Theo Pourchaire joins Opel for Formula E’s Gen4 era
Pourchaire lands Opel Formula E seat
Theo Pourchaire will race for the new Opel GSE Formula E team next season, joining the German-flagged entry alongside Mitch Evans, whose move is expected to be announced after the current campaign. Evans has already communicated his impending departure from Jaguar.
For Pourchaire, the agreement represents the clearest Formula E opportunity of his career. The 2023 Formula 2 champion has tested extensively since 2022, including early development running with the present Gen3 car. That machinery will be replaced by the Gen4 generation later this year.
Pourchaire has also completed three tests for Maserati MSG and two public Citroen tests in Miami and Jarama this year. His preparation has included Gen4 development work, notably at Paul Ricard in April, when the Stellantis development car ran in Opel test livery. Last month, he shared further running at Guadix with Citroen driver Jean-Eric Vergne.
“It’s the next step in my career and the biggest single-seater opportunity I’ve had so far,” Pourchaire said. “The new Gen4 generation is a perfect fit for my transition from Formula 2: more power, all-wheel drive and incredible acceleration.”
His existing Stellantis Motorsport contract has also taken him into the FIA WEC full-time with Peugeot’s 9X8 programme. That endurance role will continue alongside simulator work for Mercedes’ Formula 1 team, where he is an official development driver. Pourchaire’s broader multi-series workload is examined against the manufacturer’s endurance ambitions in Peugeot’s next 9X8 development phase.
Opel’s long-term driver strategy
Opel Motorsport chief Joerg Schrott described Pourchaire as a “top young talent” with “championship pedigree”, praising his racing intelligence, ability to perform under pressure and proven winner’s mindset.
The signing is not simply about immediate performance. Schrott said Opel sees Pourchaire as a potential long-term factory driver and future team leader. The intended balance is clear: experience on one side of the garage and emerging talent on the other.
Opel had considered several German drivers, including former Formula 3 racer Tim Tramnitz, who tested the Gen4 car alongside Pourchaire. However, the team was understood to have been more impressed by Pourchaire during that evaluation, while Tramnitz subsequently signed as a factory BMW sportscar driver.
Why Opel rather than Citroen?
Although Pourchaire’s French nationality prompted expectations of a Citroen move alongside Vergne, Stellantis is understood not to have seriously pursued that option. Continuity at Citroen and Opel’s preference for an experienced driver paired with young talent helped shape the decision.
Oliver Rowland and Nyck de Vries also held talks with Opel, but neither discussion progressed. Pourchaire, instead, becomes the centrepiece of Opel’s Gen4 project and its longer-term plans within Formula E.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.