An extra rookie free practice session will be added to the timetable ahead of Formula E’s first Jeddah E-Prix next month.
Formula E’s sporting regulations allow for an additional practice sessions to be added to schedules just for rookies, in addition to the full-day rookie tests that feature most seasons - with the 2025 edition of that set for Berlin in July.
The Race can reveal that a 40-minute rookie session will happen in Jeddah on the afternoon of Thursday February 13 and will be reserved solely for drivers that “are in possession, at the very least, of a free practice only e-Licence” according to the official confirmation sent to teams.
Drivers likely to take part include Jak Crawford for Andretti, Alex Dunne for McLaren and Jamie Chadwick for Jaguar.
Teams can make their own decision on which car to use but the motors, batteries and gearboxes “must come from the selected race car number’s quota for the season”. Tyre usage will not be limited and Hankook will provide one additional set of tyres for the nominated rookie car in that session only. No pit boost practice can take place in the rookie session.
Teams had anticipated Jeddah being the location of the extra rookie session this season and many had drivers already agreed for it. But some are known to still be evaluating options, including Envision Racing.
“We've got a lot of candidates and we have some good options and then for the Berlin one also,” said its team principal Sylvain Filippi.
“My view has always been that they can't go far out because we need to get the cars in one piece for FP1 an hour later or something. So, it's not the thing I'm the most excited about.
“But it's good for young drivers and I love to have the rookies involved.
“I just much prefer the actual rookie test days more because they get more running.”
Jaguar has already confirmed Chadwick in one of its cars for the Berlin rookie test in July and the Indy NXT race winner is believed likely to also get a run out in Jeddah too.
Team principal James Barclay backed the use of Jeddah for the rookie session, even though it was a relatively late call.
“When we look at where we would do the FP rookie session, the obvious place is Jeddah,” he told The Race.
“It was a reasonably kind of late confirmation, you could say, but not a surprise to the teams as we’ve known there was going to be one.
“On the circuits which are most suited to rookies, Jeddah is up there and Berlin we’ve already got the rookie test there.”
Formula 1 venue Jeddah takes over as Formula E’s Saudi Arabian home from this season, using a modified version of the grand prix track.
