How does the last winner of a Formula E race get in to a situation where his mere position on the grid is under threat at the start of Formula E’s most pivotal era?
Well, it probably depends on who you ask at the moment.
The present situation regarding Barnard, which was outlined by Formula E Notebook last week, sees the driver and his management team forcefully wishing to exit the the team it signed for just five weeks ago.
That really sounds incredibly counter-intuitive. And on the face of it, it kind of is.
Less than a week ago, at Fortescue Zero’s dynamic launch in London, the embarrassing situation of launching its brave new ascent in to Formula E with only one driver in attendance was handled remarkably well considering the situation. The team and the driver will now be hoping an equally elegant resolution can be forthcoming, in what is now a medley of mess that some are trying to clean up this week.
It is a situation that despite inevitable denials on both sides, could ultimately see Barnard drive for the new Fusion team next season. That now seems like the desired outcome for the Barnard camp, but whether it can happen or not, is probably still down to the work of legal teams involved in trying to find a way forward for the 22 year old.
Fortescue Zero strongly believe that Barnard cannot achieve that outcome without due process and a clear and compensatory exit from the commitments he signed. On the Barnard side, it is also clear that they have a menu of grievances about the deal as a whole and seek an exit. To the outside world there seems not even a kernel of logic to the whole situation.
Then there is the manner in which Barnard’s employment changed from DS Penske to Fortescue Zero. Did he and his manager, Paul Mueller, simply not get the deal they wanted? Were they treated unfairly or with disrespect? Was there an agenda whereby they somehow felt coerced in to a deal? Could all of these be bones of contention from the Barnard side?
Or even, did Dan Ticktum indirectly or perhaps even just by proxy, have something to do with unease on the Barnard side of the contract equation?
Multiple questions, multiple answers needed in the long run.
The ongoing process of Barnard attempting to extricate himself from his originally intended programme will likely offer up answers of a kind in the future. Yet, why has this happened so late, in the week of Fortescue Zero’s launch and within two of the pre-season test beginning is very confusing to the outside world, especially when Barnard welcomed the announcment with his own social media coverage, which remains on his channels.
Clearly there appear to be no short-term winners from this whole situation. Barnard loses a drive with an ambitious and powerful new entity. Fortescue Zero lose one of Formula E’s best drivers. Fusion, should they even be able to sign Barnard, will be treated with a great deal of suspicion regarding the mechanics of the whole scenario.
FEN understands that Barnard is presently unlikely to be able to test for the Fusion Formula E Team at Jarama next week but could be with the team in time for the start of the season, which is now anticipated to be in January at Mexico City.
A worst case scenario may even see Barnard not race in Formula E altogether in 2027. That can be a very real prospect, as things stand. However, FEN has learned that Fusion is presently confident that Barnard will be able to start the season as one of their drivers should Mexico City E-Prix in January be confirmed as the first event.
Barnard and Fortescue Zero’s options explained
It seems all but impossible for Barnard to race for Fortescue Zero now, even if the extrication action from his management team should somehow be dropped or dealt with in something approaching a cordial, legal manner.
The relationship between the team and Barnard’s manager, by proxy Barnard himself, is irreversably damaged.
Clearly the only way Barnard can stay on the grid now is by joining his former colleague Phil Charles at the new Fusion Formula E Team. But that is dependent on a clean extrication from Fortescue Zero and compassion from the FIA, and with the new Australian team being Fusion’s first natural big racing rivals, upon who they will be judged in 2027, why would they allow one of their prized assets simply to walk in to the others arms?
Two of the key decision makers at Fortescue Zero are Gary Ekerold and newly appointed team principal, Jim Wright. They’ve been around the block a bit and won’t like the fact they are losing Barnard. Indeed, they could make life very difficult for him should they wish to.
From Barnard’s side there may also be a life away from Formula E.
FEN has learned that an option may exist in the FIA WEC for him next season. But this seems, for a 22 year-old at the height of his electric powers, to be a strange choice right now, although a year out of FE, knowing he can come back in 2028 may have to be swallowed to an extent.
From Fortescue Zero’s standpoint it will already have a Plan B it can action very swiftly, with likely names in the frame being last season’s Envision teammates Joel Eriksson and Sebastien Buemi, as well as F2 race winners Paul Aron and Victor Martins. The latter three are believed to be available, while Eriksson is highly likely to have a Jaguar TCS Racing reserve role agreed if not yet signed.
Overwhelmingly though, the question is if Barnard can extricate himself from his Fortescue Zero commitments to take up a possible Fusion Porsche drive. It all hangs on that happening quickly.
At present, amid the swirling chaos of this whole situation, it feels like the most likely outcome eventually. But make no mistake, if it happens, it will also be, by far, the most controversial driver move in Formula E’s 12 year history.
The only certainty is that in five days time, ideally Taylor Barnard should be in the cockpit of a GEN4 car. Which one it will be, if at all, is very unsure right now.
