A low, early winter sun cast long shadows across the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia as Citroën Racing’s fresh Formula E operation quietly completed its first official pre-season test—a moment that, for all its understated precision, signalled real intent from the French marque. The week unfolded not as pomp but as process: technical crews and drivers combined their expertise, pooling knowledge with a purposeful intensity befitting a debutante eager to prove itself in the all-electric world championship.
Through a sequence of measured runs and swift pitlane recalibrations, Citroën’s challenger racked up 621 laps—2,096 kilometres beneath the Spanish sky—while telemetry and drone footage recorded each nuance of energy management, race simulation, and systems validation. There was little theatre, but a great deal of progress, as the team coaxed performance data from each session, quietly building the foundations for their São Paulo curtain-raiser in December.
Principal Cyril Blais—every inch the modern French racing leader—reflected on the gravity of a “proud moment for the entire team,” insisting that, “completing all these largely trouble-free laps is a testament to the hard work and real collaboration behind the scenes.” Yet he noted the caveat familiar to seasoned observers: “Performance is important during testing, but with a track like Valencia, there’s only so much to be read into how we might measure up against the competition. The real test will come once we hit the streets of São Paulo. We leave Valencia encouraged by the performance and potential we’ve shown, while knowing there’s still plenty of work ahead.”
It was a week of firsts and helpful frictions. Nick Cassidy, newly signed and viewing the challenge through cosmopolitan eyes, was honest and clear: “It’s been a really positive experience with my new team. I’m happy with how it’s gone, it feels like we’ve made solid progress. We’re ambitious and always pushing for more performance, but for our first official test together, it’s been a strong start. Of course, we’d love a bit more time before São Paulo, but I’m confident we’ll be in good shape. It’s my first time working with this group, and we’re still learning each other’s ways, but I believe we’ll be in a good place for the start of the season.”
Jean-Eric Vergne, the seasoned tactician, emphasised humility and collective improvement: “It’s been great to start working together with my new team – we learned a lot. In terms of overall performance, we still have some work to do – but it’s good to stay humble, we know we have plenty to work on before the first race. Overall, it’s been very positive, the team is working well together. I am feeling confident that we can have a good first race in São Paulo and I can’t wait to be there!”
The Friday finale brought a turn for the new: Colombian driver Tatiana Calderón steered the Citroën through the FIA’s all-women’s Formula E test, adding a distinct note of progress and visibility. Her feedback was layered with both gratitude and satisfaction: “It’s fantastic to be back in Valencia, representing Citroën Racing at the all-women’s Formula E test at such a critical time of team preparation. I’ve always enjoyed driving at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, and it already feels like home working with this team. As a racing driver, it’s a real honour to be the first woman to take the wheel of a Citroën single-seater, and I’m thrilled that our day of running was such a success. Opportunities like this, where I can demonstrate what I can do in such a sophisticated racing car, are so important, and I’m incredibly grateful to the team for their trust and support.”
This was not, in the end, a story of radical revelations or tabloid drama, but of methodical progress. Valencia provided an ideal stage—the right blend of technical demands and Mediterranean optimism—for Citroën to sketch out its electric racing ambitions. As Monocle would note, it is the discipline of preparation, the cultivation of trust, and the measured accumulation of data that will matter when the samba rhythms of São Paulo beckon in December and the true competitive challenge begins.
