Full driver line-up for the Marrakesh Rookie Test

The complete list of drivers have now been announced for the third annual ABB FIA Formula E Championship Rookie Test in Marrakesh next weekend.

Taking place the day after the Marrakesh E-Prix, the test gives drivers who have never competed in a Formula E race or held an E-License the chance to get a feel for the car.

The Rookie tests have led to full drives, current racers Nyck de Vries, Maximilian Guenther, Nico Mueller as well as previous drivers Gary Paffett and Felipe Nasr all took part in one or both of the previous rookie tests.

Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler will field factory drivers Kelvin van der Linde and Mattia Drudi. Van der Linde is a multiple ADAC GT Masters winner but this will be his first time in a single-seater while Drudi has been supporting the race team with simulator work.

BMW i Andretti have also chosen first timers, BMW DTM driver Lucas Auer and Andretti Autosport driver Kyle Kirkwood. The two admit their priorities are on DTM and Indy Car respectively but feel it’s a good opportunity to try something new.

Reigning champions DS Techeetah have enlisted the services of James Rossiter and Filipe Albuquerque. Rossiter is the Techeetah development driver and has participated in both previous tests in Marrakesh. Albuquerque, who currently races in WEC, ELMS and IMSA, will be making his debut in a Formula E car.

Envision Virgin Racing have chosen Alice Powell and Nick Cassidy for their cars. Powell is currently competing in the Formula E support series, the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy, and was third in the inaugural season of W Series. Cassidy is a Super GT and Super Formula Champion and it will be both drivers first times testing in Formula E.

Geox Dragon will have their newly announced test and reserve drivers Joel Eriksson and Sergio Sette Camara.

For Mahindra Racing we will see Pipo Derani and Sam Dejonghe in the cockpits. IMSA driver Derani will be making his Rookie Test debut while Dejonghe will be completing the hat-trick of Marrakesh tests with Mahindra.

Jake Hughes and Daniel Juncadella are the Mercedes-Benz EQ team’s choices. It will be Hughes’ first time in the physical car as the Brit has been supporting the race team with simulator work while Juncadella has participated in both previous tests with Mahindra and HWA Racelab, who he served as test and reserve driver to last season.

The NIO 333 team will have their newly signed development driver, Daniel Cao, and Antonio Fuoco with them for the March test. Cao came third in the Asian F3 Championship last season after eight podiums and two wins. The 18 year old Chinese driver will be having his first experience with Formula E while Fuoco was Dragon’s reserve and test driver last year and took part in the 2019 Rookie Test where he set the third fastest time.

Nissan e.dams are bringing the experienced line up of test and reserve driver, Mitsunori Takaboshi, and simulator driver Jann Mardenborough. Takaboshi has been with e.dams since season four and has taken part in both previous rookie tests. While Mardenborough participated in the 2019 test, posting the fifth fastest time.

Panasonic Jaguar Racing will field Jamie Chadwick and Sacha Fenestraz next Sunday. Chadwick is the inaugural W Series Champion and has previously tested for NIO during the 2018 Diriyah Test and the 2019 Rookie Test. Fenestraz was last year’s Japanese F3 Champion after scoring podiums in all but two of the twenty races and this will be his first go in a Formula E car.

Rokit Venturi will see an unchanged line-up from last season’s test with Norman Nato and Arthur Leclerc, the team’s reserve and test drivers, taking to the Moroccan track once again.

For their first Rookie Test, Tag Heuer Porsche have chosen Frederic Makowiecki and Thomas Preining. Makowiecki, a Porsche works driver, took part in the first Rookie Test back in 2018 for Techeetah. Preining, one of the team’s test and development drivers, will be experiencing the car for the first time outside of a simulator.

Full Marrakesh Rookie Test line-up

• Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler –  Kelvin van der Linde, Mattia Drudi
• BMW i Andretti – Lucas Auer, Kyle Kirkwood
• DS Techeetah – James Rossiter, Filipe Albuquerque
• Envision Virgin Racing – Alice Powell, Nick Cassidy
• GEOX Dragon – Joel Eriksson, Sergio Sette Camara
• Mahindra Racing – Pipo Derani, Sam Dejonghe
• Mercedes-Benz EQ – Jake Hughes, Daniel Juncadella
• NIO 333 – Daniel Cao, Antonio Fuoco
• Nissan e.dams – Mitsunori Takaboshi, Jann Mardenborough
• Panasonic Jaguar Racing – Jamie Chadwick, Sacha Fenestraz
• ROKiT Venturi Racing – Norman Nato, Arthur Leclerc
• TAG HEUER Porsche – Frederic Makowiecki, Thomas Preining