Gen4 Latest
The FIA in conjunction with suppliers Spark Racing Technologies, Podium Advanced Technologies, Bridgestone and Marelli conducted a multi-test at the Monteblanco circuit last week with the working prototype Gen4 car. More kilometres were put on the car which so far has been driven by James Rossiter and Bruno Correia. An extensive amount of filming was completed at the test as well as further development prior to manufacturers receiving their final components before builds begin ahead of the first group test schedule for November.
Manufacturers have now received the majority of the hardware of their development Gen4 cars in readiness for the first planned group test for manufacturers in November. Some parts such as rear driveshafts and elements of the DCDC components are set to be delivered in the coming days but the collation of parts are largely in-line with forecasted delivery dates.
FEN understands that Envision and Andretti are close to concluding their partnerships for their Gen4 deals. A continuation with Jaguar and a deal with Nissan respectively are believed to be the most likely scenarios for the two customer teams.
Venues News
Formula E will submit an amended 2025-26 schedule to the FIA World Motorsport Council shortly for ratification at the next meeting which is scheduled for next month. FEN understands that the current TBC in June is likely to be confirmed as a return to Sanya on the island of Hainan for the first time since 2019. Plans for the continuation of a race in Jakarta though is not believed to be so straight forward however with a potential additional European race in late May one possibility should a return to Indonesia not be possible.
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds visited the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort late last month in what was a private visit. Zandvoort has had some discussions with Formula E in the recent past about the possibility of a race being held at the venue in the near future.
Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries who was born and raised in nearby Uitwellingerga told Formula E Notebook that he would “definitely welcome the idea and possibility of racing in the Netherlands.”
“I haven’t really raced in the Netherlands at all. In fact, I’ve never raced in Zandvoort although I’ve done some track days, but never actually competed there,” added de Vries.
“The lap times are very similar to Monaco but obviously the characteristics are different, and the track is much quicker, so it would perhaps require some modification for Formula E, but there is also a shorter version too.
“I think it has a lot of good ingredients to consider and Gen4 would be a great moment to explore whether that’s possible or not.”
Musical Chairs…Stop!
All bar one of the current seats for the 2025-26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship are believed to be firmed up as teams start preparing for the Valencia test days next month.
FEN understands that the CUPRA KIRO vacancy opposite Dan Ticktum is the only seat still not contractually sealed with Jake Hughes, Stoffel Vandoorne, Gabriele Mini and Daniil Kvyat all believed to be drivers that have spoken to the team in the recent months.
Andretti, Porsche, Citroen and Jaguar are all set to name their final line-ups in the next three weeks with one change each, while Mahindra and Lola Yamaha will confirm unchanged partnerships soon.
Stoffel Vandoorne could be about to miss out on a seat this season meaning it will be the first time since the 2018 New York City EPrix that the Belgian has not been on the grid. Vandoorne has been strongly linked with moving on from Stellantis and joining the new Genesis Magma Racing programme in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2026 onwards. Should Vandoorne drop off the grid he would be only the second Formula E champion since 2014 (after inaugural champion Nelson Piquet Jnr) to not be on the 2025/26 entry list which will be made public next month.
New Roles Merry-Go-Round
Head of Performance at Nissan, Cristina Manas Fernandez, has left the team to take up a position with the Williams F1 team. FEN understands that Fernandez, who previously worked at Jaguar TCS Racing, will be a performance engineer on Carlos Sainz Jnr’s car.
Former Envision Racing engineer Maxime Menneglier is set to join Porsche early next year. The former Red Bull and Aston Martin F1 employee is expected to attend his first EPrix at Mexico in January.
Menneglier’s former colleague at Envision Ben Scott will also leave the Silverstone based team shortly and is believed to be moving to an F1 role. Scott was Robin Frijns’ engineer for the last two seasons. Ex Cool Racing, AO Tech and DAMS engineer Cory George may ultimately engineer Frijns’ replacement Joel Eriksson for his first full Formula E season.
Former Envision and Jaguar engineer Geoffrey Lenfant will take up a position at the new-look Citroen team shortly, joining former charge Nick Cassidy at the new-look MSG run operation. Jean-Eric Vergne could be reunited with his former engineer Thibault Arnal, who worked with the double champion at DS Techeetah between 2021 and 2024. Arnal engineered Vergne’s former DS Penske teammate Stoffel Vandoorne last season.
Several key former NEOM McLaren engineers and mechanics have firmed up new roles in the industry with several having taken up roles with the new Cadillac F1 operation. Ex Sam Bird engineer at both DS Virgin and NEOM McLaren, Steven Lane, is one of those joining Cadillac, which has a base at Silverstone. He is known to have been recruited in a factory based engineering role.
Bird himself is talking to several teams about a reserve and consultancy role to stay in the Formula E paddock. The nine time EPrix winner has continued his role as pundit for the BBC Radio 5 Live F1 coverage this year but is keen to continue with a role in the Formula E paddock.
Experienced former NEOM McLaren head of engineering Chris Dyer will stay with the McLaren brand as it heads in to its 2027 WEC Hypercar programme. He is believed to be heading up the engineering team and will be joined by fellow former NMFE engineer Thibault Huguet who will be the lead race performance engineer on the new project which will be headed up overall by former Jaguar TCS Racing team principal James Barclay.
Jaguar is set to announce a new Team Principal shortly to replace Barclay. Former Mercedes EQ and NEOM McLaren chief Ian James has been strongly linked to the role. Jaguar is also expected to confirm a replacement for Citroen bound Nick Cassidy by the end of the month.
Citroen has a new global communications manager as Leslie Peltier has joined the Stellantis brand from the VW Group. Peltier was head of Press and Corporate Comms at VW for 22 years and prior to that had spells at SEAT France and Daimler Chrysler France.
Testing Latest
Several teams will be in action at the Mallorca circuit at the end of September including the Lola Yamaha ABT and Nissan operations. Lola is yet to announce its drivers for Season 12 and has been talking to possible new recruits, although an unchanged line-up of Zane Maloney and Lucas di Grassi is largely expected for its second season before a likely change for Gen4.
Andretti completed a day of testing at the Alès-Cévennes track in France last Monday with Jake Dennis getting a rare opportunity to drive the Porsche Gen3Evo development car. Despite rumours to the contrary Dennis’ soon to be announced teammate, tipped to be Felipe Drugovich, was not at the test.
FEN understands that Marvin Kirchoffer has been sim testing with the Andretti team recently. The German previously raced in GP3 and GP2 between 2014 and 2016 and has since mainly competed in GT racing.
Jaguar TCS Racing is looking to employ a new test and reserve driver after former incumbent of that position Joel Eriksson joined the Envision team earlier this month. Tom Dillmann is set to remain as a simulator driver but the Le Mans LMP2 champion has been busier this year than last with racing commitments. Jaguar has also previously worked with Jamie Chadwick, Leonardo Fornaroli, Enzo Fittipaldi and BMW sportscar driver Sheldon van der Linde. Additional reserve and development roles are believed to also be up for grabs at Envision Racing, Nissan and Stellantis.
Industry/Commercial News
Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz has recently called for a “reality check” on the EU’s mandated 2035 ban on new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, warning of potential economic collapse for the auto industry. He advocated for a more flexible, technology-neutral approach to decarbonization, stressing the need for incentives rather than strict mandates, given the current low EV adoption rates and the industry’s reliance on a strong balance sheet to navigate challenging economic conditions.
Källenius also highlighted the importance of market-driven adoption, consumer choice, and the need to strengthen supply chains for raw materials to ensure a stable transition for Europe’s auto sector. “Of course we have to decarbonise, but it has to be done in a technology-neutral way, “ he said. “We must not lose sight of our economy,” he said.
“We need a reality check. Otherwise we are heading at full speed against a wall.”
FEN understands that Mercedes, which competed in Formula E and won three titles from 2019 to 2022, has regular updates on Formula E’s progress and monitors all its future motorsport strategies regularly. It still retains some involvement in Formula E through its HPP division in the UK, which worked with Mahindra until recently and now is believed to be supplying services to another manufacturer.
Former Jaguar Head of Communications, Adrian Atkinson, has been employed by General Motors to become the Executive Director, Global Motorsports Communications. Atkinson led Jaguar’s PR and Press in Formula E between 2016 and 2023 before moving on to a similar role at Aston Martin F1 until late last year.
Post Malone at Home
The founder and chairman of Liberty Media, John Malone, who is the majority owner of Formula E, recently launched his memoirs called ‘Born to be Wired’. The book details Malone’s ascent to being one of the world’s most respected and successful business dealers and building a media empire worth tens of billions. It also chronicles his personal and professional challenges of living with autism.
Extracts from the memoir can be read here.
Formula E Notebook will be attending several Season 12 launch events next month and will also be on the ground for the whole Valencia test at the end of October with special features and extensive social media coverage of the second FE women’s test in addition to all the regular news and features including two Notebook postings will be issued during that week.
