Former Formula 1 driver Nyck de Vries is making his way back to the Formula E Championship for the 2023-24 season, where he’ll be joining forces with Edoardo Mortara at Mahindra.
De Vries: From Formula 1 to Formula E
De Vries, briefly associated with the Red Bull junior team this year, participated in 10 Formula 1 races in 2023. Before that, he made a one-off appearance for Williams at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, securing a ninth-place finish.
However, AlphaTauri replaced the 28-year-old with Daniel Ricciardo just before the Hungarian Grand Prix in July, following his challenging 2023 season. De Vries didn’t manage to score any points during his time with the team.
Formula E Title Holder Returns
De Vries previously claimed the Formula E championship title for the 2020-21 season with Mercedes, but the German manufacturer withdrew from the series at the end of 2022.
Mahindra had a challenging campaign last season, securing only one podium and finishing 10th in the teams’ standings. Despite this, de Vries is optimistic about the Indian manufacturer’s long-term vision and potential for improvement.
De Vries’ Optimism
De Vries stated, “It feels like coming home in a way. Formula E is a very familiar environment for me, and I see a lot of familiar faces from the championship. I have a lot of faith and positive encouragement by what the future is like. With the new plan and the changes that are made, I really believe we have a unique project.”
New Addition: Edoardo Mortara
In addition to de Vries, Mahindra has also signed Edoardo Mortara on a multi-year deal. Mortara, previously with the Maserati MSG team, boasts significant experience with six wins. This experience made him a contender in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Farewell to Lucas di Grassi
With these signings, Mahindra bids farewell to Lucas di Grassi, a key figure in Formula E since 2014. Di Grassi’s racing plans for 2024 are undisclosed, leaving uncertainty about his Formula E future.
Pre-season testing for the upcoming season will begin in Valencia during the week starting on October 23.