Which Current Formula E Drivers Have Driven in Formula One?
The motorsport world is as healthy as ever at present.
is currently providing a viable, greener alternative to the rest of the sport. Over in America, NASCAR and IndyCar are stronger than ever, drawing huge crowds all across the Land of the Free. And in Formula One there is a genuine title fight for the first time in two years.
Throughout the last two campaigns, Red Bull star Max Verstappen has ruled with an iron fist. After going toe-to-toe with the GOAT Lewis Hamilton in 2021 – winning his first world championship in the process – no one has been able to keep up with the Flying Dutchman. He won all but three races last term to romp to a third straight title in record-breaking fashion, finishing with more than double the amount of points as his closest rival Sergio Perez.
It looked as though the same would happen this term when the reigning champion claimed victory in five of the first seven races. However, he is now without a win since mid-June and is being hunted down by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Plenty of former Formula One Drivers have made their way to Formula E in recent years. Here are the five that are active in the sport today.
Stoffel Vandoorne
Stoffel Vandoorne emerged as a promising talent early on in his career, breaking a plethora of records in Formula 2 such as all-time most wins, most feature race wins, most pole positions, most podiums, most podiums in a season, and most points. That prompted McLaren to bring the Belgian to their storied team in 2016 to partner firstly Jenson Button and later Fernando Alonso. Unfortunately, however, his career didn’t take off as expected.
He featured 42 times across three seasons for the British team, finishing rock bottom of the standings in his rookie season. Things improved across the next two years, but Vandoorne didn’t deliver the results expected of him, resulting in him being replaced by Lando Norris. While the Belgian is now in Formula E, the man who replaced him is a live contender for the Formula One world championship, with the latest Formula 1 betting odds giving him a +250 shot at catching and overthrowing championship leader Max Verstappen.
Vandoorne’s transition to Formula E has been successful; he joined Mercedes-EQ in 2019 and won the World Championship three years later. Now, he finds himself with midfield outfit DS Penske, and he hasn’t been able to contend for the title since his move to the team two years ago.
Jean-Éric Vergne
Jean-Éric Vergne’s F1 journey began with a testing role at Toro Rosso in 2012, later securing a full-time seat. Over three seasons, the Frenchman demonstrated considerable skill, but the highly competitive nature of F1 saw him leave the grid in 2014 with a certain Max Verstappen taking his seat. The 17-year-old impressed with Red Bull’s sister team in his maiden campaign, making the move to the senior team the following year, while Vergne found himself ousted to Formula E
However, in the greener racing class, the French star found his stride. Joining DS Techeetah in 2016, he claimed back-to-back championships in 2017-18 and 2018-19, making him the first driver to win multiple titles in the series. He moved to DS Penske two years ago to join forces with fellow former champion Vandoorne, and so far he has outperformed his Belgian teammate, securing back-to-back fifth-place finishes in his two campaigns with the outfit.
Nyck de Vries
Nyck de Vries was a star in the junior racing circuits and had long been tipped for F1. He won the Formula 2 World Championship back in 2019 before winning the 2020-21 Formula E World Championship with the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team. He made his Formula One debut in 2022 with Williams and impressed everybody by finishing ninth place in one of the best debuts in recent memory.
Last season, he finally got the chance to impress on the grandest stage by joining AlphaTauri. However, after years of waiting for his opportunity, it all came crashing down after just ten races, with disappointing performances causing him to be dropped in favor of the returning Daniel Ricciardo. De Vries has since returned to Formula E with Mahindra Racing, but he finished in a disappointing 18th in the championship last season.
Pascal Wehrlein
Pascal Wehrlein entered F1 with high expectations, representing the Manor Racing Team in 2016 and Sauber in 2017. Despite his evident talent, his career was hindered by the limitations of his teams. Transitioning to Formula E, the German driver joined Mahindra Racing and later TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. Last season, he won the World Championship for the first time, winning races in Mexico, Misano, and London. Now, he will be aiming to successfully defend his title next term.
Lucas di Grassi
Lucas di Grassi’s F1 stint was brief but noteworthy; he raced for Virgin Racing in 2010. The South Yorkshire team was a million miles off the pace, however, as was Di Grassi, and he was dropped after just one season.
Even though his career at the top level was short-lived, the Brazilian found a perfect fit in Formula E. A pioneer of the electric series, he raced in the inaugural Formula E championship in 2014-2015 with Audi Sport ABT, finishing third in the championship. He would win the title two years later and he remains in the sport today at the ripe old age of 40, racing for ABT CUPRA Formula E Team.
