There are still some pieces of the puzzle missing, but the definitive grid for Season 10 of Formula E is ever closer to being completed. The latest to announce its lineup for the next championship was Mahindra which, after making Lucas Di Grassi’s farewell official after just one year, confirmed the arrival of Nyck de Vries on Wednesday and Edoardo Mortara.
Former AlphaTauri Formula 1 driver Nyck de Vries will return to the Formula E championship with Mahindra for the 2023-24 season, teaming up with Edoardo Mortara.
This year the Dutchman took part in ten Formula 1 Grands Prix aboard the AlphaTauri, but remained without a seat due to the disappointing results that characterized the first part of the season in which he was struggling with feeling problems and shortcomings of the car. Results which then pushed parent company Red Bull to recall Daniel Ricciardo, who in turn was then replaced by Liam Lawson after the hand injury he suffered in Holland.
De Vries during the celebrations on the weekend he won the 2021 title
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
De Vries will therefore return to Formula E, a category where in 2021 he won the world title during a three-year period spent together with Mercedes, at least before the German manufacturer’s withdrawal at the end of 2022. A return to the past that the Dutch driver does not see It’s time to live, although he is aware that he will find himself in a very different situation from the one he experienced with Mercedes.
In fact, 2023 represented a complex year for Mahindra, which did not start off on the right foot in the new GEN 3 era. Its Powertrain did not prove to be up to the competition, as was also seen with the ABT customer team, often bringing up the rear. The Indian team obtained only one podium, moreover in the first events of the world championship, then finishing in tenth place in the team rankings. However, De Vries explained that he is encouraged by the team’s vision, as well as his long-term plan to bring the team back to the top of the category.
“In a way it’s like coming home. Formula E is a very familiar environment for me, I see a lot of well-known faces from the championship, all the teams, all the drivers, so it’s nice to be back in a familiar environment,” said de Vries.
“I think it’s no secret that Mahindra had a difficult start in GEN 3. I think there were some good signs of progress during last season, although progress isn’t always measured only by results. But I remained particularly excited about their future plans, the changes that will be made in due course and the hires they have made. The plans in place to move up the table and I believe the foundations of the team have always been very strong.”
De Vries and Mortara arrive after Lucas di Grassi’s farewell
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
“I’m personally very confident and encouraged by what the future will look like. With the new plan and the changes that have been made, I truly believe we have a unique project.”
De Vries is joined at Mahindra by Mortara, who left Maserati MSG after six seasons spent together, with a history that began when the team was still known by the name Venturi. Over the six years they spent together, Mortara achieved six victories which led him to fight for the title in 2021 and 2022, with a second place in the drivers’ standings as his best result.
“I am extremely excited to join Mahindra Racing. It’s a team I’ve been watching for several years, it’s been present in Formula E since the beginning of the championship, so there’s a lot of experience. What I could also sense from the people here is that we share the same values. We have a big project ahead of us, but I see a lot of determination and motivation from all team members, and this is very important.”
“Mahindra is also a major automobile manufacturer, with a global reputation. I am extremely proud to join and represent this prestigious group. I can’t wait to get started and I am sure that if we put in all our efforts, we will be able to succeed in this very competitive championship.”
Edoardo Mortara left Maserati after 6 seasons spent with the team
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Mahindra’s CEO, Frédéric Bertrand, was also satisfied and thus secured an interesting couple on which to continue building the future of the team: “I am pleased to welcome Edo and Nyck to the Mahindra Racing family. As a team, we are all embarking on a journey to bring Mahindra Racing back to the front of the grid in the coming years.”
“With their speed and experience, Nyck and Edo will play a vital role in leading the team towards this goal and I know everyone is very motivated to work with them. Equally important for the team is the two drivers’ penchant for a project long term, which makes them perfect for Mahindra Racing at the start of this journey. We expect next year to be another year of development and progress and, in a championship like Formula E, success is impossible to achieve from one day to another. But having signed Nyck and Edo, along with the new hires within the team, lays a solid foundation on which we can build.”
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