On the sun-drenched tarmac of the iconic Tempelhof Airport circuit, the future of the Formula E World Championship was on full display. Just a day after Nissan’s Oliver Rowland was crowned the new world champion, a new generation of hopefuls staked their claim in the 2025 Berlin Rookie Test, turning the event into a high-stakes audition that has left team principals with a tantalizing, yet complex, dilemma: stick with seasoned experience or gamble on raw, prodigious youth?
The paddock is buzzing with a growing sentiment that the tide is turning. With recent rookies like Taylor Barnard and Zane Maloney rapidly mastering the unique art of Formula E’s pack racing, and the revolutionary Gen4 era looming in 2026-27, the traditional wisdom of relying on veteran hands is being challenged. As one team insider noted, the next generation of cars, with their blistering pace and advanced driveability, might be a perfect match for the reflexes and simulator-honed skills of today’s F2 stars. This test, therefore, was more than a simple data-gathering exercise; it was a critical scouting mission.
Emerging from a field of 22 hungry drivers as the undisputed star was Alpine F1 junior Gabriele Minì. Driving for the newly-crowned champion Nissan team, the Italian was a force of nature, topping the timesheets in both the morning and afternoon sessions. His benchmark lap of 57.428 seconds, set in the powerful 350kW all-wheel-drive mode, was not only the fastest of the day but also eclipsed the pole position time from the race weekend, showcasing the sheer potential of the GEN3 Evo car in ideal conditions.
Minì’s performance was the headline, but the story ran much deeper. He was flanked by a roster of formidable talent, including Mahindra’s Kush Maini, the first Indian F2 race winner, who finished second in the morning and third overall, reinforcing his credentials as a top prospect. Andretti’s Jak Crawford and 2023 F2 champion Théo Pourchaire also demonstrated the blistering, consistent pace that has teams seriously considering who will fill the seats likely to be vacated by series veterans over the next two seasons.
However, as team bosses were quick to point out, a day at the top of the timing sheets is only part of the puzzle.
“Obviously, to be at the top is always nice,” Andretti team principal Roger Griffiths remarked. “But we look at consistency. Is it a one-off time, or something they can do repeatedly? We look to see how many mistakes they make, how good they are at following instruction… and how do they work with the engineers?”
This sentiment was echoed by DS Penske’s technical chief, Phil Charles, who cautioned against reading too much into the raw numbers. “It’s very difficult to compare apples with apples until you’ve really got all the data,” he said, explaining that different tyre strategies and run plans can skew the results. “But,” he conceded, “it’s fair to say that, generally, the quick guys do kind of come to the top. This is a good grid of rookies. It really is a strong grid.”
The diversity of that grid was one of the day’s most compelling narratives. Four talented female drivers—Jamie Chadwick (Jaguar TCS Racing), Abbi Pulling (Nissan), Ella Lloyd (NEOM McLaren), and Bianca Bustamante (Cupra Kiro)—put the GEN3 Evo through its paces, with Pulling and Bustamante already having secured development roles with their respective teams. Their collective mileage, focused heavily on development programs, underscored Formula E’s continued commitment to fostering female talent.
At the other end of the experience spectrum, 16-year-old German karting champion Elia Weiss made history as the youngest driver ever to participate in an official Formula E session for Porsche, while 31-year-old ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat brought a wealth of high-level experience to his DS Penske test.
So, who from this field could be on the grid for the final Gen3 Evo season or the dawn of Gen4? The speculation is already rampant.
With potential seats at Andretti, Envision, and Kiro, drivers like Frederik Vesti and Jak Crawford are in a prime position. “Formula E is a world championship, I want to be world champion,” said Vesti, a former F2 title contender, signaling his clear interest. Pourchaire, too, admitted he feels ready. “From next season, why not?” the Frenchman mused, hinting at the allure of a dual Formula E/WEC campaign.
But in a championship where an outsider like Taylor Barnard can become a race winner, dark horses are emerging. DS Penske’s new development driver, Nikita Bedrin, deeply impressed his team. Charles was unequivocal in his praise, stating that both Bedrin and his veteran teammate Kvyat would be ready to race in Formula E right now.
As the sun set at Tempelhof, the teams were left with a mountain of data and a series of difficult decisions. The 2025 Berlin Rookie Test wasn’t just a success; it was a clear statement. The next generation is not just knocking on the door—they’re ready to break it down. And for Formula E, the future looks very, very fast.
Image courtesy of Formula E
