Earlier this month marked 10 years since the first Formula E race was held in Beijing, and since then there has been no shortage of drivers with varying abilities who have tried their hand in the all-electric championship.
This includes a Formula 1 world champion, Le Mans 24 Hours race winners and Indy 500 victors, but not all made the grade and even fewer have made it to the very pinnacle of the championship.
PLUS: Formula E's most memorable races: Electric world championship turns 10
Basing the list on outright success, career longevity and numerous other caveats, here is our top 10 selection.
10. Robin Frijns
Starts: 102
Wins: 2
Poles: 2
Championships: 0
Statistically the least successful of the drivers to make this list and even compared against some who didn’t, Robin Frijns scrapes into the top 10 by virtue of never truly having a car to match his undoubted talent.
It’s no coincidence that in a season where Sebastien Buemi and Lucas di Grassi dominated, Frijns was named as Autosport’s number one driver for the 2015-16 campaign – his first in the all-electric championship that yielded a podium in just his second race, crabbing his way to an incredible third in Putrajaya with broken suspension.
After outperforming the Amlin Andretti equipment at his disposal for a second season and resoundingly beating team-mate and future champion Antonio Felix da Costa, the Dutchman made the jump to Virgin Envision where he enjoyed his most successful campaign to date in the 2018-19 season.
Victories in a wet Paris race and the New York season finale – to date his only wins in Formula E – allowed him to beat team-mate Sam Bird and propelled him up to fourth in the drivers’ standings, which remains his highest position.
Another three seasons with Envision yielded eight more podiums, six of which were in the runner-up position, before moving to Abt Cupra for the 2022-23 campaign having built up an affiliation with the squad in the DTM.
The campaign was almost a write-off, though, Frijns suffering a horrific hand injury in the opening Mexico City E-Prix that left him out of four races, while the underperforming Mahindra powertrain meant results were few and far between on his return, save for the surprise of the season as took pole from team-mate Nico Muller during a wet qualifying in Berlin.
A move back to Envision last term coincided with the reigning teams’ champion struggling for pace and results, but Frijns still showcased glimpses of his true ability – going toe-to-toe with title favourite Nick Cassidy in Diriyah before securing another two runner-up spots in Portland.
9. Sam Bird
Starts: 125
Wins: 12
Poles: 6
Championships: 0
One of just five drivers to have competed in all 10 seasons of Formula E, Sam Bird remains the only one without a title to his name despite sitting third-equal on the all-time race winners list.
The Briton became synonymous with the DS Virgin team during the early years of the championship as impressive speed along with strong results meant he never finished lower than fifth in the standings during the first four seasons.
The last of those was arguably his best, as wins in the Hong Kong season-opener and Rome, plus only one non-score in 12 races, meant he went to the final round with a shot at the title before slipping to third overall.
A team rebrand to Envision Virgin Racing for the start of the Gen2 era did little to improve results over the following two seasons, though, despite the occasional win and podiums, as Bird managed only 9th and 10th respectively in the standings.
A move to Jaguar for 2020-21 began strongly with a win in Diriyah at the second race and a further victory in New York helped Bird to sixth in the table, just three points behind new team-mate Mitch Evans and a further nine behind champion Nyck de Vries.
His sophomore campaign with the British brand proved more difficult and was the first time in his Formula E career that Bird finished a season without at least one victory. Not only that but there was not a single rostrum, as Bird ended the campaign a round early after breaking his hand in a crash at the London meeting.
There were flashes of speed on his return in 2022-23 with four podiums, but twice punting out championship challenger and team-mate Evans ultimately meant Bird sought new employment with McLaren last season.
With a new lease of life wearing papaya colours, Bird secured the team its maiden Formula E victory and his first for almost three years with a stunning final-lap pass on old stablemate Evans in Sao Paulo to breathe new life into the 37-year-old’s waning career.
8. Pascal Wehrlein
Starts: 80
Wins: 7
Poles: 6
Championships: 1 (2024)
The most recent of the nine Formula E champions, Pascal Wehrlein’s Formula E tenure has been short in comparison with others on this list but still moderately successful.
The German joined the championship at the start of the 2018-19 season with Mahindra off the back of two lacklustre seasons in Formula 1 with Manor and Sauber but instantly began to make a name for himself in Formula E.
An impressive podium on just his second outing in Santiago was followed by pole in Mexico City but Wehrlein fell just metres short of winning before running out of energy to create one of the most memorable finishes in Formula E history.
Formula E's most memorable races: Electric world championship turns 10
Several more points finishes meant the 2015 DTM champion ended his maiden season 12th in the standings, just nine points behind more experienced team-mate Jerome d’Ambrosio despite missing the opening round. Having left Mahindra during the COVID-19 enforced break the following season, Wehrlein found himself with the factory Porsche team for 2020-21 and that is where he has spent the past four years of his career.
A tactical masterclass guaranteed Wehrlein and Porsche’s first Formula E win in Mexico City in 2022 with team-mate Andre Lotterer helping to secure a historic 1-2 for the German manufacturer. But there were no more podiums as Wehrlein finished only one spot better than the previous campaign with 10th overall before he and Porsche hit the ground running at the start of the Gen3 era in 2023.
A double win at the second round in Diriyah coupled with a podium from the opening Mexico City race propelled Wehrlein into championship contention and he held an outside chance at the final round, having only non-scored once in 16 races via a further win in Jakarta.
It looked like being a similar story last season, despite two wins, as Nick Cassidy and Jaguar seemed destined for the title, but a near-perfect final weekend in London under the most intense pressure showcased Wehrlein at his best and why he was once on the books of Mercedes and Ferrari.
7. Nick Cassidy
Starts: 63
Wins: 7
Poles: 6
Championships: 0
Just a lap-and-a-half away from a first Formula E title and a place higher up on this list, Nick Cassidy has proven himself to be one of the championship’s strongest drivers in recent seasons.
The Kiwi has the highest win rate (11.11%) and laps led (12.41%) of any driver in this top 10 having only spent four seasons in the championship, two of which he has emerged as a genuine championship challenger.
Off the back of Super GT (2017) and Super Formula (2019) titles, Cassidy joined Envision for the 2020-21 season as he got up to speed in the championship, the highlight being two runner-up finishes in Puebla and New York.
The latter destination proved to be the scene of his breakthrough victory the following year, but only after he was reinstated into first as a mid-race downpour sent him and others skating off the track and into the barriers before the red flags flew. A further podium followed in London, but a lack of consistency meant he once again failed to beat team-mate Robin Frijns as Cassidy finished outside the top 10 in the final standings.
The start of the new Gen3 era and use of the Jaguar powertrain transformed Cassidy into a title contender during 2023 as he claimed four wins across the campaign, notably in Monaco and a wet London season finale. A collision with long-time friend Mitch Evans at the penultimate round in Rome ultimately cost Cassidy the title as he finished runner-up, before moving to partner his fellow Kiwi at the factory Jaguar team last term.
Dominant wins in Diriyah and Berlin as well as six further podiums put him on the brink of the title again but spinning from the lead on the penultimate lap in Portland proved costly as three non-scores in the final four races once more denied him a first title.
6. Jake Dennis
Starts: 63
Wins: 6
Poles: 6
Championships: 1 (2023)
But for a technical problem that pitched him into the wall during the title-deciding 2021 Berlin E-Prix, Jake Dennis could well have walked away with the crown in his rookie Formula E season after an impressive campaign.
The Briton, who remains a Red Bull Formula 1 simulator and development driver, made his mark with the BMW Andretti squad, claiming victory in just his sixth race in Valencia and standing on the top step again on home soil in London to bring the title within reach through consistency. Despite missing out by just eight points, further notable results followed the next year as he took a win and second place in London and two more podiums allowed him to finish sixth overall.
The Gen3 era provided an opportunity for Dennis to become a title challenger again with the help of the Porsche powertrain as he took a dominant win in the Mexico City season opener and two runner-up spots next time out in Diriyah. A spell of four races across nearly three months without scoring a single point put his championship credentials in doubt, though, before going on a remarkable run of five podiums in a row that propelled him back into the title fight.
A lights-to-flag performance at the penultimate round in Rome put him on the cusp of the title and, after surviving two late red flags, second place in London was enough for him to claim the honours.
Formula E champions look back: Electric world championship turns 10
His efforts to retain his crown began strongly enough last season, as he took one of the most dominant wins in Formula E history by 13s in Diriyah. But it was to be his only victory all season and, although he secured three more podiums in the opening half of the year, the customer Andretti team lacked the development of factory outfit Porsche and Dennis never stood on the rostrum again as his title tilt faded.
5. Mitch Evans
Starts: 111
Wins: 12
Poles: 9
Championships: 0
“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride” seems to be the unofficial motto of Mitch Evans’s time in Formula E, having come so close to winning the drivers’ title but never quite making it during an eight-year tenure.
The 2012 GP3 champion has become synonymous with Jaguar during that period, joining the championship at the same time as the British manufacturer in 2016 and where he has spent his entire career. During that time Evans has gone to the final round of the season in with a shot of the title on no less than four occasions but fallen short on each occasion, generally through a combination of mechanical problems, poor strategy or being an outside bet.
The fledgling operation and Evans took little time to get up to speed, registering points at just the fourth time of asking in Mexico City before the first podium came the following season in Hong Kong. The Gen2 era began with the first win in Rome and two further podiums in Bern and New York meant fifth overall in the standings, followed by seventh and another win the next year prior to his title tilts.
Just nine points separated Evans from the accolade in 2020-21 after a car problem left his Jaguar stranded on the starting grid of the crucial finale before he was collected at high-speed by Edoardo Mortara. He finished runner-up the year after although some way behind eventual champion Stoffel Vandoorne following a campaign that consisted of four wins, including a brace in Rome.
He was once again an outside bet for the title at the start of the Gen3 era heading to the final round in London, Evans having clawed back a 66-point deficit in the standings from the opening rounds. There were four more wins but a mistake that launched him over the top of title rival Nick Cassidy at the penultimate round ultimately handed the title to Jake Dennis.
A more realistic shot at the title came last term as he headed into the London finale level on points with eventual champion Pascal Wehrlein after two wins, including finally in Monaco having come close in the past. But a less-than-optimal energy strategy in both London races meant Evans had to follow Wehrlein home each time as he ultimately fell short again by six points.
4. Antonio Felix da Costa
Starts: 128
Wins: 12
Poles: 8
Championships: 1 (2019-20)
Victory on just his third appearance in Formula E showcased perhaps what Formula 1 had missed with Antonio Felix da Costa, the Red Bull-backed driver having never been given the opportunity he probably deserved in the top flight.
Underfinanced and underdeveloped cars meant that was as good as it got initially for da Costa, though, as his second season with Team Aguri and first two campaigns with Andretti failed to yield any podiums let alone victories at the close of the Gen1 era.
BMW backing for Gen2 in the 2018-19 season allowed for an improvement in results, as da Costa won first time out with the new combination in Diriyah and three more podiums helped him to sixth in the drivers’ standings as well as prompting a move to the reigning teams’ champion.
Joining DS Techeetah for 2019-20, da Costa found himself not only in a race-winning team but also partnered alongside reigning and two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne. In something of a ‘sink or swim’ situation, the Portuguese driver dismissed any doubts by taking two runner-up finishes and then winning in Marrakesh to establish himself as a title favourite only for a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A run of six races inside nine days in Berlin followed as da Costa sealed a double off the bat, which ultimately paved the way for his title success as he remains the only driver to secure the title with a round to spare.
Thereafter, da Costa’s time in Formula E has been one of pure brilliance and perplexing disappointment, taking just one win in each of the next two seasons and eighth both times in the standings to see out his DS Techeetah and Gen2 days.
Hired by Porsche for the start of the Gen3 era, again only one win followed in 2023 but it came after a scintillating performance as he snatched the lead away from his old team-mate Vergne on the penultimate lap with the move of the season in Cape Town.
His Formula E career was in jeopardy at the start of 2024 as a string of poor results and distinct lack of pace meant there was a genuine risk of him losing his seat. Victory in Misano was cruelly snatched away due to a car technical infringement, without which he would once again have been a genuine championship contender having gone on an incredible run of four wins inside five races during the second phase of the season.
3. Sebastien Buemi
Starts: 127
Wins: 13
Poles: 16
Championships: 1 (2015-16)
Sebastien Buemi was one of the leading lights during the early years of the fledgling championship, as he and Renault e.dams set new standards during the Gen1 era.
A hat-trick of victories, including on a shortened layout of the Monaco circuit, put the ex-Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver in with a shot of the title during the first season. But a spin on his outlap after switching cars in the London finale, which dropped him behind Bruno Senna, proved critical as he failed to beat Nelson Piquet Jr by just one point in the standings.
Another title tilt followed the next season via three more wins, before one of the most controversial moments in Formula E history as championship rival Lucas di Grassi collided with polesitter Buemi at the start of the London decider. With both cars heavily damaged but able to return to the pits, allowing each to swap into their second race cars, the points for fastest lap ultimately went in favour of Buemi who snatched the title by only two points.
Clashing World Endurance Championship commitments likely prevented Buemi becoming a two-time Formula E champion as he missed both races in New York having dominated the early part of the 2016-17 season with six wins in eight races, ultimately losing out to di Grassi. The start of the Gen2 era coincided with DAMS switching to Nissan and a late surge in form, which included a win in New York and three further podiums, meant he finished as runner-up in the standings in 2019.
Remarkably, his victory in America has proved the last triumph for Buemi in Formula E as the Swiss driver has struggled to find the same form over the latest five years. Three more seasons with Nissan failed to produce results, two of which yielded no podiums, and for the start of the Gen3 era, Buemi moved across to Envision and a Jaguar powertrain.
But, while team-mate Nick Cassidy would go on to challenge for the title, Buemi took only one podium all season, in London after ironically colliding with Cassidy - which obliterated his championship hopes. Consistency helped Envision to the teams’ title, though, and two more podiums were achieved last season. Despite the lack of recent results, Buemi’s early dominance in the championship means he still sits equal-first in the all-time winners' list (13) and second in the pole position table (16).
2. Lucas di Grassi
Starts: 131
Wins: 13
Poles: 4
Championships: 1 (2016-17)
A championship, two runner-up spots and a brace of thirds in the overall standings cement Lucas di Grassi’s place as one of the all-time greats in Formula E.
Statistically, di Grassi holds the record for the greatest number of starts (131) – having only missed one race when Mahindra withdrew in Cape Town 2023 due to a car safety issue – most podiums (40), and the equal most wins (13) with Sebastien Buemi.
Di Grassi and Buemi’s Formula E careers are intertwined as the pair traded blows during the early Gen1 era, the Brazilian having raced for the Audi Abt squad for what would be a seven-year spell. Third in the opening campaign before finishing runner-up after the now infamous London Battersea Park crash, di Grassi came through against all odds to beat the more dominant Buemi/Renault e.dams combination in 2016-17.
A poor start to his title defence meant retaining his crown was never likely, but an incredible run of two wins and five second-place finishes in the final seven races of 2017-18 moved him up to second come the end of the season.
Two more wins the following season left him third but Audi struggled to match the pace of its competitors and the decision by the German manufacturer to pull out at the end of the 2020-21 campaign meant di Grassi was left to find employment with Venturi. Despite new surroundings, di Grassi took three podiums and a win in London to finish fifth in the standings before moving to Mahindra for the start of the Gen3 era.
Although the powertrain was underdeveloped and off the pace, di Grassi showcased his prowess as one of Formula E’s most versatile drivers by taking pole in the season-opening Mexico City E-Prix and holding on for his only podium all season.
A return to Abt last term was di Grassi’s worst in the championship, though, as he only finished in the points three times all season and was resoundingly beaten by team-mate Nico Muller. Remaining with the team for the upcoming season as it begins a new partnership with Lola/Yamaha offers a new lease of life for the now 40-year-old in his twilight years.
Off the race track, di Grassi was also fundamental in helping to create the all-electric championship in the first place alongside long-time friend Alejandro Agag, all of which helps cement his place as a legend of Formula E.
1. Jean-Eric Vergne
Starts: 130
Wins: 11
Poles: 17
Championships: 2 (2017-18 & 2018-19)
The only two-time champion in Formula E history, Jean-Eric Vergne’s spot at number one on this list stretches beyond that statistic due to his speed, longevity and fierce will-to-win.
Pole on his series debut in Punta del Este for Andretti signalled a sign of things to come, although it would take until the end of 2017 before Vergne stood on the top step despite several podiums prior to that with the American squad and DS Virgin, both in one-year spells.
His victory in Montreal for the newly created Techeetah team, having taken four runner-up finishes earlier in the campaign, was the perfect springboard for the following season. Four wins and points finishes in all 12 races helped the ex-Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver secure his first title in emphatic fashion and bring a close to the Gen1 era.
Any thoughts that a reset with the new Gen2 regulations would offer hope for his rivals failed to materialise as Vergne and Techeetah, now with support from DS, hit the ground running as three more wins secured another drivers’ title and the first teams’ triumph.
Just one win followed during the COVID-19 hit 2019-20 season, and a fractious relationship developed with new team-mate and eventual champion Antonio Felix da Costa due to several on-track flashpoints between the pair.
Only one win followed in the next two seasons as the Frenchman finished 10th and fourth respectively in the standings to end the Gen2 era, as consistency in the early races of Gen3 brought him into title contention again. Victory in Hyderabad 2023 after an impressive defensive drive has proven to be the latest win for Vergne as a lack of outright pace proved his undoing.
Only two non-scores last season kept him in the title hunt once more as Vergne’s ex-F1 engineer Phil Charles took over at the helm, with a noticeable improvement in pace as three pole positions in 2024 meant Vergne set a new outright record with 17, while he also holds the most points accumulated with 1133. At the age of just 34 and a competitive spirit as strong as ever in a steadily improving package, Vergne’s spot at number one could be solidified even more in the coming years.
