Aitken headlines rookie line-up in Valencia Formula E pre-season test

In a new rule announced ahead of the 2024 season, all Formula E teams are obligated to run a newcomer in each car for at least one session across three days of running on 24-27 October.

Most teams have opted for the same drivers they ran at the Berlin rookie test and/or the Rome rookie practice session, with Aitken reprising his role at last year’s championship-winning Envision team.

The 28-year-old will drive Robin Frijns’ Jaguar I-TYPE 6 on Wednesday morning, before taking over Sebastien Buemi’s car for the afternoon session on the same day.

Following the test, Aitken will head to Hockenheim to complete his first full-season in the DTM with the Emil Frey Ferrari team.

Another familiar name to return to Formula E at Valencia will be Robert Shwartzman, who will once again test for DS Penske after getting his first outing with the team in Berlin.

2022 DTM champion Sheldon van der Linde will again serve as Jaguar’s designated rookie driver, getting turns in cars of both Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy, with Zane Maloney serving the same role at Andretti.

Nissan will test two different drivers in Valencia, with Luca Ghiotto replacing Oliver Rowland and Victor Martins driving in place of Sacha Fenestraz in the first morning session on Tuesday. 

Both of them got their first FE outings with the Japanese manufacturer in Berlin, with Ghiotto making a second appearance behind the wheel of the Nissan e-4ORCE 04 in Rome.

Two-time World Touring Car Cup Champion Yann Ehrlacher, who made his FE debut in Rome rookie practice for DS Penske, will switch to Maserati for the Valencia test.

Ehrlacher will only get one session in Maximilian Gunther’s car on 25 October, with the team’s second entry to be driven across all six sessions by new recruit Jehan Daruvala, who fulfills FE’s rookie criteria.

While most of the rookies at Valencia won’t be completely new to Formula E, some will get their first taste of Gen3 machinery, including McLaren’s Taylor Barnard.

Barnard, who scored his maiden F3 win at Spa in July en route to 10th in the championship, will kick off proceedings for McLaren in the opening morning on 24 October by driving Sam Bird’s car.

He will then switch to Jake Hughes’ Nissan-powered car in the afternoon, before McLaren turns its full attention to race drivers from Day 2.

Gabriela Jílkova, who has experience in both LMP3 and GT4 machinery, will be present for Porsche in the now-traditional Valencia test, as announced on Tuesday.

Mikel Azcona (NIO 333), Adrien Tambay, Tim Tramnitz ( both Abt) and Jordan King (Mahindra) will complete the rookie field.

Valencia rookie drivers: