Nyck de Vries and Edoardo Mortara join Mahindra Racing on multi-year deals

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Nyck de Vries and Edoardo Mortara join Mahindra Racing on multi-year deals

Mahindra Racing have signed Season 7 ABB FIA Formula E Drivers' World Champion Nyck de Vries and multiple race winner Edoardo Mortara as their all-new driver line-up on multi-year contracts.

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De Vries makes a return to Formula E after a spell in Formula 1 with Williams and Scuderia AlphaTauri which followed the Dutchman's run to becoming the series' inaugural World Champion in Season 7.

Mahindra see de Vries, a champion and four-time race winner, as an "essential asset" in driving the team back towards title contention over the seasons to come.

“It’s really exciting to be joining such a major automotive manufacturer as Mahindra, and to represent them in Formula E," says 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. I believe going forwards, we will be able to extract even more potential from the project and the organisation - to be a part of that process was very appealing for me.

“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. 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 Formula E will feel like coming home. I’ve been part of the Formula E 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.”

Mortara: 'I can see the determination and motivation from everyone here'

Also key to its push towards the front of the grid will be the team's second new signing Edoardo Mortara.

The Swiss-Italian made his Formula E debut in Hong Kong back in 2017, and made an immediate impact - scoring a podium with second place on his first weekend in the category. He took a maiden victory at the same venue a year later and has since added five further triumphs – plus six additional podiums – to his CV. 

Mortara most recently raced for Maserati MSG Racing, scoring seven points finishes across the inaugural GEN3 campaign and on the way to 14th in the Drivers' standings.

“I’m extremely excited to be joining Mahindra Racing," said the 36-year old. "It’s a team that I’ve been looking at for several years now, they have been in Formula E since the beginning of the Championship, so there’s a lot of experience there.

“What I could also feel from the people here is 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.

“Mahindra is also such a big automotive manufacturer, with a worldwide reputation. I’m extremely proud to join and be a representative of this prestigious group. I can’t wait to get started, and 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.”

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Bertrand: 'Hungry driver pairing the perfect fit at the beginning of this journey'

“I am delighted 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," adds Mahindra Racing CEO Fred Bertrand.

“With their speed and experience, Nyck and Edo will play a key role in driving the team towards that goal, and I know everybody is feeling very motivated to work with them. Equally important for the team are the drivers’ appetites for a long-term project, which makes them the perfect fit for Mahindra Racing at the beginning of this journey.

“We anticipate next year will be another year of development and progress, and in a championship like Formula E, success is impossible to achieve overnight. But the signing of Nyck and Edo, along with new recruits within the wider team, puts down a solid foundation on which we can build.

“Much as Mahindra Automotive seeks to lead a revolution in the commercial space, we aim to match that ambition and innovation on the track. The support and synergy across the brand between both programmes will be invaluable as we aim to similarly make progress on-track.”