In over a decade of covering this championship, we have seen Formula E survive rain-soaked chaos, battery failures, and the transition of three generations of machinery. But we have never seen the collective temperature of the pit lane reach the boiling point it did this month. On March 11, just days before we touched down in Madrid, all 20 drivers on the grid—from the rookies to the multi-time champions—put pen to paper on a bombshell letter addressed directly to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The message was clear: the current standard of race officiating is no longer fit for purpose.

The grievances laid out in that letter weren’t just the usual post-race grumbles about a missed penalty. It was a formal vote of “no confidence” in the consistency of the stewarding and, more specifically, the leadership of Race Director Marek Hanaczewski. For a grid of professional athletes to bypass the usual channels and head straight to the presidency, the frustration has clearly moved beyond a few bad calls—it’s now a fundamental question of sporting integrity and the transparency of the rulebook itself.

In the eye of this storm is Zane Maloney. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver is currently navigating his second season in the series, balancing the steep development curve of a new manufacturer with the increasingly erratic environment of the FIA race control room. Following a Madrid E-Prix where the “peloton” racing once again tested the limits of the stewards’ patience, Sergio sat down with Zane to discuss why the drivers felt forced to take such an extreme stance, the specific “logic gaps” in current officiating, and whether the relationship between the cockpit and the control tower can ever truly be repaired.

Iberianmph: Have you ever considered becoming a race director in Formula E?
Zane Maloney: I’m very early in my career. Maybe in 10 or 15 years hopefully when I’m retired, then we will see.

Iberianmph: What would you have liked to improve in Formula E in terms of regulations?
ZM: I think Formula E and the FIA have done a great job on the rules and regulations. Then of course there’s a lot of tweaking that happens every year so we can always improve. Us as drivers and the FIA we try to grow and come together, and improve in every way.

Iberianmph: Coming from Formula 1’s feeder series (Formula 2), do you think driving standards are high here in Formula E?
ZM: Yes, I think it’s very good quality here. There’s a very different way of driving in Formula E compared to Formula 1. Also, the races go in a different format. Because we’re saving energy the racing is little bit different, which means there’s a need for slightly different rules in different areas. All the drivers are professionals and in a Formula E car you can get your elbows out and touch a little bit as well. The style of racing is just a little bit different.