On 30 January, the Friday ahead of the US race, ten drivers will have the opportunity to test Formula E cars during an additional practice session. The so-called rookies have not yet competed in a Formula E race, with the sessions intended to introduce drivers to the specific demands of the all-electric world championship. Fielding a rookie during the 40-minute session is mandatory for all teams.
“Budgets and test days are strictly limited in Formula E,” says Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E. “Energy management is complex, and this places particularly high mental demands on the drivers. That significantly reduces the pool of potential candidates. In this respect, we very much welcome the rookie sessions in Formula E.”
Several times per season, rookies can officially gain test mileage in Formula E: during the Rookie Free Practice, at a test day exclusively for female drivers, and at the Rookie Test, which offers more driving time than the practice session. The most recent Rookie Test took place in July after the Berlin E-Prix, where Güven drove the highly efficient Porsche 99X Electric for the first time.
Modlinger says: “Ayhancan impressed us in Berlin – not only because he was second fastest at the end of the test day. He comes from the Porsche Junior programme, so we already knew him well. At the same time, he had never driven a single-seater before. Expectations were moderate, but Ayhancan clearly exceeded them. The fact that he is also a sim racer can be an advantage in Formula E, as we carry out a lot of test and development work in the simulator. We were also impressed by the mindset with which he won the DTM title.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport, says: “Ayhancan could break new ground for Porsche Motorsport. Until now, our junior development has not been focused on single-seater racing. From the 2026/2027 season, when we will field two additional cars in Formula E, this will also open up new opportunities in that respect. However, the hurdles for Can are high because he has not previously been a single-seater driver before so currently lacks the FIA licence points required for a future in Formula E. In 2026, he will compete with Manthey in the FIA World Endurance Championship – where he could earn those points. So, we have a plan and are supporting Ayhancan. But it is also clear that he must continue to prove himself within the Formula E project – next in Miami.”
About Ayhancan Güven
Ayhancan “Can” Güven made the step up to Porsche Motorsport in 2020 after prevailing in the factory junior driver selection process. Most recently, he competed in the DTM in a Porsche 911 GT3 R for Manthey EMA. In October at the Hockenheimring, he claimed the title in Germany’s prestigious touring car series – becoming the first Turkish driver ever to do so. The Istanbul native began his career in karting and later established himself in sim racing, the digital form of motorsport – including as a teammate of four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen. Güven has since become one of the most prominent athletes in his home country, inspiring many new motorsport fans. Congratulations on his DTM success also came from the Turkish Ministry of Sport.
“I’m really happy about the opportunity to be back in the 99X Electric and to start the Miami weekend for Porsche with the Rookie Free Practice,” says Güven. “It’s always an eye-opening experience to work with such a professional group of people, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Porsche in Formula E
As the reigning Teams’ and Manufacturers’ World Champion, Porsche contests its seventh Formula E season in 2025/2026. In addition to the factory Porsche Formula E Team, the US customer team Andretti Formula E will compete with the highly efficient Porsche 99X Electric of the latest generation GEN3 Evo. A second Porsche customer team, Cupra Kiro, will also participate, relying on 99X technology from the previous generation GEN3. In Formula E, the brand gains valuable insights for its production sports cars.
