Barbadian Zane Maloney impresses at Formula E's Madrid pre-season test

Zane Maloney on track - Formula E

Zane Maloney, the only rookie present at the pre-season test, made a strong impression at Madrid’s Jarama Circuit ahead of the upcoming Formula E season.

Stepping into the series with the Lola Yamaha ABT team, the young Barbadian quickly adapted to the world of electric racing after making his mark in FIA Formula 2. Despite being the only full debutant, Maloney consistently found himself in the mid-pack on the timing sheets, showcasing a promising level of pace and adaptability.

Reflecting on his first experience behind the wheel of the revolutionary GEN3 Evo race car, Maloney shared, “It’s been a great test for the team. There’s been a lot of development over the four days, and we’ve made positive steps forward. It’s still a new package, and we don’t know where we stand quite yet, so we’ll find that out in Brazil. But I’m looking forward to continuing the journey. The goal is to go through the season improving with each round, and we’re on a good trajectory. We just need to continue to work hard as a team. From my side, that means learning from Lucas [di Grassi] but also offering my own input, so I’m really excited for the season ahead.”

The test sessions provided all teams with the first real taste of the GEN3 Evo's capabilities. The new race car is a marvel of engineering, blending unmatched speed and sustainability. It accelerates from 0-60mph in a blistering 1.82 seconds, outpacing even the fastest F1 cars by 30%. With all-wheel drive, grippier Hankook iON tires, and 600kW fast-charging capability, it pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in electric racing.

While seasoned drivers like Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) and reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche) set the pace in separate sessions, Zane Maloney steadily improved his performance throughout the test. Across four days, over 18,000 kilometers were completed by the teams, with six different drivers topping the timesheets in each session, highlighting the competitive field ahead.

The Season 11 campaign will begin in São Paulo in just over a month's time on 7 December 2024.

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