While we wait for the next round of the ABB Formula E World Championship to return, all eyes have been on the track in Miami, where some of the biggest influencers, athletes, and actors, including the world’s biggest YouTuber, MrBeast, swapped the sidelines for the driver’s seat at the Miami International Autodrome (Hard Rock Stadium).
The Evo Sessions are a truly groundbreaking initiative, bringing the world’s most influential creators and celebrities into the high-intensity arena of Formula E. This immersive experience showcases the extreme skill, cutting-edge technology, and raw power behind electric racing. Over two days, participants trained, prepped, and took to the track in the record-smashing GEN3 Evo race car, pushing their limits while documenting every exhilarating moment for millions of fans worldwide.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the stars, however with Mr Beast swapping smashing views for smashing against the wall after he lost control of the GEN 3 Evo Race car, he was in just moments after testing the car’s astonishing acceleration (0-60mph in just 1.82 seconds). Luckily, he emerged completely unscathed, proving just how tough both the cars and the drivers need to be in this high-stakes motorsport.
The sessions saw each of the participants fully kitted out with their own team gear to represent the team they have been assigned to, which included a custom helmet which has been done in partnership with Bell Helmets and a personalised race suit. Once kitted out, the drivers hit the track, starting off behind the safety car before being let loose on their own. However, these stars haven’t just walked in off the Miami streets and jumped into a Formula E car; in fact, far from it. They have been working with the teams beforehand to train and prepare for the whole journey, being captured for social media and will be featured in a documentary set for release in 2025, offering fans an exclusive look into Formula E racing. The documentary will offer fans a rare and exclusive behind-the-scenes access-all-areas viewpoint into the world of Formula E, not from the perspective of the grandstands, but directly behind the wheel.
The stars, with a combined reach of over 300 million fans, and their team pairings are:
- Brooklyn Peltz Beckham (UK), entrepreneur, paired with Jaguar TCS Racing, coached by Mitch Evans.
- Sergio Agüero (ARG), former Premier League, La Liga, and Argentina football star, paired with TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, coached by current reigning Formula E Drivers’ World Champion Pascal Wehrlein.
- Emilia Hartford (USA), actress and record-breaking car builder, paired with Maserati MSG Racing, coached by Stoffel Vandoorne.
- Cleo Abram (USA), tech content creator, paired with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, coached by Sam Bird.
- YesTheory’s Ammar Kandil (CA), YouTube personality, paired with Andretti Formula E, coached by Jake Dennis.
- Vinnie Hacker (USA), multi-hyphenate creative, paired with DS PENSKE, coached by Maximillian Guenther.
- Tom Felton (UK), actor, paired with Envision Racing, coached by Sebastien Buemi.
- Supercar Blondie (AUS), automotive creator and entrepreneur, paired with Nissan Formula E Team, coached by Norman Nato.
- JUCA (MEX), leading automotive content creator and motorsports enthusiast, paired with CUPRA KIRO, coached by Dan Ticktum.
- Driver61 (UK), pro driver and creator, paired with Lola Yamaha ABT, coached by Zane Maloney.
- Theo Baker (UK) YouTuber, paired with Mahindra Racing, coached by Nyck de Vries.
After the event, Jeff Dodds, Formula E CEO, said:
“Our goal was to offer fans a unique perspective on being a Formula E driver through the lens of popular culture, and Evo Sessions has done just that. As the world’s fastest-growing motorsport, Formula E aims to reach half a billion fans by 2030, so collaborating with creators allows us to be bold in attracting new audiences. This week showcased 11 high-profile personalities racing Formula E cars – 30% faster in acceleration than F1. There were nerves and spins, but also impressive performances. This effort highlights the skill needed to perform at the highest level in our championship, and proves why Formula E is the most innovative and exciting motorsport in the world.”
With the EVO sessions now complete the focus shifts back to the Championship which will resume in Miami on 12th April 2025 with Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) leading the drivers championship by 68 points and his team Nissan leading the teams’ World Championship by just five points over NEOM McLaren, Porsche, and DS PENSKE, while also topping the Manufacturers’ World Championship standings over Stellantis.