One last Gen3 test: Preview of the Formula E pre-season test in Valencia 2025

The season break will soon be over, as the Formula E teams will be back on track next week, starting on 27 October. Not yet in racing mode, but at the test drives in Valencia. After a one-year break due to a flooding disaster, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo will be the venue again in 2025. These are the last tests before the generation changeover to the Gen4 cars next year.

This year, with one team less, but with Citroen also a new name on the grid, the track will be extensively driven both in the morning and in the afternoon. Following the regular drivers' track time, there will also be a day on Friday when only women will be allowed to test for the teams. We have summarised everything you need to know before the tests in this preview.

Where will the Formula E pre-season test take place?

Although it is called "official testing in Valencia" the track is located around 25 kilometres outside the Spanish city. Valencia is located directly on the Mediterranean coast in eastern Spain. In the immediate vicinity of the circuit, the landscape is hilly, which is reflected in some differences in altitude along the route. Formula E has been coming to Valencia in the pre-season since 2017. A race weekend was even held there in 2021.

The Circuit Ricardo Tormo offers different layouts. Formula E will race on the same circuit this year as in 2023, which is 3.376 kilometres long and has 15 corners. A large part of the inside circuit will be shortened with a short connection by travelling directly from turn 9 to 10. There will also be an additional chicane on the start-finish straight, which will be the last corner combination of the lap.

How can I follow the test?

There will be two sessions most days: The morning session will run from 9am (CEST) to 12pm (CEST), while the afternoon session will run from 2pm (CEST) to 5pm (CEST). Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon are scheduled for media activities with the riders, meaning that a total of eight sessions will be held. From Monday to Thursday, it will be the usual pre-season test with the teams' regular drivers. On Friday, only the female drivers will be on track.

The pre-season tests will not be broadcast on TV or online. Formula E will only provide live timing. However, e-Formula.news will be at the track for you and will be reporting on the action from Valencia in a live ticker and with daily reports, among other things.

Driver changes, rookies and a new team name - who's taking part

There were plenty of rotations in the driver line-up during the season break. Only Nissan, Mahindra and Lola Yamaha ABT will line up with the same drivers as in season 11. McLaren has also withdrawn from the racing series without replacement. This means that there will only be 20 drivers on the grid instead of 22. There will also no longer be a Maserati team, with both the Italian sports car brand and the two drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Jake Hughes no longer taking part in season 12.

The Maserati team became Citroen Racing. Most of the personnel behind it are still the same, so Cyril Blais will continue to manage the team. With Nick Cassidy and Jean-Eric Vergne, two top drivers have signed with the French brand, who want to fight for the top with the team immediately. Antonio Felix da Costa replaces Cassidy at Jaguar and Taylor Barnard replaces Vergne at DS Penske.

Porsche has secured the services of Swiss driver Nico Müller, making it the last team with two drivers who were regulars last season. The other teams have each opted for a new face. Felipe Drugovich from Andretti and Joel Eriksson from Envision Racing have at least already contested a few Formula E races as reserve drivers. Pepe Marti, on the other hand, is fresh from Formula 2 and will start as a rookie for Cupra Kiro.

Overview: The complete entry list for the 2025/26 Formula E World Championship

The women's test on Friday

Each team must also take part in the women's test with at least one car. A total of 14 female drivers have been presented, with some familiar faces confirmed. They will also collect important data for the teams for the coming season in the Gen3 Evo cars. Instead of just one session like last year, they will now have the entire Friday with six hours of driving time at their disposal. e-formula.news will also accompany the two sessions of the women's test with the live ticker.

Overview: The entry list for the 2025 Formula E Women's Test

What you should pay particular attention to

As we are on the verge of a generation change in Formula E, it is unlikely that the power structure of the teams will have changed rapidly. Nissan, Porsche and Jaguar have been particularly successful with the Gen3 Evo so far. While Nissan weakened a little at the end of Season 11, Jaguar TCS Racing was in the midst of an upswing. They had to let go of their most successful driver of last season, Cassidy. It will be interesting to see whether Felix da Costa can immediately keep up with Evans.

Citroen Racing is the biggest unknown on the grid. The team only finished ninth last season - back then under the name Maserati MSG Racing - and the technical basis is still the same. This is where the two new drivers play a crucial role. Cassidy has been in contention for the title for the past three seasons, while Vergne is the only two-time Formula E champion. Citroen therefore possibly has the strongest driver duo in the field. Whether that will be enough to close the gap to the front will be exciting to watch.

Lola Yamaha ABT, on the other hand, finished last season in eleventh and last place. Zane Maloney was the only regular driver to fail to score even a single point. Nevertheless, the team is relying on the same pairing and is starting the new season unchanged. Whether this trust will pay off or whether the team is just waiting for the upcoming generational change will be clearer after the test drives.

The first session of the twelfth Formula E season will be starting on 27 October at 2 pm (CEST).