- Formula E played host to the first-ever all-women test session for a FIA World Championship at Circuito del Jarama in Madrid, with Abbi Pulling (Nissan) fastest in the afternoon
- NEOM McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante finishes P3 with an impressive time of 1m31.715s
- The first-of-its-kind test in the all-electric ABB FIA Formula E World Championship provided elite women racing drivers the opportunity to drive the new-for-Season 11 (2024/25) GEN3 Evo race car, capable of 0-60mph in just 1.82 seconds – 30% faster than a current F1 car
- The Women’s Test is part of Formula E’s broader long-term strategy to remove barriers and expand opportunities for women within the all-electric championship
- After six successful seasons of racing in Diriyah, Jeddah will stage a Formula E race for the first time on February 14-15, 2025 at the record-breaking Jeddah Corniche Circuit
Madrid, Spain. MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER. 2024 – NEOM McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante was the third fastest driver in the first-ever Formula E all-female test at Circuito del Jarama in Madrid with an impressive time of 1m31.715s. Friday’s event marked an historic milestone in FIA Championship history as 18 elite women racing drivers – including Bustamante and her teammate Ella Lloyd – took to the track for a dedicated test session. During this momentous event, each driver tested the brand-new GEN3 Evo, paving the way for future generations of women drivers.
The three-hour session came as part of the 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s pre-season testing schedule. The first-of-its-kind test provided elite women racing drivers the opportunity to drive the new-for-Season 11 GEN3 Evo race car, which is capable of 0-60 mph in just 1.82 seconds – 30% faster than a current F1 car.
Despite it being Bustamante’s first time behind the wheel of a Formula E car, her P3 finish was less than a second behind session leader Abbi Pulling, who is currently leading the F1 Academy championship. Pulling secured the quickest time in the three-hour session amid a field of 18 drivers representing the top tier of women driver talent.
Jamie Chadwick, who was representing Jaguar TCS Racing in the test, came in second with McLaren Development Driver and F1 Academy racer Bianca Bustamante rounding out the top three.
Bustamante’s fellow NEOM McLaren academy driver, Ella Lloyd – the least experienced driver on the gird – impressed with a seventh best time.
The women’s test is part of Formula E’s broader long-term strategy to remove barriers and expand opportunities for women within the all-electric championship. Alongside the test session, the drivers played an integral role in team preparation ahead of the new Formula E season, participating in engineering debriefs and meetings as well as taking part in media opportunities, press conferences, briefings, interviews and capturing content for broadcast and social media on behalf of Formula E and their respective teams. The aim was to help raise their profile within elite motorsport and the wider sports industry, as well as those involved at grassroots levels and aspiring to work in motorsport. This isn’t just about creating a one-off opportunity; it’s about analysing and actively dismantling the structural inequalities that have limited women’s participation and progress.
The Women’s Test driver line-up:
– NEOM McLaren: Bianca Bustamante and Ella Lloyd
– Jaguar TCS Racing: Jamie Chadwick and Lilou Wadoux
– TAG Heuer Porsche: Gabriela Jilkova and Marta Garcia
– DS PENSKE: Jess Edgar and Beitske Visser
– Nissan: Abbi Pulling
– Andretti: Chloe Chambers and Nerea Marti
– Envision Racing: Alisha Palmowski and Alice Powell
– Maserati MSG Racing: Tatiana Calderon and Carrie Schreiner
– Lola Yamaha ABT: Miki Koyama
– Mahindra Racing: Lena Buehler
– Kiro Race Co: Simona de Silvestro
Bianca Bustamante, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, said:
“Today was my first experience driving the Formula E GEN3 Evo car. It was a lot of fun working with the whole team. We’ve been working and building towards this moment for the past few months and I’m happy to now have had this experience driving the car. We completed some 350kw laps, and it was a lot more power than I have been used to before, which was a great experience for me to improve my skills.
“Having this experience through the McLaren Driver Development programme and NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, I feel I am becoming a better and more well-rounded driver, which was always the aim. Finishing the test in P3 is a big positive, and I am very thankful for this experience with the team.”
The 2025 Jeddah E-Prix
The 2025 Jeddah E-Prix – the fourth round of the Formula E season – will take place on a modified version of the iconic Jeddah Corniche Circuit on 14-15 February 2025.
This move follows six successful seasons racing in Diriyah and marks an exciting new chapter in Formula E’s history since its inaugural race in Saudi Arabia in 2018. The move to Jeddah reflects Formula E’s commitment to innovation and sustainability and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future of sports in the Kingdom
When the new race location was announced earlier this year, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, said:
“We are thrilled to welcome Formula E to Jeddah after six successful years in Diriyah. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit has proven itself to be a home to world-class racing since its opening in 2021, and in that time has established itself as the world’s fastest street circuit, acknowledged by fans and racers alike as one of the most exhilarating racing venues in the world today. It is a great pleasure to confirm that it will now add Formula E to its portfolio of world-class events.
“Together we will strive to bring more world-class racing to the Kingdom while staying true to the ideals of Vision 2030 and delivering a better and more sustainable future to Saudi Arabia and the wider region.”
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About Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship:
As the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.
The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities are united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and planet.
About ABB:
ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com
