NIO 333 have retained Dan Ticktum for Season 9 of Formula E, he’ll join Sergio Sette Camara as the team looking to jump up the field in the Gen3 era.
The move confirms Oliver Turvey will leave the team having been there since the inaugural 2014-15 Formula E season.
Ticktum delivered a promising debut campaign but only scored one point. He’s tested the Gen3 car and said he expected it to be a significant progression from the current machinery.
“I’ve been in the car a couple of times and it’s a big step forward from Gen2; I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed it so far,” said the 23-year-old. “I’m really looking forward to getting cracking with this new era of electric racing.”
Another chance for Ticktum
A controversial figure in the motorsport world, Ticktum once looked on the path to F1 after a very successful karting career.
However, he never replicated that success in cars and finishing runner-up in European Formula 3 remains the only championship podium to his name.
He was given a two-year race ban in 2015 after deliberately crashing into Ricky Collard under safety car conditions in MSA Formula at Silverstone.
He threatened to repeat the feat in Formula 2 in 2020, and this was after he was fired from the Red Bull Junior team following his failure in Super Formula.
Never one to hold his tongue, Ticktum was subsequently dropped from the Williams Driver Academy after he mocked Nicholas Latifi on a live stream, calling the Canadian ‘poo’.
So despite a fourth-placed finish in F2 in 2021, he had to take a path away from F1 and landed with NIO 33 last year, which turned out into another difficult campaign for the team.
However, Gen3 offers a fresh start and new teammate Sergio Sette Camara has also tested the chassis.
“The Gen3 car seems very physical; every driver I’ve spoken to has said the steering wheel is very heavy, so I think that is something we all agree on,” said Sette Camara.
“So more than ever I will give a special attention to my physical condition this year. Indoor training is great to build strength, outdoor training is where I train cardio, but I also use that time to clear my mind.
“A major part of my training is also done on simulators, which I try to drive on at least every week.
“Since we have limited time in the actual team FE car simulator it has become the next best thing.”
