Mercedes driver handed surprise Formula E debut

Mercedes F1 development driver and Formula 2 race winner Joshua Dürksen will make his Formula E debut in next week's Madrid rookie test. 

A full day of running for 20 drivers will take place next Sunday at the Circuito del Jarama, following the inaugural Madrid E-Prix. 

Dürksen will partner fellow Mercedes development driver Theo Pourchaire in the rookie test for Citroën, who have been watching the Paraguayan-born driver closely.

The young driver is in his third season of F2 and is with Invicta Racing for 2026, with him having started his campaign in Melbourne last weekend with a Sprint win.

"I’m really looking forward to joining Citroën Racing for the rookie test in Madrid," said Dürksen.

"Formula E is a championship completely new to me, so to have the chance to drive the GEN3 Evo car and work with such an experienced team is a fantastic opportunity.

"The goal for the day is to learn as much as possible: about the car, the systems and the way a Formula E team operates. 

"It’s a completely different challenge compared to other single-seaters, especially with the energy management and the technical side, so I’m going to be paying close attention. I want to thank Citroën Racing for the trust, and I’ll do everything I can to make the most of this opportunity."

Dürksen is not the only current F2 driver to have been confirmed for the rookie test, with Kush Maini to once again drive for Mahindra. 

Other names to have been announced include former Red Bull F1 driver Daniil Kvyat and former F2 driver Richard Verschoor. 

For Dürksen it is a first chance to showcase his talent in very different machinery, with Citroën team boss Cyril Blais eager to work with the 22-year-old.

"We’re also excited to work with Joshua for the first time," said Blais. "He’s a driver we’ve been following closely, and this is exactly what rookie tests are designed for - giving emerging talents the opportunity to demonstrate their ability in a Formula E environment. 

"It will be valuable for both Joshua and the team as we continue our development programme with the GEN3 Evo package."

Confirmed rookie test line-up below!