Theo Pourchaire moved another step closer to becoming a Formula E driver after recently testing for the Maserati MSG team.
Additionally, The Race has learned that he also recently became a Stellantis-contracted driver - its brands in Formula E are currently DS and Maserati - and is now being considered for a race seat somewhere on the 2026 grid in probable conjunction with developing the Gen4 Formula E car.
The 2023 Formula 2 champion is known to have impressed the Maserati MSG team with his sim work, free practice session appearance and overall aptitude during his work with the team.
He is being considered as a long-term fit for Stellantis as it continues to plot its Formula E programme into Gen4.
This season Pourchaire will race for the Algarve Pro Racing team in the European Le Mans Series and at Le Mans, as well as act as a test and reserve driver for Peugeot in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Historically Peugeot has given its reserve drivers a race seat with Stoffel Vandoorne and Malthe Jakobsen both graduating to full-time seats after serving reserve roles.
The Race revealed last month that Peugeot is anticipated to continue in WEC beyond 2025 after rumours have long since circulated that it might either withdraw or shift to sister brand Alfa Romeo for an endurance programme.
Pourchaire is a clear investment by Stellantis for its future motorsport programme as it sees him as a significant prospect as one of its key drivers in the coming years.
The fact that he was also involved in the initial development of the Gen3 Formula E car for Spark Racing Technologies is also known to be an added attraction for signing him up.
“They are helping me a lot, giving me the chance to drive in WEC as a test and reserve driver, but doing a lot of testing, endurance tests with the race drivers, and driving in practice for Maserati,” Pourchaire told The Race last month in Jeddah.
“I hope in the future I can have more outings in Formula E, more outings in WEC, showing myself and then having a great opportunity.
“I just want to race. I'm a racing driver that loves racing, keeping smiling all the time, but for sure when you stay a long time as a reserve and driving simulators, things like that, it's not as good as racing on track, for sure.”
Where Could Pourchaire Race in 2026?
Pourchaire already feels like a slam-dunk Formula E driver, someone who The Race portrayed last month as being part of a fresh influx of drivers in the next few years.
He and others should be the natural replacements for experienced campaigners Lucas di Grassi (40-years-old), Sam Bird (38), Sebastien Buemi (36) and Edoardo Mortara (38).
But there could be a delay until 2027 before Pourchaire actually gets a seat in a Stellantis car. The exact make-up of the world’s fourth biggest automaker in Formula E is not presently known beyond a registration that was presented last November as a Maserati entry for the Gen4 era.
However, as The Race revealed last week this is in fact a Stellantis Motorsport registration where it has a free selection of one of its brands that doesn’t necessarily have to be Maserati.
But this isn’t the only complication, particularly for next season. The incumbent drivers at DS Penske (Jean-Eric Vergne and Maximilian Guenther) and Maserati MSG (Jake Hughes and Stoffel Vandoorne) are believed to have, at the very least, strong options to return for next season.
That quartet also have significant experience in Formula E allied to strong starts to this campaign meaning that a way in for Pourchaire may not be easy.
Should an opening at Stellantis not be possible for 2026 then could a placement elsewhere be possible too?
The potential for this is an option for Stellantis for two reasons. One is that there could be a clutch of seats available next season as some drivers are phased out and others make preparatory switches to be assimilated into Gen4 development roles in addition to a final season of racing in Gen3Evo.
A change in the structure of the grid too may actually benefit Pourchaire, as Stellantis is expected to have a different make-up for Gen4, not only potentially with brands but also with DS possibly splitting with Penske or even being interested in owning a team itself.
The future of Mahindra may also come into play as it is expected to become either a customer team or have a semi-manufacturer status, possibly with Penske, after recent talks between the two took place.
Some of these eventualities could benefit Pourchaire gaining a seat as Formula E braces for many changes both in the make-up of its grid and the stars that will perform upon it.
