Daruvala joins Mahindra Racing as Formula E reserve driver

Jehan Daruvala is taking the next step in his motorsport journey and has been signed as Mahindra Racing’s reserve driver for the upcoming 2023 Formula E season. The Indian racer will undertake simulator work to help the team out with car development.

• Daruvala will conduct sim work at Mahindra’s Banbury HQ
• 2023 Formula E Season kicks off in January

Mahindra Racing signs Daruvala as reserve driver

As the only Indian outfit on the grid, it only makes sense for Mahindra Racing to get Daruvala on board as part of its roster. The upcoming season, which kicks off in January 2023, will be the first featuring the new Gen3 cars. Former Formula E champion Lucas di Grassi joins the team as its new driver, alongside Oliver Rowland.

Speaking with Autocar India earlier this year, Daruvala expressed his desire to continue exploring more single-seater series. As part of his reserve driver role with Mahindra Racing, he’ll conduct simulator work along with Mahindra engineers and also remain on standby should di Grassi or Rowland not be able to race for any reason.

There are also plans for Daruvala to attend some races, including the first ever Formula E race in India – the Hyderabad E-Prix on February 11.

“To be a part of an Indian motorsport team is a dream come true. Formula E is very competitive, and I am really excited about this new chapter of my career,” Daruvala said. “Season 9 promises to be very exciting with the all-new Gen 3 car and I am looking forward to learning and contributing, especially to car development and supporting the team.”

Mahindra Racing’s chairperson Asha Kharga added, “We are delighted to welcome Jehan to our team. As a founding member, Mahindra Racing has diligently worked towards promoting Formula E globally and we are pleased to bring a young, accomplished Indian race driver to this fantastic sport. Jehan, with his experience and results across single-seaters, will add a great wealth of knowledge to our development program.”

Jehan Daruvala career

Daruvala swiftly made his way up the single-seater ladder. 2022 was his third year racing in Formula 2. He completed the season seventh overall, with eight podium appearances and one win at Monza.

A seventh place finish for the second year running was probably not the result the Indian was looking for. However, he did make a number for F1 test appearances as part of McLaren’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme. As a result, he’s now eligible for an FIA Super Licence, which is needed to race in F1.

It’s likely that Daruvala will also continue racing, alongside his Formula E reserve role. However, it has still not been confirmed whether he will continue in F2 or look elsewhere.

Mahindra Racing’s new Formula E chapter

After some difficult seasons, Mahindra Racing has opted for a major managerial overhaul. The FIA’s former director of Formula E and Innovative Sport Projects, Frederic Bertrand, has been announced as the team’s new CEO, replacing Dilbagh Gill.

Additionally, it will also supply its ZF-developed powertrains to ABT Sportsline, as the team returns to Formula E in 2023 after a year away. Both parties are also collaborating on software and development. What this means is that Mahindra will now have access to data from four cars, which could prove to be key when it comes to development.

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Kush Maini to race in F2 next year