The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team have confirmed that they’ll be using LMP3 and GT4 driver Gabriela Jilkova during next week’s official pre-season test in Valencia, with all the teams to field at least one rookie driver.
All the teams must field a rookie driver for at least three of the 18 hours of testing at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo next week, with Porsche opting to use Jilkova, who’s completed work in the simulator for the Stuttgart-based team.
Jilkova is an ADAC Prototype Cup LMP3 race winner but has competed in various GT4 championships throughout her career, alongside conducting simulator work for Porsche.
Team Principal Florian Modlinger announced that Jilkova would be given time on the circuit in Valencia on Tuesday morning, whilst they also revealed that Pascal Wehrlein and António Félix da Costa had been retained for the 2023/24 season.
“Pascal Wehrlein and António Félix da Costa will be joined by Gabriela Jílková in Valencia,” Modlinger confirmed. “She has already supported us in the simulator, now we’re giving her the chance to show what she can do on the racetrack as well.”
Each side having to use a rookie driver is another initiative which has been implemented by Formula E to give more drivers experience in the series, with last season having seen the return of the official one-day rookie test which was conducted in Berlin – this is set to take place again in season 10. Season nine also saw a unique rookie free practice session take place in Rome, titled ‘free practice 0’.
Formula E is yet to officially confirm that a rookie must be used for three hours next week; however, as well as being reported by The Race, several teams have announced who’ll be representing them as a rookie in Valencia and in season 10.
It should be noted that most teams are expected to field just one rookie for the full three hours, although this will be spread presumably across both cars.
Andretti Formula E have confirmed that Formula 2 driver Zane Maloney will be representing the team in Valencia, with him having been the American outfit’s rookie last campaign. Mahindra Racing will be fielding Jordan King, who has extended his deal with the Banbury-based side, as their reserve, simulator and development driver.
Reigning Constructors’ Champion’s Envision Racing have also announced that Jack Aitken will be used as their rookie driver next week, whilst he was also used by the squad last season.
Envision are an interesting one, given that they’ll potentially need to field two rookie drivers in Berlin, as Robin Frijns and Sébastian Buemi are expected to race in the 2024 WEC Six hours of Spa-Francorchamps on the same weekend.
Other rookie drivers who are set to be used in Valencia next week are Adrien Tambay and Tim Tramnitz at ABT CUPRA, Robert Shwartzman at DS Penske, Sheldon van der Linde at Jaguar TCS Racing, Mikel Azcona Troyas at NIO 333 Racing, Taylor Barnard at NEOM McLAren, Yann Ehrlacher at Maserati MSG Racing and both Luca Ghiotto and Victor Martins at Nissan.
With the exception of Jilkova and Barnard, every rookie so far understood to be testing in Valencia tested last season.
With the exception of Maserati’s new signing Jehan Daruvala, the rookie drivers will be banned from driving in the two race simulations expected to take place next Wednesday, which will include fast-charging pit-stops.
