Is Formula E embarking on a young driver boom?

Is Formula E embarking on a young driver boom? In short, yes. McLaren promoting Taylor Barnard and ABT Lola signing Zane Maloney marks a significant shift in the FE driver pool. 

Both Barnard and Maloney are 20 years old, resulting in a noticeable decrease in the usual driver age in the all-electric series. 

In the tenth campaign, the full-time FE field had an average age of 30.8 years old, the youngest of which was 25-year-old Sacha Fenestraz. 

When the season-opener in São Paulo takes place on December 7, Barnard will still be 20 years old, whilst Maloney turns 21 on October 2.

What is also noticeable is that by the end of next season, five drivers on the grid will be over 35 years old, an age where it is not uncommon to see some move on. 

There is a changing of the guard on the horizon in FE, when those who have been in the championship since Gen1 decide to embark on a new challenge.

FE is becoming an increasingly attractive option for young drivers, as highlighted by the arrival of Maloney and Barnard but also the appearance of Frederik Vesti and Paul Aron in Berlin.

Young drivers tended to view FE as a back-up or an alternative should their dream of reaching Formula 1 be unsuccessful, whereas now it is viewed by many as a genuine career path. 

Formula E an option, not an alternative

Besides F1, it is important to note that FE is the only other FIA-governed single-seater series which offers a salary to drivers. 

On top of that, FE is also a rare opportunity for young F2 drivers to work with a manufacturer, as is the case now for Maloney with ABT Lola. 

Like F1, FE is not an easy series to gain a seat on the grid, with the driver market becoming more competitive every year. 

The advancement of the technology, the increasing length of the calendar and where the series is racing is making the category more attractive, as is the championship's popularity. 

FE is continuing to grow, with evidence being the recently revealed global TV audience figures for Season 10. 

Based on the strength of some of the young drivers coming through Formula 3 and F2, FE can expect more stars of the future to be knocking on the door. 

This factor even increases the importance of appearing in a rookie test, and having that opportunity to drive FE machinery and showcase skill and talent. 

All the signs point towards a young driver boom over the next couple of years, which, like F1, will see the average driver age in the series drop considerably.