FE | Rookie test at Misano: Shwartzman, Aitken and Maloney on track

Formula E is approaching the only Italian stage of Season 10, the ePrix in Misano, where the teams and drivers will have to face a double header. However, compared to the traditional program, the weekend in Misano will see an additional session, Free Practice 0, dedicated exclusively to giving rookie drivers the opportunity to get into the car and run with the Gen 3 cars.

The half-hour session will take place on Friday 12 April from 2.30pm to 3.00pm and each team will be asked to field a driver who has never taken part in a Formula E ePrix. The entry list was released on the day of today and sees prominent names, some of whom will also take part in the next Rookie Test which will take place in Berlin around mid-May after the race in Germany.

At Jaguar, currently at the top of the championship reserved for teams, Sheldon Van der Linde will field, while for the Envision customer team it will be the turn of Jack Aitken, who in reality has already taken part in the sessions dedicated to rookies both last year and in pre-season testing in Season 10.

Particularly interesting names also for Porsche. The official team will rely on Matt Campbell, a young Australian talent who can exhibit several successes in other categories, including the 24h of Daytona, to which this year is also added the podium in the opening round of the season in Qatar of the WEC championship. However, as regards the Andretti customer team, it will be Zane Maloney who will take to the track at Misano in the 99X Electric: as for others, it will not be the first opportunity for the Barbadian driver at the wheel of a car from the electric series. In fact, the current F2 leader has already taken part in both the free practices in Rome in 2023 and the Rookie Tests in Berlin and Valencia.

Another important name is that of Robert Shwartzman, who will return to the track at the wheel of the DS Penske car for another test session. This is also a return to the electric category for Ferrari's F1 reserve, having participated in the last two rookie tests: unfortunately, however, in Valencia the battery on his car was damaged, forcing Shwartzman to end the session early. Maserati, another team that uses the Stellantis Powertrain, will instead entrust its Tipo Folgore to Yann Ehrlacher, who last year ran in Rome again with a Gen 3 single-seater but for DS.

Tim Tramnitz will take to the track with ABT Cupra: the German has already carried out a test for the team in 2023, leaving a good impression, enough to convince the team to give him another chance. Tramnitz is a member of the Red Bull Junior Team and competes in Formula 3 after racing in the European Formula Regional for the last two years. It will certainly be a name to keep an eye on, because ABT will have to replace Nico Mueller in the Berlin double header, given that the Swiss will be unable to take part in the German leg of Formula E as he is already busy in Belgium for the 6h of Spa of the championship WEC.

Zane Maloney, Andretti Global, Porsche 99X Electric Gen3

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images

For Mahindra, however, at the wheel of the M10Electro will be Jordan King, a driver who over the years has been a reserve for the Indian team. At McLaren, Taylor Barnard, another driver and young talent who currently races in the preparatory categories leading to Formula 1, will take to the track: like others, the Briton also took part in the pre-season tests in Valencia dedicated to rookies.

Absolute debut, however, for Caio Collett with Nissan, from this year the team's reserve and active driver for development on the simulator. Finally, for ERT there will be Mikel Azcona, champion in the 2022 WTCR.