NEOM McLaren reserve driver Taylor Barnard received the news that he would be replacing Sam Bird just 20 minutes before taking to the track for FP2 at the Monaco E-Prix. The 19-year-old driver stepped in for Bird after the veteran racer fractured his left hand during FP1, ruling him out for the rest of the weekend. This turn of events made Barnard the youngest driver in the history of the FIA Formula E championship to start a race.
When asked if the team had assured him that there was no pressure to perform well on such short notice, Barnard explained that the pressure came more from himself. He stated, “Of course the team says ‘no pressure’ and there are no expectations, but I personally want to push myself and achieve good results.”
Despite facing some challenges with the car during free practice and qualifying, Barnard was pleasantly surprised by his performance in the race. He commented, “The race went better than expected, and I managed my energy well, which was unexpected. However, as I mentioned before, the key to achieving a good result was simply staying out of trouble and keeping the car intact.”
Due to the tight schedule of the Monaco E-Prix weekend, with all sessions compressed into less than eight hours, Barnard’s call-up came very late. However, he emphasized that as a reserve driver, he always needs to be prepared for such situations. He said, “I received the call about 20 minutes before FP2, so I quickly put on my racing suit and hopped into the car. Being in this role means you have to be ready to get behind the wheel at any moment.”
Making a debut just 20 minutes before getting into the car is already challenging enough for a driver, but doing so at the prestigious Monaco street circuit may have added some extra pressure for Barnard. However, his previous racing experience at the circuit proved to be helpful. He mentioned, “I raced here last year, so it wasn’t a complete surprise, but competing here with different cars and drivers was quite tough.”
During a press conference with McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown, Team Principal Ian James confirmed that the full extent of Bird’s injury and recovery time will only be determined once he has returned from Monaco and sought medical advice in the UK.