Barnard, from Norwich, England, entered single seater racing in 2020. Since then, he has become the 2022 ADAC Formula 4 runner-up, as well as the 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship runner-up. In 2023, during his debut season in FIA Formula 3, he took his maiden victory in the championship at Spa-Francorchamps and finished the season 10th in the Drivers’ standings. He has now moved up to FIA Formula 2 for the 2024 season.
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Taylor got his first taste of Formula E racing in October 2023, having driven for the team as a rookie driver during the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Valencia Pre-Season Test. Since then, he’s become an integral part of the team in his role as Reserve and Development Driver for NEOM McLaren
“I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the NEOM McLaren GEN3 car next week in Misano," said Barnard. "I’ve enjoyed working with the team so far this year as Reserve and Development Driver, and I’m looking forward to putting this into practice on-track.”
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“I am delighted that Taylor will be representing the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team in the Misano Rookie Free Practice Session next week," added Team Principal Ian James. "In his current role of Reserve and Development driver, Taylor is an integral part of the team and has helped us improve our performance on-track.
“This session will help him further understand the team and the correlation between his work in our simulator and on-track racing, while giving him that all-important experience in GEN3 machinery.”
A chance to impress in electric racing's top tier
Teams can field someone who's sampled Formula E machinery before but they must not be drivers included on the Season 10 Entry List and they must not have competed in a Formula E race in their career before. The idea is to give the best young talent a pathway to race at the very top of the motorsport ladder with a taste of Formula E and the opportunity to impress prospective teams in the world's leading electric race series.
The choices the teams have put forward to Formula E and the FIA will be revealed in the lead up to Misano, with ABT CUPRA already signalling that Tim Tramnitz will once again be in the car after his outing last season and Envision Racing welcoming Jack Aitken back.
Meanwhile, Porsche have announced a trio of drivers set to get behind the wheel this season for the German outfit in the Berlin Rookie Test and FP0 in Misano.