Barnard absent from Fortescue Zero launch event

Fortescue Zero Racing's launch event on Friday had a notable absentee: Taylor Barnard.

The winner of the final round of last season had been confirmed as a driver for the Australian team last month but has since been caught up in a contractual tug-of-war, with FE Notebook reporting that his management is looking to release him from the deal and have him race at another team – most likely the new entry coming to the series with support from Porsche. That is despite Barnard already being announced as a Fortescue Zero driver, and him already being nominated to the FIA as a driver for the season, which should effectively bind him to that deal.

Speaking to media that included RACER, Fortescue Zero team principal Jim Wright acknowledged the issue regarding Barnard, but insisted that the 22-year-old ex-McLaren driver has signed a contract for the upcoming season.

“Well, we've signed him,” Wright said. “He's signed a contract with us, but he's elected not to be here today, which we understand. But let's see.”

With 10 days to go until Formula E's official pre-season test at Jarama in Spain, it's still unclear who Barnard will be driving for – or indeed if he'll be participating at the test as the contractual wrangle goes on. Regardless, Wright insists that Fortescue Zero will have two cars – and two drivers – in action.

“Let's see what transpires in the next few days and weeks,” he said. “What I can tell you is, we'll have two cars in Jarama and two very fast drivers, one of which is Dan Ticktum.”