Taylor Barnard, the 20-year-old NEOM McLaren rookie, is on the verge of claiming his first Formula E victory after an impressive performance in Jeddah. With three podiums from four starts this season, Barnard now sits second in the championship standings.

His Jeddah weekend included a third-place finish on Friday, followed by a pole position and second place on Saturday. This performance matches championship leader Oliver Rowland's podium count this season, who has two wins, a second place, and a 14th-place finish.

"It's not far away," Barnard said about his first win. "I'm just collecting all of the colors at the moment. The focus is to keep scoring these big points for myself and the team."

Saturday's race presented unique challenges with no Pit Boost and increased energy-saving requirements. Despite starting from pole, Barnard explained that maintaining the lead throughout the race was nearly impossible due to the need to regenerate 10% more energy compared to Friday's race.

"Starting from pole and finishing second, I'm super happy," Barnard reflected on his performance. The rookie's successful transition from his three appearances as Sam Bird's stand-in last season to full-time driver has exceeded expectations, with the young driver bringing home three trophies and significant points from the Jeddah weekend alone.

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