Mahindra first team to commit to Formula E Gen3 era

Mahindra Racing has become the first manufacturer to formally commit to the next cycle of contracts for the FIA Formula E Championship, assuring its place on the 2022-23 grid.

Though it doesn’t sport the same sporting heritage of its rivals, Mahindra - one of India’s largest manufacturing firms specialising in cars, motorcycles, HGVs and agricultural vehicles - has competed in Formula E from its very first race, scoring four wins over six seasons.

It has now become the first team to commit to 2022 (Season 9) when the updated Gen3 car - which promise to be more powerful, lighter and faster to charge - is introduced.

The new machine - which will be developed by Spark Racing Technologies once more - will be an evolution on the Gen2 chassis, introduced for Season 5 and representing a significant step forward in technology, including races that can now be completed lights-to-flag without requiring a car change mid-race, unlike its predecessor.

For 2022, this will be extended further with a power increase rising to 300kW in the races (up from 220kW), with Williams Advanced Engineering working on a fresh battery that will allow for faster charging. Hankook will replace Michelin as the control tyre supplier.

“Formula E represents the cutting edge of EV technology and plays a strategic role in realising Mahindra’s vision of the Future of Mobility through our ‘Race to Road’ strategy,” said Mahindra Chairman Dr Pawan Goenka. “Our commitment to the Formula E Gen3 era attunes to our focus to play a strong role in the entire electric ecosystem, while we also aim to be among the most prominent manufacturers of EVs in India. 

“We are confident that Mahindra Racing’s work on and off track with the Gen3 car will resonate and provide thrilling experiences to fans and consumers alike.”

Mahindra is one of six remaining founding members that head into Season 7 having competed in Season 1, together with Audi/ABT, Dragon Racing, Virgin Racing, Venturi and Andretti (BMW). However, this will dwindle from Season 7 with the exit of Audi from the series.