Formula E has added several new drivers to the line-up for the FIA Formula E Women’s Test in Valencia. Talented drivers such as Chloe Chambers and Abbi Pulling are set to return to the action of Formula E. After the success of Season 11’s Pre-Season Test, Formula E returns to Valencia for a second Women’s Test taking place Friday 31 October. Women from all ten teams will take part in two dedicated sessions.
New additions
The newest addition to the Women’s Test is 19-year-old Janina Schall. The German driver will be driving for Porsche Formula E Team. After starting karting in 2013, the young driver has been the champion and runner-up in several karting championships. Most recently, Schall raced at the FIA Motorsport Games in the Kart Endurance category where she finished tenth. Currently, she races GT4 BMWs on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
Next, Tatiana Calderon linked with Citroen Racing to take part in the Women’s Test. The 32-year-old is not new to the Women’s Test, as she is rather familiar with Formula E. In 2024, she participated in the first Women’s Test with Maserati MSG Racing. Before that she took part in in-season testing with DS TECHEETAH in 2018, and the Rookie Test in 2019. Calderon’s most recent FE experience was in Jeddah last season during the Rookie Free Practice. In addition to Formula E, the Colombian driver has plenty of experience across multiple motorsport categories including Formula 2, IndyCar, and Super Formula.
Experienced drivers
Similarly, experienced drivers like Jamie Chadwick are taking part in the test. The driver joins Jaguar TCS Racing in Valencia. She is well acquainted with the team as their connection goes back to 2020 when she took part in the Marrakesh Rookie Test with them. In most recent years, Chadwick was a part of the inaugural Women’s Test in Madrid, the Rookie Test in Berlin in early 2025, and took part in the Jeddah Rookie Free Practice last year.
After 14-years in single-seaters and sportscars, Chadwick remains highly impressive. Her single-seater journey begun in 2017 in the BRDC British Formula 3 before she moved up to the W Series where she became a triple champion. In addition to this, Chadwick became the first woman in 14 years to win an Indy NXT race as she signed as a test driver with Andretti in 2022. Her talent reaches across several motorsport categories as she even made her Le Mans debut in June.
Speaking about returning to Formula E for the Women’s Test with Jaguar, Chadwick expressed:
“It’s fantastic to be returning to Jaguar TCS Racing for the Women’s Test in Valencia. Having already driven the I-TYPE 7 last season, I’m excited to build on that experience and continue working with the team. Driving in Formula E presents a unique challenge, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.”
From Super Formula to Formula E
Juju Noda will be accompanying Chadwick at the Jaguar TCS Racing team. The young driver currently drives in Super Formula where she became the first Japanese woman to race in the series. Previously, Noda raced in F4 Danish Championship, W Series and Euroformula Open. The driver has a long history with racing, despite her young age. Her karting days span back to the age of three and she was testing single-seater race cars by the time she was nine years old.
Speaking about partaking in the Women’s Test, the Japanese driver stated:
“I’m really looking forward to joining Jaguar TCS Racing for the Formula E Women’s Test. Driving the GEN3 Evo car will be a new experience for me, and I’m excited to learn from the team and push myself in this environment. It’s an honour to contribute to an initiative that supports women in motorsport and helps open doors for talented drivers.”
Providing women with more opportunities
After partaking in the first Women’s Test last year, Nerea Marti joins Andretti for the pre-season test. The Spanish driver was successful in the W series before moving onto F1 Academy where she became a race winner and podium finisher. The 22-year-old spoke about returning to Valencia with Andretti, stating:
“I’m very grateful to Andretti Global for giving me this opportunity for the second year in a row. It’s an honor to be part of such a historic racing organization and championship-winning team.
“Getting back in a Formula E car is always special but doing it at home in Valencia makes it even more meaningful. After a long time without driving a single-seater, I’m exceptionally motivated and eager to get back on track
“The experience in Madrid last year was very positive and allowed me to learn a lot – now I want to make the most of every lap to continue showing my potential and take another step forward in my career.
“These tests are essential, as they provide women with the opportunity to demonstrate our potential and ability to compete on the Formula E grid – a Championship that continues to grow through its strong commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.”
Back behind the wheel
Additionally, Porsche confirmed Gabriela Jilkova to get back behind the wheel in Valencia. The Czech driver’s bond with the team goes back several years as this will be her third outing with them.
Lastly, Alice Powell is set to drive for Envision Racing during the Women’s Test. The Brit is the test and development driver for the team. Since 2020, Powell has been familiar with Formula E as she took part in the rookie test in Marrakesh. The 32-year-old racer was a part of the first Women’s Test in Madrid last year and expressed excitement to be returning.
“I’m really looking forward to driving the GEN3 Evo again with Envision Racing, this time getting double the track time available compared to last year. I’ll be doing all that I can to provide the team with useful data and feedback to assist them going into the new season.” Powell stated.
With Season 12 of Formula E kicking off on 6 December, the pre-season testing is about to be exciting.
