British driver Zak O’Sullivan returned to Formula E for his second rookie outing, this time taking on the notoriously tricky Tempelhof circuit during the 2025 Berlin Rookie Test with Envision Racing. After placing 13th in the morning and 16th in the afternoon, O’Sullivan ended the day 16th overall in a competitive 22-driver field.
While the result may not have topped the timesheets, the day provided valuable mileage and experience for the 20-year-old, who continues to juggle multiple programmes across different championships.
A full day behind the wheel
Speaking exclusively to Pit Debrief, O’Sullivan opened up about his approach to the day, the growing appeal of Formula E, and the technical challenges that set it apart from other single-seater categories.
“It’s been a very mixed weekend weather-wise,” he said ahead of the test. “I’m looking forward to it. It would be nice for me to get a full day in the car. Obviously, Jeddah was only, I think, a 40-minute session. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
“It’s also nice coming after a race weekend because you have a lot of data to compare to. It’s looking like it will be dry tomorrow, hopefully. So there won’t be that much relevant data to compare to, but still, it’ll be good to get some more time in the car.”
A popular choice for the next generation
Though still early in his Formula E experience, O’Sullivan acknowledged the series’ competitive nature and why it’s drawing more attention from young drivers, particularly as the existing grid begins to evolve.
“I think it’s always been popular. It’s always had a lot of momentum and a lot of manufacturers involved,” he said. “What you’re talking about—the younger drivers—is just the age of some of the current drivers. Of course, they’ve been in the series for a long time, so there’s a natural elevation or evolution of drivers coming in and out. Obviously, you see Taylor [Barnard] in the series now coming from F2.”
“So yeah, it makes sense. There’s more and more junior drivers looking at it. But it’s always been a very competitive series. The driving level is probably the highest outside of Formula 1. It’s a very hard series and I think one that’s attracted to a lot of drivers.”
A new kind of challenge
Adjusting to the GEN3 Evo machinery posed its own challenges. O’Sullivan admitted that his Formula E experience was quite unlike anything he’d driven before.
“Yes, it’s quite different to anything else you’ve driven. You kind of have to forget about other cars, obviously.”
He added, “No slicks as well, which is something quite bizarre for a single-seater. Also, a lot of the systems are very complex. The majority of the braking on these cars is done for regeneration instead of actual brakes. So there’s a lot of systems you have to get around. So yeah, it’s quite different. But it’s the same for everyone.”
Why adaptability is key
O’Sullivan is no stranger to diverse machinery. Competing in both Super Formula and Super GT in 2025, along with simulator work for Envision, his calendar has demanded constant adjustment.
“I mean, this year, I’m doing two championships in Super Formula and Super GT, and also a lot of sim work with Envision,” he said. “So I’m pretty much driving a different car, whether it be real or virtual, every week. But no, it’s very important.”
“And I think as a professional driver, adaptability is very, very important. You see a lot of drivers on the Formula E grid do both WEC and Formula E. So in terms of adaptability, of course, they have to be on it straight away.”
Though the Formula E Berlin Rookie Test may have been a relatively quiet day on the timesheets for Zak O’Sullivan, it offered meaningful experience in one of motorsport’s most technically demanding series — one that may well play a key role in his career future.
