São Paulo: Taylor Barnard youngest F E Podium Finisher in Opener

• The 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship began in São Paulo, where NEOM McLaren’s Taylor Barnard, 20, became Formula E’s youngest-ever podium finisher, placing third.
• Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) also made history by winning from 22nd on the grid in a race featuring 111 overtakes and five race leaders.
• The dramatic event included a Safety Car and two Red Flags, one following a crash that left reigning Champion Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche upside down; thankfully, Wehrlein was unharmed.
• NEOM McLaren sit atop the Teams’ table while Evans leads the Drivers’ standings, as the series heads to Mexico City for Round 2 on January 11.
• The race will arrive in Jeddah for the first time in Round 4 of the season, taking to the renowned Jeddah Corniche Circuit on February 14-15 after six successful seasons in Diriyah. 

SÃO PAULO, Brazil. Mon. 9 Dec. 2024 – The 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship launched in spectacular fashion in São Paulo on Saturday, with NEOM McLaren driver Taylor Barnard, aged 20 years and 189 days, becoming Formula E’s youngest-ever podium finisher, surpassing Daniel Abt’s record set in 2015.

Thanks to Barnard and his teammate Sam Bird, who finished fourth in the action-packed race in Brazil, NEOM McLaren are leading the Teams’ table having stormed through the field after starting from 17th and 16th respectively.

Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans also made history by becoming the first driver to win from the back of the grid, after starting from 22nd in the debut race for the GEN3 Evo car. The introduction of a powered-up ATTACK MODE, now with a four-wheel drive boost, added a new layer of strategy, enabling Evans to charge through the field late in the race. With this stunning performance, Evans now leads the Drivers’ standings.

São Paulo delivered one of Formula E’s greatest spectacles, with the race featuring 111 overtakes, five leaders and dramatic moments including a safety car and two Red Flags; one of them following a crash involving reigning Champion Pascal Wehrlein, whose Porsche ended upside down after hitting the wall. Thankfully, Wehrlein was unharmed.

His Porsche teammate António Félix Da Costa came second in the race, Mahindra Racing’s Edoardo Mortara secured fifth place, followed by both Nissan Formula E Team drivers Norman Nato and Nyck de Vries in sixth and seventh, respectively. Sebastien Buemi (Envision Racing), Dan Ticktum (CUPRA KIRO), and Jean-Éric Vergne (DS PENSKE) completed the top 10. 

Taylor Barnard, No.5, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, said:

“I’ve not written a podium speech! Especially after the start of that race, I took off my front wing and had to change it, come into the pits and I had a Drive-Through Penalty unfortunately. I don’t know what to say. The team did an absolutely amazing job with the second ATTACK MODE strategy, it made it easy for me and Sam [Bird] to pass and get up to the front and we both did a great job. He protected me at the end so thanks to him for the great teamwork. I didn’t expect to be standing here!”

Formula E heads to Mexico City for Round 2 of Season 11 on January 11, 2025.

Jeddah E-Prix

Jeddah will be the new home of Formula E in Saudi Arabia, hosting the thrilling race at the iconic Jeddah Corniche Circuit – known as the fastest street circuit in the world – on February 14-15, 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 Season 5. The shift 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.

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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 is 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 the planet.

About ABB:

ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and more than 105,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). 

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