With weeks to go until pre-season testing kicks off in Spain, Mahindra Racing confirm Jerome d’Ambrosio and Pascal Wehrlein will remain with the team for the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship.
Alongside the driver reveal, the Indian manufacturer team pulled the covers off its new M6Electro, which sports a powertrain created by German engineering company ZF.
The global technology company will help with chassis development work, shock absorber provision and engineering services while work is already underway for the design and manufacture of the electric driveline for the 2020/21 season.
In addition to the electric motor, development includes both single-gear, highly efficient transmission and the matching power electronics.
“Formula E is a great stage for ZF to demonstrate the quality and performance of our drive train solutions for the e-mobility of tomorrow,” said Wolf-Henning Scheider, CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
“In no other racing series is the transfer of expertise from motorsports to volume production development as great as in Formula E. We look forward to a successful cooperation with Mahindra Racing, and also show our commitment to India as an important growth market.”
Familiar faces
Remaining with the team for a second consecutive season, Jerome d’Ambrosio earned the team’s first podium of the 2018/19 season at the inaugural Diriyah E-Prix.
“I really want to thank Mahindra Racing for last year and I am super happy to continue with the team,” said d’Ambrosio.
“We know the second half of the season was challenging, but the fact that we are all sticking together for season six means we can come back stronger and consistently fight at the front for wins.”
Following his podium in Saudi Arabia, the Belgian driver went on to claim his maiden win for the team at the next event in Marrakesh.
After 12 races, Pascal Wehrlein embarks on a second campaign with the squad. In the 2018/19 season, the German driver secured a maiden Formula E podium in only his second race and took his first pole position at the next event in Mexico City. In the same event, what looked like certain victory slipped through the rookie’s hands as Lucas di Grassi snatched the win just meters from the finish line. Armed with a new car and a season’s worth of learnings, Wehrlein will now be looking to bring home his first win.
“Last year was my rookie season and there were a lot of positives to take from that and build on for my second Formula E season,” said Wehrlein.
“There is a very positive and upbeat mood in the team as we’ve been working hard over the summer break and I’m really looking forward to working with the team again.”
Outside of the cars, Nick Heidfeld will remain with Mahindra Racing in an advisory capacity and as the team’s official test and reserve driver. He drove the unraced M6Electro at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the competitive Hillclimb – two years after claiming the open-wheel eRecord in the M4Electro. Belgian racer Sam Dejonghe will also continue to work closely with the team in the position of reserve and sim driver.
“I am thrilled Jerome and Pascal will both return to the team for season six,” said Team Principal Dilbagh Gill.
“Last season was one of the most challenging seasons in Formula E history in terms of competition but we believe we have one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid to help us achieve our championship ambitions.
“I am also delighted to welcome ZF to the Mahindra Racing family. We now have one of the most successful global players in the field of e-mobility at our side.
“We were highly impressed by the performance of the ZF driveline in the most recent Formula E season and together we will be even better positioned to continue celebrating success.”
