Formula E is once again breaking new ground in motorsport by staging the first-ever Women’s Test, so Full Oversteer has taken a look into everything you need to know.
Back in 2014, the launch of Season 1 saw Formula E become the first all-electric open-wheel racing series ever. Season 7 was also another ground-breaking campaign of Formula E when it earned World Championship status by the FIA. Now, it is making history for female drivers.
This November will see Formula E stage its debut Women’s Test in Madrid, marking the first-ever test for an FIA championship to feature an all-female driver line-up. The test is also part of pre-season as the 11 teams get up to speed with the GEN3 EVO car before racing begins.
Everything you need to know about the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test
Season 11 also sees Formula E break in the GEN3 EVO car, which is the series’ first to feature all-wheel drive. AWD will be available in qualifying duels, for race starts and in Attack Mode. Hankook has also designed a new all-weather tyre for Season 11 to deliver 5-10% more grip.
READ MORE: Every Formula E team’s confirmed 2024/25 line-up and driver’s contracts
Formula E teams will now move to gain a better understanding of the GEN3 EVO car and the Hankook iON tyres during pre-season testing in Madrid. The 11 squads will enjoy four days in Spain as they prepare for the 2024/25 season-opening Sao Paulo ePrix on December 6.
Madrid was not originally due to stage the inaugural Formula E Women’s Test. But the series had to seek a new venue at late notice when severe flooding hit Spain and meant Formula E could no longer run the Women’s Test in Valencia as the Circuit Ricardo Tormo got damaged.
Formula E stated it did not want to ‘create any distraction or use valuable resources’ needed to help the Spanish communities affected by flash flooding by continuing with plans to stage the Women’s Test in Valencia. The circuit was operational but its service roads got damaged.
Brazil stages the first round of the Season 11 schedule, and is where TAG Heuer Porsche star Pascal Wehrlein will start the defence of his drivers’ title. But before Formula E heads to Sao Paulo, here is everything that you need to know about the ground-breaking Women’s Test…
What is the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test?
The 2024 Formula E Women’s Test is a first-of-its-kind test session for an FIA championship, with the 11 teams obliged to run an all-female driver line-up for half a day of the pre-season test in Madrid. Teams must run at least one female driver, but are encouraged to have two.
Formula E sought to arrange the Women’s Test as a chance to give female racing drivers the opportunity to drive a GEN3 EVO car and work with the 11 teams in its championship. GEN3 EVO debuts in 2024/25 and can do 0-60mph 30% faster than an F1 car at just 1.82 seconds.
The initiative also allows the female drivers taking part in the Women’s Test a chance to get familiar with team briefings, media interviews and generating social media content to help improve the profiles of themselves and the team they are representing in an official session.
When is the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test?
Formula E is heading to Madrid for pre-season testing from Tuesday, November 5 to Friday, November 8 2024. The series has also designated the last session of the pre-season test on the Friday afternoon starting from 14:00 local time for the debut Formula E Women’s Test.
Where is the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test taking place?
The Circuito de Jarama in Madrid will host the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test as well as pre-season testing more generally for Season 11. The venue has seldom staged top-tier series in recent years with Spanish F4 and the FIA European Truck Racing Championship its big pulls.
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Formula 1 sporadically visited Jarama for the Spanish Grand Prix between 1968 and 1981. It also held the Grand Prix of Spain in the motorcycle world championship off and on between 1969 and 1998, as well as the Superbike World Championship in the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
Initial plans for Season 11 pre-season testing and the inaugural Women’s Test saw Formula E announce plans to visit the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. But flash flooding in the region made it no longer viable with some areas hit by more than one year’s worth of rain in hours.
- Location: Circuito de Jarama, Via de Servicio A-1, km 28, 28707 San Sebastian de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain
- Opened: July, 1967
- Capacity: 25,000
What has Formula E said about moving the Women’s Test from Valencia to Madrid?
Formula E released a statement on Thursday, October 31 to confirm that pre-season testing and the maiden Women’s Test would move from Valencia to Madrid after the vast flooding.
“Following consultation with local authorities, the FIA and our colleagues at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, we have decided not to proceed with our pre-season test in Valencia,” it read.
“While it may have been possible to go ahead logistically, it is important not to create any distraction or use valuable resources that are much better served supporting the local community.
“The pre-season test is an important moment in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar ahead of Season 11 starting in Sao Paulo on 6-7 December, as it allows us to check the new GEN3 Evo cars for safety, and also to establish that we can safely and effectively deploy new technologies.
“Therefore, we have taken the decision to secure an alternative location, and Circuito del Jarama in Madrid will host both the FIA Formula E Official Test and the Women’s Test.”
What requirements have Formula E set for the Women’s Test?
The only requirements Formula E set for the first Women’s Test is that the teams have to run at least one female driver during a three-hour session as part of the only pre-season test for Season 11 in Madrid, as well as running current-season GEN3 EVO cars for those taking part.
Meet the drivers taking part in the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test
Formula E teams have signed an array of well-known female drivers and some fresher faces for the inaugural Women’s Test – including Jaguar TCS taking three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick and Nissan bringing FIA Formula 3 regular Sophia Florsch over to Madrid.
Jaguar TCS Racing: Jamie Chadwick and Lilou Wadoux
TAG Heuer Porsche: Gabriela Jilkova and Marta Garcia
DS PENSKE: Jess Edgar and Beitske Visser
Nissan: Sophia Florsch and Abbi Pulling
Andretti: Chloe Chambers and Nerea Marti
Envision Racing: Alisha Palmowski and Alice Powell
NEOM McLaren: Bianca Bustamante and Ella Lloyd
Maserati MSG Racing: Tatiana Calderon and Carrie Schreiner
Lola Yamaha ABT: Miki Koyama
Mahindra Racing: Lena Buehler
Kiro Race Co: Simona de Silvestro
How to watch the 2024 Formula E Women’s Test
Formula E has confirmed that fans are unable to watch the maiden Women’s test, as well as any session from pre-season testing, at the Circuito de Jarama in Madrid. No session will be broadcasted live on TV, despite plans to gift free admission for the Women’s Test in Valencia.