Paddock whispers: News ticker on all the important paddock topics from the Formula E tests in Valencia

Formula E pre-season testing is taking place this week at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. Find out what else is keeping the paddock busy at the circuit in Spain in the latest edition of our "Paddock Whispers" series. We will update this ticker regularly throughout the weekend.

>>> Noda eagerly anticipates women's test

[10/27 | 13:30 pm] "On a scale of 1 to 10? A 10!" Juju Noda, who will be driving for Jaguar during Friday's women's test, is delighted about the opportunity to test the Gen3 Evo car. The Japanese driver has to completely adjust: ‘Downforce, brakes – it's completely different from Super Formula,’ she describes when asked by e-formula.news after already driving in the team's simulator.

We met her and her father in the pit lane. Hideki Noda was a racing driver himself and drove three Formula 1 races for Larousse in 1994. "This championship is the future," says father Noda. "Formula E is a class with many outstanding drivers. And that's why I'm so happy for my daughter."

>>> Porsche special livery for the pre-season testing

[10/27 | 12:30 pm] The Porsche team showed up to Valencia on Monday with a special livery. This is a livery specially chosen for the tests in Valencia. The team will be running the special livery on Monday and Tuesday.

#FeTesting: @PorscheFormulaE will run a special livery in Valencia. All details later on @eFORMELde / @eFORMULAnews #FormulaE #ABBFormulaE pic.twitter.com/t8Yrp6fPxg

- Tobias Wirtz (@tobiw_apex) October 27, 2025

>>> Test race on Tuesday afternoon

[10/26 | 7:40 pm] On Tuesday, 28 October, a special highlight is scheduled for the afternoon at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo: A test race is scheduled to take place there at around 14:10 (CET). According to information from FE Notebook, the race will last 27 laps and the pit boost will also be used.

>>> Moving driver intros in season 12?

[10/26  | 7:15 pm] It looks as though the upcoming Formula E season will feature moving driver intros. At least that's what footage from various teams on Sunday suggests, showing drivers sitting on a rolling chair, being pulled by a rope while a camera films them. The result should be exciting!

>>> New start numbers for riders

[10/26 | 6:00 pm] With the start of the new season, several drivers will be competing with new start numbers. One of them is Taylor Barnard, who has switched from McLaren to DS Penske for Season 12. The Briton will be racing in the gold, black and white team livery with the number 77; a number with special meaning for him: Barnard revealed on Instagram that he already wore 77 in his karting days.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Taylor Barnard 🇬🇧 (@taylorbarnard1)

In addition to Barnard, Nissan driver Norman Nato will also start the new season with a new number: he will wear the traditional Nissan number 23, while the car of reigning world champion Oliver Rowland will be number 1. Previously, Nato drove under the number 17, a tribute to his late racing driver friend Jules Bianchi, who competed in Formula 1 with the number 17.

>>> Third name above team garage

[10/26 | 5:40 pm] As a rule, the names of the drivers who will be getting into the cars on the respective race days can be found above the Formula E teams' garages. These are usually the two main drivers of the team. However, when looking at the garages in Valencia, other names stand out in addition to the names of the two main drivers: the names of the female drivers in the women's test are also noted on the garages.

The names on the garages are a great sign of appreciation for the female drivers.

>>> New Nissan simulator

[10/26 | 3:40 pm] According to FE Notebook, the Nissan team recently put a new simulator into operation. Abbi Pulling, Nissan rookie and simulator driver, was the first to use it to prepare herself and the team for testing in Valencia.

The British driver spent several days at the facility in Viry-Chatillon, south of Paris. On Friday, 31 October, Pulling will finally climb into one of the Nissan cars herself to collect further data for the team as part of the Formula E women's test.

>>> Visitor days on Thursday and Friday

[10/26 | 1:00 pm] On Thursday and Friday, Formula E will also open its doors to fans at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo. On both days, visitors can take a look behind the scenes on pit walk tours and experience the action right on the track.

Two-day tickets are currently completely sold out, but individual tickets are still available via the circuit's official website.