Racing star was destined for F1, now he'll be racing in Formula E

Pourchaire on podium at Silverstone — Photo: © IMAGO

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Racing star was destined for F1, now he'll be racing in Formula E

The 22-year-old is a Mercedes test driver

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 7 August 2026 15:11

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A young Mercedes driver and former F2 champion has landed himself a role in all-electric racing series Formula E.

Theo Pourchaire won the 2023 F2 championship, an achievement which led him to be linked with many F1 seats while he was still in his 20s.

But the 2024 F1 grid remarkably saw the same 20 drivers that had finished the 2023 season maintaining their position for 2024, which meant that Pourchaire had to make do with a reserve driver role with Hinwil-based outfit Sauber (now Audi), while also enjoying some sporadic appearances in IndyCar.

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Heading into 2025, Pourchaire saw the likes of Oliver Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto all being handed full-time opportunities at various teams on the F1 grid, but still the 2023 F2 champion had to settle for a reserve driver role.

Ahead of 2026, he was even dropped from that position, and is now a development driver for Mercedes.

Pourchaire has made three appearances in F1 practice sessions over the years, although they all came across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Now, with a seat in F1 looking further away than ever, 22-year-old Pourchaire has made a different career move, nailing down a full-time drive in Formula E.

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Pourchaire gets Formula E opportunity

It has been announced that Pourchaire will be joining the Opel GSE Formula E team for the 2026/27 season, which starts in December.

The Opel GSE team are the newest addition to the Formula E grid, and are delighted to have a driver of Pourchaire's pedigree on their team, as the championship prepares to welcome its GEN4 era.

Pourchaire said of his latest career move: "It feels great to be joining the Opel GSE Formula E Team and the Opel family - an iconic brand with a rich racing history which is now making a name for itself in the World Championship.

"It’s the next step in my career and the biggest single-seater opportunity I’ve had so far. The new GEN4 generation is a perfect fit for my transition from Formula 2: more power, all-wheel drive and incredible acceleration - that’s exactly the kind of car I love. I want to learn, continue developing further and I will give my all from day one to ensure Opel succeed."

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