Exclusive: F1 hopeful reveals reasons behind career move

Sauber Academy driver Zane Maloney has revealed why he switched from Formula 2 to Formula E - but is still hopeful of landing a future F1 drive. 

The Barbadian driver has enjoyed an excellent campaign for Rodin Motorsport and sits third in the F2 drivers' title.

However, Maloney will miss the F2 season finale in Abu Dhabi as it clashes with the FE season opener in São Paulo. 

Despite this, he will race in the penultimate F2 round in Qatar before flying directly to Brazil for his competitive FE debut. 

Maloney had been linked with a potential promotion at Sauber, however, F2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto has been given the nod and was confirmed on Wednesday.

Finding a seat in a single-seater world championship is becoming increasingly difficult for young drivers, with those in F1 and FE continuing until an older age than previously. 

With FE becoming more competitive, popular and technologically advanced, it is seen as a positive series to be involved in by the 21-year-old. 

Maloney also recognises that moving to FE does not end his F1 dream, using the example of Nyck de Vries, who moved from the all-electric series to AlphaTauri for the 2023 season.

When asked by RacingNews365 whether the time felt right to switch to FE rather than wait for F1, Maloney said: "Yeah, for sure. Firstly, Formula E isn't a dead-end. 

"Formula E is its own world championship. F1 is not out of the window when you come to Formula E either. You saw that with Nyck. Obviously, that opportunity is always there once you're performing. 

"I just try to perform in everything I can. I think the limited seats in the world right now for us drivers are very difficult. 

"Any very good seat you can get, you take, and I wasn't willing to sit down and do nothing. I'm a racing driver, I want to drive. Me coming to Formula E, is only a positive in my mind. 

"There's no negative because it doesn't block off any opportunities in the future. I wanted to be driving something this year, next year, the year after, always to keep driving. To do that, I needed to come here now."

Sauber F1's support

The unusual fact about FE compared to F1, F2 and Formula 3, is the season begins when most are either about to end or have ended. 

Maloney finds himself in the "weird" position of returning to the start of a season mindset after almost an entire F2 campaign, although it is not the first time the former Andretti reserve driver will miss out on an off-season.

"It does feel a bit weird," noted Maloney. "To be honest, how the last couple years of my life have gone, I've not had an-off season because of being with Andretti, Sauber or Rodin, so I've been all over the place. 

"Of course, it's a bit disappointing not to be able to fight for the championship, like how I am right now in F2, but I'm looking forward to starting the new journey. 

"And how it works out for me is perfect - straight into the new project and getting going as quickly as possible."

Maloney has received support from Sauber to move to FE and is pleased with the opportunities he has received courtesy of the Hinwil-based outfit, as well as Andretti and Red Bull, whose junior programme he left last year.

Sauber is eager for its F1 reserve driver to make progress in his career, although what his role with the team will be next year is currently undecided.

"It was a great opportunity, of course, to be with Sauber, also with Andretti, and I gained a lot of experience this year, and last year with Red Bull as well," explained Maloney. 

"Every team that I've worked with has helped me move forward. Of course, they [Sauber] were very supportive for me to be in a race seat. 

"They want to see me perform well and have a great career, so they didn't stop me from taking this opportunity. 

"I'm still sorting everything out for what I'm doing next year, outside of Formula E. But yeah, fully focused on this new chapter with this team, and we'll see what happens in the future with Sauber."