 at the Monaco E-Prix. The 19-year-old driver stepped in for Bird after the veteran broke his left hand during FP1, ruling him out for the rest of the weekend. With this, Barnard became the youngest driver in the history of the FIA Formula E championship to start a race.
When asked if the team had assured him that there was no pressure to perform well in such a short notice, Barnard explained that the pressure came more from himself. He stated: “Of course the team says ‘no pressure’ and there are no expectations, but I personally want to exceed myself and achieve good results.”
Despite facing some challenges with the car during practice and qualifying, Barnard was pleasantly surprised with his performance in the race. He commented: “The race was better than expected, and I managed my energy well, which was unexpected. However, as I mentioned before, the key to achieving a good result was simply to avoid issues and keep the car intact.”
Due to the tight schedule of the Monaco E-Prix weekend, with all sessions compressed in less than eight hours, Barnard’s call-up came very late. However, he emphasized that as a reserve driver, he always needs to be prepared for such situations. He said: “I received the call about 20 minutes before FP2, so I quickly put on my racing suit and got in the car. Being in this role means you need to be ready to take the wheel at any moment.”
Making a debut just 20 minutes before getting into the car is challenging enough for a driver, but doing it at the prestigious Monaco street circuit may have added some extra pressure for Barnard. However, his previous racing experience at the circuit proved to be helpful. He mentioned: “I raced here last year, so it wasn’t a complete surprise, but competing here with different cars and drivers was quite difficult.”
During a press conference with McLaren CEO Zak Brown, team principal Ian James confirmed that the full extent of Bird’s injury and recovery time will only be determined when he returns from Monaco and seeks medical advice in the UK.
