Sebastien Buemi has outlined his hunger to remain in Formula E next season following his first experience of driving the new Gen4 car.
Buemi does have a contract for next season after signing a multi-year deal in 2025; however, his continuation in the category depends on the number of calendar clashes with the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027.
The Season 2 champion has previously made it clear he will not continue in Formula E should clashes occur, something which will not happen this season.
If no clashes occur, Buemi can be expected to race for customer Jaguar outfit Envision next season as the new Gen4 car is introduced.
Despite racing for a customer team, the veteran was given the chance to drive Jaguar’s Gen4 car in the recent private manufacturers’ test in Almería, marking his first taste of what will replace the current Gen3 Evo at the end of this year for Season 13 (2026/27).
It was an eye-opening experience for Buemi, who explained that the new car will make some current circuit layouts simply impossible to use again.
Asked for his Gen4 thoughts following his first outing in the car, Buemi told RacingNews365 in Miami: "Yeah, impressive in a way. I was maybe expecting sometimes a little bit more on some other things.
"But, yeah, it feels like it's totally different. I wouldn't call it a different sport, but it's different. It's a very big car, it's a lot faster, it's a lot heavier. The fact that we have this high-downforce package, low-downforce package, makes things quite different.
"So I feel like the whole [Formula E] ecosystem will have to evolve, and racing on a track like [in Miami], I don't think it's possible.
"And I think with such a car and the performance it can deliver, you want to be able to show it. You want to be able to go to a track where you can show the potential."
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Buemi to race in Gen4?
Buemi has competed in every Formula E machinery having been on the grid since the very first season of the all-electric championship.
For many of the day one veterans, there is an eagerness to see what Gen4 has to offer, with the technology having consistently improved in each car.
The experience of having driven the Gen4 has made Buemi want to remain in the series more than ever, but the 37-year-old knows it depends on factors outside of his control in regard to calendar clashes.
Discussing if Gen4 makes him want to stay in Formula E, Buemi replied: "Yeah, honestly it does, it's a big step. Already, when we went to Gen3 Evo — the better tyres, the four-wheel drive — that was already nice.
"That was really a massive step there. So I really hope that somehow we find a way to do it."
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