Meet the Brit drivers of Formula E from Schumacher apprentice and AFC Wimbledon player to die-hard Aston Villa fan

OLIVER ROWLAND is the Barnsley-born racing driver lighting up Formula E with a win Tokyo to extend his championship lead. 

Meanwhile fellow Brit Dan Ticktum bagged his first ever podium with a third-place finish in the Japanese capital. 

Formula E is a motor sport championship for electric cars, and is the only-sport certified net zero event. 

The championship features 16 races across 10 world cities, and became the first global sport to be certified with a net zero carbon footprint back in 2020.

There are six British drivers in total in the series from one nearly making it with AFC Wimbledon, to a die-hard Aston Villa fan – SunSport gives you the low down.

OLIVER ROWLAND 

Rowland is not wrong when says he likes to “do his talking on the track” with the 32-year-old storming towards the title this season. 

He is leading the championship on a whopping 161 points, 77 points above second-place Antonio Felix Da Costa. 

Away from the track, the Nissan driver is quiet and reserved, favouring toasting his numerous wins with a “few beers” with his close circle. 

He is a devoted dad to his daughter Harper who is often seen in the Nissan garage or on his lap when conducting interviews. 

In April 2017 Rowland was signed to the role of development driver to the Renault F1 Team.

A year later Rowland was confirmed as Williams Martini Racing’s official Junior Driver.

DAN TICKTUM 

The 25-year-old Cupra Kiro driver from London could not be any more different than Rowland. 

Ticktum wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to speak his mind on the team radio or in post-race interviews. 

He has earned a bit of a reputation as the bad boy of motor sport over the years and went viral for a swear-laden rant in Jeddah last season – but it seems in Formula E he has found his home. 

Ticktum rubbed shoulders with Lando Norris during his karting days and spent time at both Williams’ and Red Bull’s academies. 

His future is looking bright in Formula E after bagging his first-ever podium in Tokyo. 

Ticktum was banned for a year from motor sport for ignoring a safety car to purposefully crash into a karting rival.

SAM BIRD 

Twickenham-born Bird, 38, is an experienced McLaren driver who was once seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher’s apprentice. 

Sam joined up with Mercedes for four years in 2010 as a test driver, going to most of the races and doing a lot of sim work. 

As Mercedes returned to F1 in 2010 it coincided with Schumacher making a comeback of his own.

Schumacher was Bird’s childhood hero and the pair once even went sky-diving together.

Bird isn’t half bad at football and played for AFC Wimbledon as a youngster before turning them down for a career in motor sport. 

He has two dogs, Buddy and Bear, one is a cavapoo and the other a golden doodle and is in a relationship with former Love Island star Jess Impiazzi. 

JAKE HUGHES 

Brummie driver Hughes is a classic example of the saying you can take the boy out of Birmingham but not Birmingham out of the boy. 

The Maserati driver is a die-hard Aston Villa fan who chooses to bring porridge to the track for his brekky each morning. 

He loves cats and own two called Benny and Ollie, nicknamed Boo Boo and Bear, with his fiance Abby at their home. 

Hughes won the inaugural BRDC Formula 4 Championship and has won multiple races at Formula 3.

TAYLOR BARNARD 

The baby-faced 20-year-old was born and raised in Norwich and is forging a name for himself with McLaren’s Formula E team.  

At 19 years and 331 days, Barnard became the youngest competitive driver in the series’ 10-year history. 

In his junior career, Barnard finished second to Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli in both the 2022 ADAC German Formula 4 Championship and 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship.

JAKE DENNIS 

29-year-old Dennis competes for Andretti and is the most recent British FE champion, winning the 2022-23 title.

He was born in Nuneaton and debuted in karting at eight, winning the junior British Championship in 2010. 

In 2016, Dennis debuted in GP3, winning two races, achieving fourth place in the final standings with Charles Leclerc claiming the title. 

Dennis, who lives in Monaco, adores his pet chihuahua Billy with the pooch often seen accompanying him on a private jet to races.