Dan Ticktum: 'Formula E suits my character – not like squeaky clean F1'

Electric racing

Dan Ticktum's junior career has been a rollercoaster so far, but he's now focussed on perhaps his greatest challenge yet in Formula E

Ticktum Dan (gbr), NIO 333 FE Team, Nio 333 001, portrait during the 2022 Diriyah ePrix, 1st and 2nd round of the 2022 Formula E World Championship, on the Riyadh Street Circuit from January 28 to 30, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Photo Antonin Vincent / DPPI

Ticktum is looking for a fresh start in Formula E

Antonin Vincent / DPPI

Author

James Elson

Dan Ticktum’s career path has been far from straightforward, to put it mildy: banned from motor sport for a year for deliberately crashing into a Formula 4 rival, returning to sensationally win Macau two years on the bounce before being controversially ejected from the Red Bull junior programme. Ticktum was given another shot at redemption by Williams who then also dropped him – all the while he was still winning junior races.

Now Ticktum, still only 22, finds himself in a Formula E seat with plucky perennials NIO. Finally freed from the strictures of the F1 ladder, the young Brit told Motor Sport that he feels “everyone is allowed to have their identity,” in the all-electric championship.

It’s without doubt that Ticktum has serious speed, but he himself admitted having “blown” his chances last season in grand prix racing by having “opened my mouth far too many times and said things I shouldn’t have said.” Both teams, and it appears via social media, more than a few fans had taken against him due to his outspoken (and often expletive-laden) opinions as much as his on-track incidents.

Dan Ticktum (Red Bull-Honda) during F1 test at the Bahrain International Circuit in April 2019. Photo: Grand Prix Photo

Ticktum looked set for an F1 seat under the Red Bull umbrella before being unceremoniously ejected from its junior roster

Grand Prix Photo

Damon Hill, however, stated last year that F1 was missing characters such as Ticktum – and it might just be Formula E’s gain. Speaking from Diriyah ahead of the Saudi FE opener this weekend, the F2 race-winner feels immediately more at home.

“It’s a championship that’s about change you know,” he says. “It’s relatively disruptive, it fits my character a little bit.

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“I feel like we’re all professionals in this paddock. Everyone is allowed to have their identity a bit more than when you’re on the F1 ladder, when you have to be squeaky clean and can’t say anything, really – especially in our society, and I’ve got a real problem with that to be honest, I think it’s ridiculous.

“All the fans ask for characters and people who are different, and the big corporations who put the money in ask for the opposite. So it’s obviously a bit of a balance – you’ve got to please both.

“At the end of the day, I feel like eventually society will allow characters to express themselves a bit more but at the moment I’ve still got to – unfortunately – keep the filter on opinions and things. I’ve got to keep my head down and establish myself, but Formula E allows you to create your own identity – the more results you get, the more ammunition you’ve got to say what you want.”

Ticktum believes that he will be in line not just with the quirky, rapid-fire nature of the series’ personality, but also its forward-thinking outlook.

“I feel like the world is obviously quite slow reacting to various things,” he says.

Ticktum Dan (gbr), NIO 333 FE Team, Nio 333 001, Dennis Jake (gbr), Avalanche Andretti Formula E, BMW iFE.21, portrait during the 2022 Diriyah ePrix, 1st and 2nd round of the 2022 Formula E World Championship, on the Riyadh Street Circuit from January 28 to 30, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Photo Antonin Vincent / DPPI

Ticktum has said that Dennis (pictured right) recommended Formul E to him

Antonin Vincent / DPPI

“This championship is promoting sustainability which is obviously very important for not only electric technology in cars, but also raising awareness of helping the planet – I’m quite onboard with that.”

The former Red Bull junior is known for his attacking style which, along with energy management, might come in handy in FE, considering that the phrase ‘rubbing is racing’ might as well be a mission statement on some of the series’ claustrophobic city-based circuits.

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“Street circuits are about increased skill and more about the driver, which is something that I like,” he explains.

“It’s all about precision. There’s so much more to think about and a lot more intense, and I feel like mentally I’m good at handling ‘intense’!”

“I feel like there will be some cases where I can be the difference more – Diriyah is one of them. However, obviously I’m going to be getting to grips with everything mostly this weekend.

“I sort of wish this race was at the end of the year, because if there’s anywhere I could put the car up the grid it would be a track like this. Getting quite close to the wall, I feel like I would excel here.”

The Gen2 FE car is something Ticktum has had to acclimatise to through a small amount of testing and lot of sim work – but the Brit said he was pleasantly surprised when getting behind the wheel.

33 Ticktum Dan (gbr), NIO 333 FE Team, Nio 333 001, action during the pre-season test of the 2021-22 FIA Formula E World Championship, on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo from November 28 to December 2, 2021 in Valencia, Spain - Photo Joao Filipe / DPPI

Ticktum said he was pleasantly surprised by the handling of the Formula E car

Joao Filipe / DPPI

“The car was actually better than I was expecting to drive,” he says. “I had a few preconceptions, just from myself and also other drivers who have driven everything said to me, ‘You’re not going to like it.’

“It’s just the weight, isn’t it? I like a car that’s light to drive. It definitely still has single-seater characteristics for sure, the front’s pointy enough.

“It feels a bit heavier, but it was much better than what some other drivers are making it out to be – let’s just say that.”

For all his perceived brashness, Ticktum has his aims in check for this year, whilst not being without ambition.

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“I’d like to try and get up to ninth or 10th – a couple of places up in the teams [championship from last year, when NIO finished last] would be nice.

“For me, a podium would be great. I think it’s relative – I’d like a handful of points finishes.”

The FE rookie gives off the air of a swashbuckling all-rounder, even at one point saying he wouldn’t mind sampling NASCAR. When put to him, he wholeheartedly agrees.

“I just want to drive everything, to be honest,” he says. “I’m quite keen on an LMDh programme and was trying to get an LMP2 drive for this year.

“If I could be a top FE and LMDh driver in a few years, that’s a very good place to be.”

For now though he’s just relishing being part of a new series, a place to call home after a particularly nomadic junior career.

Ticktum Dan (gbr), NIO 333 FE Team, Nio 333 001, portrait during the pre-season test of the 2021-22 FIA Formula E World Championship, on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo from November 28 to December 2, 2021 in Valencia, Spain - Photo Joao Filipe / DPPI

Ticktum is focused on helping NIO move up the grid – but is hopeful of diversifying his motor sport experience

Joao Filipe / DPPI

“I’m quite good friends with [Andretti driver] Jake Dennis, who told me, ‘You’re won’t miss that much here – it’s a great environment and a great championship.’ From what I see, I agree.

“Growing up, I was a petrolhead as a kid, I’m not going to shy away from [the fact that] I just love my cars – that’s always something that’s made me excited.

“No doubt [though] – noise and the combustion engine is going to die. So that’s just the way it is. We’ve obviously got to look forward to electric.

“I’ve never been to New York and [am looking forward to] London – hopefully they can fill it up with a few fans.

“Obviously it’s quite difficult with Covid, but they’ve got to turn every race into a massive festival, Silverstone did it quite well last year. Everyone just comes for a laugh basically and there’s some racing on the side!”

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