ROOKIES RETURN: Meet the drivers who are taking part in the 2025 Berlin Rookie Test

Article by Katy Fairman

Formula E returns to Germany this week for a double-header in Berlin, but once the racing is complete there’s a very special test on Monday 14 July. The rookie test returns for another year, giving motorsport’s biggest talents the chance to sample the fastest-ever Formula E machinery. 

What is the Berlin Rookie Test?

The mandatory test sees all 11 teams field two ‘rookies’ – someone who hasn’t participated in an E-Prix before – to get behind the wheel of the GEN3 Evos for a six hour all-day test. It has become an annual event, with Formula E and its teams having a long history of providing talent, working their way up the motor racing ladder, equal opportunities in current racing machinery.

This has also expanded over time, with the championship breaking new ground last year by hosting an all-women’s test during Pre-Season Testing in Jarama, Spain. There was also a Rookie Free Practice held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the races earlier this season. 

All 11 teams have now confirmed the talent that will be jumping into the cars during the Season 11 Berlin Rookie Test, with drivers that include the reigning F1 ACADEMY champion, recent FIA Formula 2 race winners, and a Formula 1 podium finisher. 

Who is confirmed for the 2025 Berlin Rookie Test?

Here is the full confirmed list of drivers for the Berlin Rookie Test: 

The Rookie Tests have been a proven pathway to Formula E too, with the likes of current championship contender Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren), multi-race winner Nick Cassidy (Jaguar TCS Racing), Jake Hughes (Maserati MSG Racing) Max Guenther (DS PENSKE) and former champ Nyck de Vries (Mahindra Racing) all graduating from rookie tests into full-time seats. 

Andretti 

Andretti Formula E team’s Reserve and Development Driver Jak Crawford returns to the Andretti Porsche 99X Electric cockpit for his third outing with the team in Berlin. The American recently won the Formula 2 Feature Race in Silverstone, and will now switch his focus to the Antretti team for the Berlin race weekend. 

Joining him in Berlin is Danish talent Frederik Vesti, who will return to the all-electric World Championship having previously tested for Mahindra Racing at last year’s Rookie Test. A multiple race winner in Formula 2 and a former title contender, Vesti brings added pedigree through his role as a test and reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG F1 team.

CUPRA KIRO 

Last month, CUPRA KIRO signed Bianca Bustamante as their official Development Driver. The Filipino talent raced in W Series before joining F1 Academy, and after securing two victories and a total of five podiums in a highly competitive field, Bianca has stepped up to the hotly contested GB3 Championship for 2025. She was on the ground in Jakarta for Dan Ticktum’s maiden Formula E victory, and has previous Formula E experience after representing NEOM McLaren and setting the third-fastest time in Formula E's Women's Test at Jarama in 2024.

She will be joined by 2023 GB3 champion, Callum Voisin, who will get his first taste of Formula E. Since last year, the 19-year-old has raced in the FIA Formula 3 Championship and secured his maiden win in the series at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, achieving a Grand Slam by claiming pole position and setting the fastest lap.

DS PENSKE 

Over at DS PENSKE, the team will be bringing back Danil Kvyat for the day-long session. The former Formula 1 driver has taken part in rookie sessions before, at the Rookie Test in Berlin with then-NIO 333. The Russian also took the wheel of the DS E-TENSE FE25 during the FP0 session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit earlier this season. 

On the other side of the garage, they have signed Nikita Bedrin to the Penske Driver Development Programme. Bedrin is multiple winner in international karting competition, having made headlines by dominating the 2020 WSK Super Master Series. More recently, he captured his first FIA Formula 3 Sprint Race victory in 2024, confirming his potential at the highest levels of junior single-seater racing.

Envision Racing 

The Silverstone-based team, Envision Racing, will be bringing back Brit Zak O’Sullivan for the Berlin Rookie Test. He has played an important role to the team throughout Season 11, supporting them with simulator work and contributing valuable data between race weekends to aid drivers Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns.

Johnathan Hoggard will be alongside him, with his racing CV including race victories and championship podiums in both British Formula 4 and Formula 3. His standout performances earned him the prestigious BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, which included a Formula 1 test as part of the prize.

Jaguar TCS Racing

Reigning Teams’ World Champions Jaguar TCS Racing have drafted in Jamie Chadwick for more testing, having taken part in both the Women's Test in Madrid and the Rookie Free Practice session in Jeddah this season alone. Three-time W Series champion Chadwick has enjoyed a successful 2025 racing in sportscars, in addition to making her Le Mans debut in June. She took victory in the European Le Mans Series events this season for IDEC Sport in the LMP2 class.

In contrast, the Berlin rookie test will be the first time Leonardo Fornaroli has driven Formula E machinery. The Italian is currently fourth in the FIA Formula 2 standings after taking his first victory of the season in Silverstone, and has a further four podiums and two pole positions so far in 2025 for Invicta Racing.

Lola Yamaha ABT 

Representing Lola Yamaha ABT is Alessandro Giusti, with 18-year-old Giusti making his debut in Formula E machinery when he jumps into the GEN3 Evo at the test. He has had an impressive junior career to-date, making his debut in the French F4 Championship in 2021 before winning the series in 2022 and then joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy in 2024. Giusti is currently competing in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.

Australian-Japanese driver Hugh Barter will complete the line-up and return to Formula E, having previously competed in the Berlin Rookie Test in 2023. As Lola Yamaha ABT’s Simulator Test Driver, Barter has worked closely with the team, helping to optimise car setup and strategy, and will now be able to build upon his on-track experience.

Mahindra Racing

Kush Maini will return to Mahindra Racing for the Berlin Rookie Test, with the Indian widely impressing the paddock when he set the benchmark time under the lights in a dedicated Rookie Free Practice session in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; his first taste of the Mahindra M11Electro and Formula E’s GEN3 Evo era.

The team will also call upon Dino Beganovic, a standout name on the FIA’s single-seater pathway for emerging talent in recent seasons. The 21-year-old is a race winner and championship contender through his stints in Formula 4, Formula Regional and FIA Formula 3, and currently competes in FIA Formula 2.

Maserati MSG Racing 

Maserati MSG Racing welcomes back Théo Pourchaire to the team, with the 2023 Formula 2 Champion previously taking part during the FP0 session in Jeddah earlier this season. “Formula E is such a unique and challenging championship,” Pourchaire said on the news, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to get more seat time and continue learning in this environment.”

He’ll be joined by Monégasque native Arthur Leclerc, who rejoins the team having been part of the family during the team’s time as Venturi Racing. Leclerc originally joined the team as a Development Driver in 2017, progressing to Test and Reserve Driver roles for the 2019-2020 season. He also participated in the Rookie Test in Marrakesh in 2019.

NEOM McLaren 

As the Reserve and Development Driver for the NEOM McLaren team across Season 11, Alex Dunne will also take part in the Berlin Rookie Test for the team. The Irishman has caught the attention of racing fans during his stints in FIA Formula 2 this season, winning in Imola and Sakhir and currently sits third in the drivers’ standings. 

Ella Lloyd will also participate in the test, having joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme in October 2024. This year she is racing in F1 Academy season, and has already secured a race victory in Jeddah, and put 67 points on the board. Alongside her F1 Academy programme, Ella is also competing in her second season of British F4.

Nissan 

Abbi Pulling will return to Nissan, with the reigning F1 Academy champion finishing top of the timesheets at the all-women’s session in Jarama last November. This will be her first on-track appearance with the Japanese outfit in her new role as Nissan’s Rookie and Simulator Driver. The British racer is currently competing in the GB3 Championship, where she scored a strong fifth on debut at Silverstone earlier this season. 

Formula 2 racer Gabriele Minì is also back, thanks to Nissan Formula E Team’s collaboration with Alpine Racing.The Italian driver will be looking to develop the skills he learned in his previous two outings in a Formula E car, having taken a top-10 finish in last year’s Berlin Rookie Test, before securing an impressive second in FP0 in Jeddah.

TAG Heuer Porsche

Finally, TAG Heuer Porsche have called up the youngest-ever Formula E driver for the Berlin Rookie Test. Sixteen-year-old Elia Weiss was born in 2009, and has been given the licence required to drive the highly efficient 99X Electric in Berlin. Weiss is one of Germany’s promising young racing drivers and is following in World Champion Pascal Wehrlein’s footsteps, as he is part of Motorsport Team Germany.

Joining him will be Ayhancan Güven, who made it into the Porsche squad in 2020 when he was selected for the factory junior team. He currently races for Manthey EMA in the DTM. Earlier this year at Oschersleben and in Zandvoort, he secured his first two DTM victories in the Porsche 911 GT3 R.

SCHEDULE: Where, when and how to watch or stream the 2025 Berlin E-Prix Rounds 13 & 14

Berlin maintains its accolade of being the only city to be present on the calendar since the very first season. This time racing is set to run Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July, as the first of two European double headers to close out Season 11.

Make sure you've secured your tickets for this unmissable weekend!

Find out more

CALENDAR: Sync the dates and don't miss a lap of Season 11

WATCH: Find out where to watch every Formula E race via stream or on TV in your country

TICKETS: Secure your grandstand seats and buy Formula E race tickets

SCHEDULE: Here's every race of the 2024/25 Formula E season

HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up with every race from all 10 seasons of Formula E IN FULL

PREDICTOR: Get involved, predict race results and win exclusive prizes

HOSPITALITY: Experience Formula E and world class motorsport as a VIP

FOLLOW: Download the Formula E App on iOS or Android