Formula E test driver & Extreme E co-founder Gil de Ferran passes away

Gil de Ferran, former Formula E test driver in 2014 and co-founder of Extreme E, passed away on Friday at the age of 56. The Brazilian is survived by his wife Angela and their two children Anna and Luke.

De Ferran, who switched to US motorsport in 1995 after winning the British Formula 3 Championship and several Formula 3000 races, won the ChampCar Championship in 2000 and 2001 and the Indy 500 in 2003. In 2005, he became Sports Director of the BAR Formula 1 team and remained in this role after the takeover by Honda. He later became sporting director of the McLaren F1 team, but also worked as a consultant for Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard competed twice in the Indy 500.

In 2013, de Ferran became an ambassador for Formula E and even sat behind the wheel for the Andretti team during the first pre-season tests in Donington. However, he subsequently focussed on his career in motorsport management and co-founded Extreme E with Alejandro Agag in 2019. In the early days of the series, de Ferran served as chairman and also contested the first demo runs of the Odyssey 21 with Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the same year.

Heartbroken to hear the news about Extreme E co-founder and motorsport legend Gil de Ferran.

Our deepest condolences go out to Gil’s family, friends and loved ones at this time.

Rest in peace ? pic.twitter.com/2OwHlv0Sfe

— Extreme E (@ExtremeELive) December 30, 2023