Envision retains Buemi, Frijns for Formula E despite WEC clash conundrum

Both drivers will race in Formula E again next season, but might have to miss Berlin double-header

Envision has retained its Formula E driver line-up of Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns for the upcoming season, despite both drivers having potential World Endurance Championship clashes.

Buemi and Frijns enter the 2024-25 season, which gets underway with official testing in Valencia on 4-7 November before the opening round in Sao Paulo (7 December), having endured a difficult campaign last term.

Buemi took just two podium finishes and Frijns three, leaving them 11th and ninth in the drivers' championship. This contributed to Jaguar-powered customer team Envision slipping to sixth in the teams' standings after winning the title with Buemi and Nick Cassidy in 2022-23.

Envision team principal Sylvain Filippi said: “It's great to have continuity in our driver line-up as Sebastien and Robin lead us into Season 11.

“Despite Season 10 not being our strongest year, we are confident that the momentum we gained in the closing rounds can be taken into next season and put us back where we want to be.”

Both drivers also missed the Berlin double-header last season due to a clash with the WEC's Spa Six Hours, with Buemi and Frijns on duty for Toyota and BMW respectively.

This offered the opportunity for Formula 2 race winner Paul Aron to make his Formula E debut, while Joel Eriksson found himself back on the grid for the first time since the corresponding event in 2021.

Another conflict is scheduled for the upcoming season, as the two races in Berlin will clash with the Six Hours of Sao Paulo on 13 July 2025.

Autosport understands, however, that Envision hopes both Buemi and Frijns will prioritise the all-electric championship this season and not miss any rounds.

They are not the only Formula E drivers with duel commitments in the WEC.

Mahindra's Nyck de Vries missed Berlin last season to race for Toyota. His Formula E team-mate Edoardo Mortara a Lamborghini driver in the WEC, while Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Penske) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Maserati MSG) are part of Peugeot's line-up.

Former Abt racer Nico Muller also missed Berlin last year to race for Peugeot, but has since become a Porsche factory driver after his move to customer team Andretti and is expected to compete in other races outside Formula E.

The same applies for Antontio Felix da Costa, who will race with Porsche in Formula E this season, while Nissan returnee Norman Nato has raced Jota's customer Porsche 963 in the WEC this season but prioritised Berlin over Spa, which meant he missed out on sharing victory spoils with co-drivers Will Stevens and Callum Ilott.

Envision's driver line-up confirmation means only three spaces remain open on the grid, including Lucas di Grassi's team-mate at Abt, and both seats at ERT with Dan Ticktum and Sergio Sette Camara having raced for the team last season.

Formula E 2024-25 driver line-up

Abt: Lucas di Grassi, TBC
Andretti: Jake Dennis, Nico Muller
DS Penske: Maximilian Guenther, Jean-Eric Vergne
Envision: Sebastien Buemi. Robin Frijns
ERT: TBC
Jaguar: Nick Cassidy, Mitch Evans
Mahindra: Edoardo Mortara, Nyck de Vries
Maserati MSG: Jake Hughes, Stoffel Vandoorne
McLaren: Sam Bird, Taylor Barnard
Nissan: Norman Nato, Oliver Rowland
Porsche: Antonio Felix da Costa, Pascal Wehrlein