Three Formula E teams are awaiting a decision from the FIA on a complex regulatory issue. This decision will determine which drivers will compete for these teams in the second part of the double-header in Berlin in May. The first race of the weekend coincides with the third round of the World Endurance Championship in Spa. This season, eight drivers, representing over a third of the Formula E field, are competing in both the WEC and FE. As a result, Sebastien Buemi, Robin Frijns, Nyck de Vries, and Nico Mueller are scheduled to miss at least the Saturday race due to contractual obligations prioritizing their commitments to the WEC. However, plans for these drivers to travel to Berlin overnight and replace the substitute drivers filling their seats in Formula E for the first race on Saturday may be affected if FIA regulations do not allow flexibility.
Currently, regulations state that double-headers are considered as a single event, meaning driver changes between races are not allowed, except in cases of force majeure. However, rival teams who have distanced themselves from drivers participating in both series may challenge this rule. Teams like Andretti, DS Penske, Porsche, and Jaguar have either banned their drivers from competing in conflicting series or made it clear that Formula E takes priority in their contracts. Envision’s Managing Director, Sylvain Filippi, expressed frustration with the situation, as his two drivers, Buemi and Frijns, are at risk of missing the races in Berlin. Filippi acknowledged that other teams in the paddock share this frustration.
Frijns also expressed his disappointment with the clash between the two championships, stating that it is “sad and kind of ridiculous” that two world championships under the same organization, the FIA, have conflicting calendars. This is not the first time a direct clash has affected the ability of drivers to compete in Formula E. In 2017, Buemi and his Toyota WEC teammate, Jose Maria Lopez, had to miss the inaugural New York City E-Prix due to a clash with the WEC race in Nurburgring. This had a negative impact on Buemi’s championship campaign as he lost ground to his title rival, Lucas di Grassi.
Some drivers, such as Stoffel Vandoorne, Jean-Eric Vergne, Edoardo Mortara, and Norman Nato, are contractually obligated to prioritize the races in Berlin over Spa. However, finding suitable substitutes for Frijns, Buemi, de Vries, and Mueller may be a challenge as many potential candidates are already racing in Spa. While no Formula 2 or Formula 3 races are scheduled for this weekend, Zane Maloney and Victor Martins are the only F2 or F3 drivers with recent experience in Formula E. However, it is unlikely that they will be loaned out for such a short period.
Jaguar’s reserve and development drivers, Joel Eriksson and Tom Dillmann, are the most obvious replacements for Envision as Jaguar provides powertrains to the team. Both drivers have previous experience in Formula E and are familiar with the Jaguar I-Type 6. However, this would leave the Jaguar team without coverage or simulator duties at the beginning of the weekend. Discussions have been held to find a solution involving Eriksson and Dillmann. Although Alice Powell has a development role at Envision, she is not considered a potential substitute for the race.
Felipe Drugovich, reserve driver for Aston Martin in Formula 1, who tested with Maserati MSG last season, may be called upon by Envision to substitute one of their drivers who will go to Spa. However, he is currently not affiliated with the team. Mahindra will likely place F2 driver Kush Maini in de Vries’ car, although Jordan King, who has more practical experience driving the Gen3 car than Maini, could also be considered. Abt Cupra may turn to Kelvin van der Linde, who replaced the injured Frijns in three FE races last season. Additionally, Abt Cupra is scheduled to have Red Bull-backed F3 driver Tim Tramnitz, who had his first Formula E experience at the Berlin rookie test in April last year, in this year’s rookie races in Misano and Berlin. If van der Linde is not available, 19-year-old Tramnitz could become the youngest driver in Formula E history.
© 2024
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