Ahead of the 2025 London E-Prix, Pit Debrief sat down with Oliver Askew, reserve and development driver for Andretti Formula E, to discuss the current season, his insights from behind the scenes, and the evolution of the Gen3 era.
Askew: Formula E is “more competitive than ever”
Askew provided a detailed view of the ultra-competitive nature of the 2025 season, emphasising how the championship has matured and grown increasingly intense in its third year under the Gen3 regulations.
“Yeah, I think if you look at the competitiveness of the championship, it’s probably more competitive than ever. If you look at the split between the teams and manufacturers, everyone’s pretty close. And we saw that, I guess, at the end of Gen2 as well, when people and teams get an understanding for the new car, and as the years go on, naturally everyone starts to get a little bit closer.
“So we’re seeing that this year, the third year of the Gen 3 car. And yeah, I think the drivers have a big task with this car compared to years past. There’s a lot going on, the systems are very difficult to get right, and it’s a very hard car to drive.
“So, yeah, I think it’s been really good visually from the fan perspective, and also for the championship. Yeah, of course, Rowland, he ran away with it, but if you look behind him, it’s extremely close. I mean, he’s just had to stand out here, and that’s the reason for the gap in the championship.”
On Andretti Formula E’s season: “We’d be way further up”
From a reserve driver’s vantage point, Askew has had a unique perspective on Andretti’s trajectory throughout the season. He acknowledged some early misfortunes but was clear about the team’s potential.
“I think if we look at the beginning of the season, we had some unfortunate mechanical issues outside of our control. It could have happened to anybody on the grid, but in Jake’s case, unfortunately, it just happened to him on several occasions in a row. So that really put him back in the driver’s championship, and subsequently, it hurts the teams as well.“
Askew added: “So, if we were to take those bad results out of the equation, I mean, we’d be way further up the grid than we are now in drivers and teams. So, as far as areas to improve, I think the qualifying pace maybe wasn’t as good as in years past. Looking at Jake in particular, he’s usually a really strong qualifier, but I think it has come down to getting the tyres in the right window on particular tracks.
“So, we’ve put a big emphasis on that, and also preparing on the sim and making sure that our warm-up laps and we’re getting the tyres in the proper window before they go on the one push lap that they have.”
Supporting Jake Dennis and Nico Müller: “A positive impact”
With Jake Dennis and Nico Müller both enduring mixed campaigns, Askew’s work in the simulator and technical preparation has played a crucial role in the team’s ongoing efforts to maximise race performance.
“I think Nico had a slower start to the season, but now he’s really ramped it up and has come to grips with the car. So that’s really great to see. He feels comfortable, and I think maybe he can speak to this more than I can, but from my perspective, he’s more at one with the car, and the results come after that.
“Most of what I do for the team is in the simulator, and that’s two or three days before each race event.
“Between 200 and 300 laps per day, so it’s a big job, whether it’s setting up the car for qualifying laps or also maybe doing some energy management. What I do just covers all the bases and makes sure that when Jake and Nico are in the sim, the week of the race, everything is pretty much sorted and they don’t have to troubleshoot, and everything’s easy for them through those days.
“So that’s my role, and I think that I’ve created a positive impact on the team and their performance.”
Askew’s meticulous approach behind the scenes and his deep understanding of Formula E’s unique demands remain a cornerstone of Andretti’s foundation. As the final rounds approach, his contributions may yet prove pivotal in shaping the team’s future trajectory.
