Sacha Fenestraz will join Jaguar Racing as Reserve Driver for the upcoming ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The 21-year-old will join the team for the double-header season opener in Diriyah in Saudi Arabia later this month.
Sacha impressed the team with his performance in the season six rookie test in Marrakesh in 2020. Sacha will work alongside drivers Mitch Evans and Sam Bird at the British racing team in Diriyah and at other rounds of the 2021/2022 season to be announced. The French-Argentinian driver will dovetail his duties as Reserve Driver for Jaguar Racing with his race programmes in Japan in the Super GT and Super Formula categories.
Prior to the 2021 season, Sacha built a strong reputation in Europe, finishing the 2015 season as Vice-Champion in the F4 French Championship. A solid rookie season in Formula Renault in 2016 set the scene for a championship winning campaign in his second season in the series 2017. Sacha graduated to FIA Formula 3 for 2018 and concluded the season with an impressive podium finish in the Macau GP before a move to Japan beckoned of the 2019 season.
Sacha combined a race programme in Super GT300 in 2019 with a championship winning campaign in Japanese F3 where he claimed a staggering 18 podiums including eight wins on his way to the title. Sacha moved up to Japanese Super Formula in 2020 taking a podium in his rookie season in the experienced field, combining his single seater racing with a season in Super GT500.
Jaguar Racing was the first premium manufacturer to join the ABB FIA Formula E Championship when the British marque returned to racing in October 2016. Jaguar designs its own powertrain, comprising of motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension as an official manufacturer. The complex technical and strategic requirements of a Formula E race weekend will further strengthen Sacha’s rapidly growing skill set as he assists the team in his role as Reserve Driver.
Speaking about the opportunity to join the prestigious manufacturer, Sacha said, « I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Jaguar Racing in Marrakesh last year – to now be a Reserve Driver for this iconic brand and alongside one of the strongest driver line-ups in the world championship is a big moment for me. Formula E offers a challenge very different to anything I have raced in before and I can’t wait to support the team and return to the electric racing paddock. »
James Barclay, Jaguar Racing Team Director added, « It is great to have Sacha joining us as reserve driver. He is a young, talented driver who has a great character and is really enthusiastic about this opportunity, he will be an important addition to the team. We were impressed with his approach and performance in the one-day rookie test in 2019. We are pleased to have him join the team. »
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship will commence on Friday 26 February in Diriyah.