De Vries returns to Formula E with Mahindra after losing AlphaTauri F1 drive

Mahindra have revealed an all-new line-up for the 2024 Formula E season, with Nyck de Vries and Edoardo Mortara joining the team on multi-year deals.

Mortara has ended a six-year spell at Maserati (which previously competed as Venturi) to take on a new challenge, while de Vries is returning to FE to revive his racing career after losing his Formula 1 seat with AlphaTauri earlier this season.

“It’s really exciting to be joining such a major automotive manufacturer as Mahindra, and to represent them in FE,” said de Vries.

“I’m particularly excited about the future plans for the team. The basis is already strong, and the team has all the attributes to succeed.”

Mahinda endured a disappointing 2023 campaign, ending the season only ahead of customer team Abt Cupra at the bottom of the points table. A suspension problem required Mahindra to withdraw all four cars using its powertrains from the Cape Town E-Prix and Rowland picked up a hand injury at the Monaco E-Prix.

“I think it’s no secret that the team has had a bit of a rough start to Gen3, although there were positive signs of improvement during the second half of last season,” De Vries continued. “I believe the team can continue to build on those learnings, and with the additional changes and plans in place for the future, we can make even greater steps forward in performance at the start of our new journey together.

“Coming back to FE will feel like coming home. I’ve been part of the FE family for three seasons, I know everybody very well. I’m looking forward to being back in a familiar environment, and to be back somewhere where ultimately, I’ve always enjoyed my racing.”

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Mortara, who announced his exit from Maserati two weeks ago, said Mahindra “is a team that I’ve been looking at for several years” and felt it was time to join them as he could “feel from the people here that we share the same values.”

“We have a great project in front of us, but I can see a lot of determination and motivation from everyone in the team, and this is so important,” he said. “I’m sure that, if we put in the necessary amount of work, we will be able to be successful in this very competitive championship in the future.”

Mahindra’s new drivers were the top two in the 2021 FE standings, with de Vries becoming world champion with two race wins while driving for Mercedes, and Mortara trailing him by seven points in a season where he took one victory and missed a race.

In 2022 Mortara scored three more wins and he came third in the standings, while de Vries dropped to ninth in the points table but still won twice. This year was Mortara’s least competitive in FE, as he was 14th in the championship with a best finish of fourth.

Mahindra started the 2023 season running Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland. They lost Rowland mid-season, with Roberto Merhi taking his place for the remaining races. Di Grassi, the highest-placed Mahindra driver last year in 15th place, announced his split from the team yesterday after initially joining the team with eyes on later managing it.

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