CAN ASKEW BECOME AMERICA’S GREAT FORMULA E HOPE?

As a replacement for the Nissan e.damsbound Maximilian Guenther, Oliver Askew has been sprung from Indycar limbo by the newly independent Andretti Autosport to partner Jake Dennis. Askew tore up the Road To Indy categories, but found chances in the US top flight hard to come by beyond bit-part duties as a substitute driver.

He’ll be Formula E’s first full-time American driver, and the first Us-born competitor to race in the series since

Scott Speed’s cameo appearances (also for Andretti) during the maiden 2014-15 season. It’ll give the fans at the New York E-prix a national hero to root for.

Ahead of his first Formula E season, Askew has targeted beating fellow rookies Ticktum and Giovinazzi, with regular points finishes underpinning his aims. “Consistent point scoring is very important in this series,” Askew says. “That’s a very difficult achievement with how stacked this grid is. I have many goals this season. First and foremost, we need to finish as the best rookie. I think that’d be pretty cool.”