19-Year-Old Taylor Barnard Makes History in Formula E Debut
In a thrilling turn of events, 19-year-old Taylor Barnard made history as the youngest driver to compete in a Formula E race, taking to the track in Saturday’s Monaco E-Prix. This unexpected opportunity arose after regular McLaren driver Sam Bird suffered a high-speed incident in the first free practice session, resulting in a broken bone in his left hand. With just 20 minutes’ notice, Barnard was thrust into the role of reserve driver, marking an incredible debut in the prestigious electric racing series.
“The first initial reaction was a lot of nerves, a lot of tension,” Barnard recalled to Autosport. “I then had to run to sign-on to actually make sure that I could drive, then it was basically throw my suit on and get in the car. So not much time to think about it. There was not really time to go through things and worry about it.”
Despite the brevity of his preparation, Barnard delivered an impressive performance, finishing 14th out of 20 finishers. Having completed only one 30-minute practice session before qualifying, where he finished last in his group but just 1.730s off the leading time, his assured drive showcased his adaptability given the circumstances.
Barnard, who has prior experience in Formula E rookie practice outings with McLaren, including topping the session ahead of the Misano E-Prix, believes he coped well with the sudden shift to competitive racing.
“The first five laps I kind of backed off a little bit and kind of took my time, saved as much energy as I could,” he explained. “I’m not really sure if that was the plan but it was the most comfortable for me at the time, and in hindsight, I think it was probably the best thing to do.”
With his Formula E debut now under his belt, Barnard’s focus shifts to perfecting his craft, with the young Briton expressing his desire to learn and improve for potential future opportunities.
“There’s nothing you can do to prepare for one of these races, you just have to get thrown in at the deep end, and I think I adapted fairly well. For sure, there’s some things that I want to review and learn and do better for potentially if there is a next time,” he said.
As the Formula E 2023 season presses on, the status of Sam Bird’s hand injury remains uncertain, with McLaren confirming the driver “will require further treatment” but no update on potential surgery or his participation in the next event in Berlin. Should Bird be unable to recover in time, Barnard stands as the obvious replacement, having already made his mark in the electric racing series. With his Formula E debut now secured, the young driver’s prospects look bright, particularly as he eyes a potential return to the Formula E standings in the near future.
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