Drivers' Programme Profiles: Oliver Turvey
Oliver Turvey has joined the fold as part of a second group of top-tier drivers to join the Extreme E Drivers' Programme in recent weeks, with the young Brit expressing his interest in racing in the one-of-a-kind championship.s
Turvey has a rich history in all facets of competitive motorsports, from Formula BMW to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, acquiring prestigious awards such as the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year along the way. The latter saw him land a coveted role as a test driver for McLaren's Formula 1 team.
Turvey has signalled his intent to be a part of Extreme E's ambitious form of sustainable racing. Growing up in the vast natural expanse of the England's Lake District National Park, being outdoors and in nature has always been a big part of Turvey’s life. As a result he has garnered a sense of responsibility to give back after a career in an industry which he admits does not have a reputation for always being a friend of the environment.
“I feel a certain responsibility to give back to the planet," he said. "The world we live in is a beautiful place; the natural environment has evolved over thousands of years and we need to protect it for our future generations.”
Extreme E is a two-headed beast. Alongside the sport's far-reaching sustainability goals sits its equally ambitious head-to-head racing format, across five formidable environments. A challenge for most, but not in Turvey’s eyes, as he hopes to lean on his background as a test driver and engineer.
“Having competed in most forms of circuit motorsport, I have always enjoyed the challenge of driving in different series’ and one of my skills is my ability to adapt and learn quickly," he added.
“My background has been useful when it comes to driving in new categories, and particularly in aiding with the development of new cars, which I feel will be particularly helpful in Extreme E, where the E-SUV platform will be totally new and continue to develop with the manufacturers involved.”
Extreme E, which has just its Ocean location left to announce, will push the envelope for new forms of sustainable motorsport entertainment. The mission statement is built around an aspiration to accelerate innovation in the commercial E-SUV market for a greener future, just as its predecessor Formula E has done so successfully for its team’s production electric vehicles.
The choice of five spectacular environments only adds to the multitude of elements that Turvey is so excited about.
“The remote locations and extreme temperatures will also present a physiological challenge which will be different to anything I have seen before.”
One venue above all which Turvey revels competing in, mountaineers agree is breath-taking in both senses of the word is the Himalayas. “I have always had a passion for mountains and anything that takes place outdoors, so to have the opportunity to race in the Himalayas would be amazing.”
