Cian Shields completes CUPRA KIRO Madrid Rookie Test lineup
Cian Shields to make Formula E testing debut with CUPRA KIRO in Madrid, Spain
CUPRA KIRO is excited to welcome Cian Shields to the team for the FIA Formula E World Championship’s upcoming Rookie Test held at the Circuito del Jarama in Madrid, Spain.
Taking place on Sunday 22 March, just one day after the inaugural running of the Madrid E-Prix, the test provides next generation racing drivers with a unique opportunity to experience current Formula E machinery while allowing teams to complete additional running outside of race events during the season.
Cian, from Glasgow, Scotland, stepped up to single-seater motorsport from karting in 2022 and quickly tasted success by securing one victory and a total of three podiums in the highly competitive GB3 Championship.
By finishing as the runner-up in the Euroformula Open Championship in 2023, where he claimed four wins and 10 podiums across the season, Cian moved up to race on the Formula 1 support bill in 2024, competing in FIA Formula 3.
For 2025, the 21-year-old graduated to a full-time seat in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and ended his season by representing Aston Martin FP1 at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, replacing Fernando Alonso for the session.
As part of the team’s testing lineup in Madrid, Cian will partner CUPRA KIRO’s Development Driver and F1 Academy race winner, Bianca Bustamante, at Jarama.
Russell O’Hagan, Team Principal, CUPRA KIRO
“I’m excited to welcome Cian to the team for his first experience of Formula E. As a fully electric category, Formula E is a uniquely demanding championship but I’m very confident that the opportunity to experience the GEN3 Evo will be hugely beneficial for his own development, giving him a new perspective to complement his recent single-seater experiences. The upcoming test is an important opportunity for us as a team, and while we’re eager to maximise it, we’re also very excited to extend this chance to Cian and support his progression. I can’t wait to see how he gets on.”
Cian Shields
“I’m delighted to be joining CUPRA KIRO for the upcoming Rookie Test in Madrid. The test will be my first experience of driving a Formula E car, so it’s a very exciting opportunity to learn, adapt, and understand what makes this championship so unique. In motorsport, rookie tests are becoming increasingly important, and with more teams giving young drivers opportunities, it’s a great platform to not only develop but to also show what you can do. Formula E is completely new territory for me, and I’m looking forward to working with and learning from Dan [Ticktum], Pepe [Martí], and Bianca [Bustamante] across the weekend.”