Madrid Rookie Test: Theo Pourchaire back in Formula E car, Joshua Durksen set for debut

Citroen Racing has chosen a combination of fresh talent and experience for the upcoming Madrid Rookie Test. Mercedes development driver Theo Pourchaire will be driving alongside debutant Joshua Durksen at the test in Madrid scheduled for 22 March. Pourchaire is a Formula 2 champion and finished second in the Miami Free Practice earlier this year.Theo Pourchaire is excited to continue his learning in a Formula E car. Sharing his excitement ahead of the Madrid Rookie Test, he told FormulaE.com, “It’s great to be back with Citroen Racing for the rookie test in Madrid. The experience in Miami earlier this season was extremely positive for me. Driving the GEN3 Evo car for the first time and working with the team gave me a really good understanding of how different Formula E is compared to other single-seater championships. Since then, I’ve been looking forward to getting back in the car and continuing that learning process.”Explaining his agenda in Madrid, he added, “The focus in Madrid will be to build on what we started in Miami, support the engineers with the development programme and keep improving my understanding of the car, the tyres and the energy management. I’m very grateful to Citroen for the opportunity and I’m excited to get back behind the wheel.”Meanwhile, Joshua Durksen is looking forward to his Formula E debut. He said, “I’m really looking forward to joining Citroen Racing for the rookie test in Madrid. Formula E is a championship completely new to me, so to have the chance to drive the GEN3 Evo car and work with such an experienced team is a fantastic opportunity.”He further added, “The goal for the day is to learn as much as possible: about the car, the systems and the way a Formula E team operates. It’s a completely different challenge compared to other single-seaters, especially with the energy management and the technical side, so I’m going to be paying close attention. I want to thank Citroen Racing for the trust, and I’ll do everything I can to make the most of this opportunity.”Citroen Racing joined Formula E this season with Nick Cassidy and Jean-Eric Vergne as its main drivers. Welcoming the two rookies to the team, Citroen Racing Team Principal Cyril Blais said, as per FormulaE.com, “We’re pleased to welcome Theo back to the team following the excellent job he did during the Free Practice session in Miami earlier this year. He integrated quickly with the engineers, provided clear feedback and demonstrated strong pace, so bringing him back to continue building that relationship was a very natural decision for us, especially considering changes to the global motorsport calendar.“We’re also excited to work with Joshua for the first time. He’s a driver we’ve been following closely, and this is exactly what rookie tests are designed for, giving emerging talents the opportunity to demonstrate their ability in a Formula E environment. It will be valuable for both Joshua and the team as we continue our development programme with the GEN3 Evo package,” he added.The Madrid Rookie Test is scheduled a day after the Madrid E-Prix on 22 March.Also read: Madrid Rookie Test: Juju Noda set for second outing, Bryce Aron to debut with Jaguar TCS Racing