Zane Maloney has been given the opportunity to race in Formula E in the upcoming season for ABT Yamaha Lola and will end his Formula 2 campaign early.
The Bajan has enjoyed a successful junior career but will leave the road to Formula 1 behind and become a professional driver in the all-electric series.
Maloney is mathematically in contention to win the FIA F2 title but won’t compete in the final round of the year in Abu Dhabi, making Qatar the last event of his junior career.
The ABT Lola driver has been in and around the Formula E paddock during his career having driven in multiple rookie tests for Andretti in Formula E.
Speaking exclusively to Motorsport Week, Maloney said he is conscious of the style of racing in the championship compared to Formula 2 and admitted it will take him a while to adjust.
Zane Maloney believes the racing will ‘take a bit longer as a rookie to get used to’ in Formula E
Maloney has developed his racecraft in many single-seaters on the road to Formula 1, and the racing has become increasingly frantic.
The Bajan has been successful, winning races in FIA F3 and Formula 2 and surviving chaotic fields of young drivers who sometimes make mistakes.
READ MORE: Who is new ABT Lola Formula E driver Zane Maloney? Everything you need to know
ABT Lola Yamaha’s new driver admitted that the more measured style of racing in Formula E and the energy management will take time to get used to.
He said: “I’m looking forward to every circuit, to be honest. I think I first need to do a race to understand these types of races and watching it is cool to see. But being inside of it and actually driving in them is going to be a different experience so I need to get up to speed with that.
“It looks like fun racing, Formula E is always very entertaining. A lot of overtakes, a lot of side-by-side racing and I’m just looking forward to getting qualifying good every single round from my side.
“And then the racing side of things will take a bit longer as a rookie to get used to. But, as we said, Lucas [Di Grassi] is very experienced and he’ll help me on that. I’m just looking forward to the season, to be honest.”
Zane Maloney is partnering Lucas Di Grassi in a lineup mixed of youth and experience
Maloney will begin his first season in Formula E with the Sao Paulo ePrix and will need to be on the pace quickly on a track he’s never raced on.
The 20-year-old is partnering with Lucas di Grassi, who won the Formula E championship in the 2016/17 season.
READ MORE: Formula E 2024/25 grid with every team’s confirmed line-up and Season 11 driver contracts
He will provide valuable experience to the Lola team and will be a good benchmark for Maloney to learn from in his rookie year.