Interview by Sergio Álvarez, photos by Ester Caballero
The paddock in Formula E is a different kind of loud. There’s no V8 scream to rattle your teeth, just the high-pitched, futuristic whine of inverters and the frantic scrub of Michelin rubber against sun-baked asphalt. It’s a world governed by software maps and energy regeneration—a far cry from the raw, mechanical brutality of the junior categories where Théo Pourchaire first made his name.
We’ve watched Théo since he was a teenager making seasoned pros look ordinary in F3. We all know the CV: the youngest-ever winner in the feeder series, the 2023 Formula 2 crown, and a nomadic couple of years spent as the “hottest free agent” in the world, jumping between F1 reserve duties and lightning-fast cameos in IndyCar.
But today, standing across from him in the hot sunshine of the media pen, the French prodigy looks less like a “rookie” and more like a man who has finally found a puzzle he actually wants to solve. Transitioning to EV racing isn’t just about finding the apex; it’s about a total rewiring of a driver’s brain.
He’s here for the Rookie Test, but let’s be honest—when you’ve got Théo Pourchaire in the cockpit, you aren’t just testing the car. You’re testing the future. We caught up with Théo to talk about the learning curve, the “silent” speed, and whether this electric detour is actually a permanent destination.
⚡ The “Pourchaire Profile” at a Glance
| Category | Career Highlight |
| Formula 3 | Youngest race winner in history (age 16) |
| Formula 2 | 2023 World Champion |
| The “Nomad” Phase | High-stakes stints in IndyCar & Super Formula |
| Current Mission | Mastering the Gen3 Evo Formula E platform |
Iberianmph: What’s the biggest takeaway for you today personally?
Théo Pourchaire: There’s a lot of different things compared to a normal (ice-powered) race car. Fist of all, there’s no gearbox. The brakes: you have the regen of the motor. There’s no proper contact with the brake as much as a normal race car, it is to regen the battery. It’s very complicated, but it’s the future. In the end, it’s a race car so you push it to the limit as well. Tires are a little bit different, the car is quite heavy with the battery. It’s powerful and I enjoy it on a track like this.
Iberianmph: What can you apply to Formula E from your past motorsport experiences?
TP: It’s very different but the good thing is that with the simulators you can learn a lot and arrive at the track fully ready because there’s a lot of procedures to do on the steering wheel before driving the car, and then on track – applying the right push modes, changing the brake balance, the brake migration. There’s a lot of things you can do on this car. So no, you can’t really take anything from Formula 2, for example.
Iberianmph: Did you have to read the 100-page steering wheel manual we’ve heard about?
TP: I know it now! I did a few sessions in Formula E so it’s fine, I know the car very well. It’s complicated but the simulator is made for that.
Iberianmph: Is it coincindentally your first time around Jarama?
TP: Yes, it’s a great track. I like it.
Iberianmph: Are there any direct comparisons that come to mind?
TP: The circuit is quite unique in my opinion because there’s a bit of everything, big braking zones, high-speed corners. There’s a lot of combined entry corners so you have to commit to the entries. With the Formula E car, it’s quite difficult because it’s a car that you can’t really brake and turn at the same time because it’s moving quite a lot and on this track you have to do just that. It’s a lot of fighting behind the steering wheel but I enjoy it.
iberianmph.com 