Formula E announced their first American driver for next season on Wednesday. Oliver Askew is the sole confirmed American driver scheduled to participate in ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Season 8. He is part of Andretti Autosport and is set to drive the No. 28 BMW iFE.021.
It's a historic move for the driver, as he is the first American to compete full time in Formula E. He spoke about making history in the sport and his enthusiasm to be part of Andretti Autosport in a press release.
"I am beyond excited to return home and join Andretti Autosport full time again for the 2022 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. I consider Andretti Autosport family and to be able to attack this chapter in my career with them means more than words can describe," he said. "To have a partner like Avalanche with us could not be a more perfect fit. Being the only confirmed driver to represent the United States in Formula E is something I am very proud of. I look forward to getting to work as soon as possible."
Michael Andretti, CEO and Chairman, Andretti Autosport, also commented on the news.
"We're happy to welcome Oliver back to the Andretti family to round out our Formula E driver lineup," he said. "We had a lot of success with Oliver back in 2019 when he won the Indy Lights Championship with us and we're looking forward to introducing him to Formula E.
Askew's debut will begin on Nov. 29 with preseason testing in Valencia, Spain. The season begins on Jan. 28 with the Diriyah E-Prix in Saudi Arabia. The race will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Askew first competed in the NTT IndyCar Series in 2012 and made it to the podium once. On the way to winning the 2019 Indy Lights Championship with Andretti, he added seven wins, seven poles and 15 podiums to his resume.
