The Rookie Free Practice session in Jeddah was a key moment for young and developing talent to showcase their abilities in front of Formula E teams.
Formula E returned to Saudi Arabia for the first doubleheader of the season, marking the debut of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in the all-electric championship.
The event also introduces a brand-new feature, Pit Boost, which provides a strategic mid-race energy recharge.
Before the main race action, the spotlight was on the rookies, who had the chance to impress teams and gather crucial data on the new circuit.
Among them, Kush Maini stole the show for Mahindra Racing, setting the fastest time in the special Rookie Free Practice session.
(Image Credit: Andrew Ferraro/LAT Images | FE Media Centre)
As it happened in Jeddah
The Rookie Free Practice began with a flurry of activity, with three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick setting the initial benchmark time of 1:20.000.
However, as the session progressed, times tumbled, and Pourchaire briefly took the lead with a 1:18.905.
Meanwhile, Maini had an early scare, coming perilously close to the wall but managing to keep his car intact, much to the amusement of Mahindra’s Edoardo Mortara.
Zak O’Sullivan, preparing for his Super Formula debut, ended the session in sixth for Envision Racing, followed by Thomas Preining for TAG Heuer Porsche. Preining, a former DTM champion, had previously tested Formula E machinery but had never raced in the series.
As the session neared its conclusion, Jensen temporarily went fastest for CUPRA KIRO, but Maini’s blistering lap soon eclipsed his time.
Minì’s last-minute charge saw him claim second place, splitting Maini and Jensen. Pourchaire and Kvyat rounded out the top five. Further down the order, Andretti reserve driver Jak Crawford finished eighth, 2.2 seconds off Maini’s pace. Chadwick settling for ninth in the Jaguar TCS Racing entry.
Tatiana Calderón, who previously participated in the all-women’s test, finished 10th for Lola-Yamaha-ABT, while Alex Dunne completed the standings for NEOM McLaren.
The final laps
Maini’s stellar lap of 1:17.184 saw him top the timesheets, three-tenths ahead of Nissan’s Gabriele Minì. The Indian driver’s pace was undeniable, demonstrating his adaptability and speed in Mahindra’s GEN3 Evo machinery.
CUPRA KIRO’s Mikkel Jensen, returning to single-seaters after a nine-year absence. He put in a strong performance to claim third, just 0.073s behind Minì.
Maserati MSG Racing’s Théo Pourchaire slotted into fourth, while former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat secured fifth for DS Penske.
The session saw a mix of young talents and seasoned racers from other disciplines adjusting to the unique demands of Formula E.
The Jeddah Rookie Free Practice provided valuable insights for teams and an exciting preview of the upcoming race weekend.
Final results
- Kush Maini
- Gabriele Minì
- Mikkel Jensen
- Theo Purchaire
- Daniil Kvyat
- Zak O’Sullivan
- Thomas Preining
- Jak Crawford
- Jamie Chadwick
- Tatiana Calderón
- Alex Dunne
Feature Image Credit: Simon Galloway/LAT Images | FE Media Centre
