Media report: Citroen could join Opel in Formula E as early as next season

According to a report by The Race, Citroen could join Opel in Formula E as early as next season. A reorganisation is currently taking place within the Stellantis Group, which will also have an impact on DS Automobiles and Maserati, according to the report. The Group currently competes in Formula E with these two brands. Plans for the Gen4 era are also said to already exist.

Last autumn, Stellantis decided to remain in Formula E during the Gen4 era - at that time still explicitly with Maserati as a registered manufacturer. However, the Italian representative could disappear from Formula E as early as next season. The reason for this is said to be a change in management and a subsequent reorganisation of the Stellantis Group's motorsport division. However, it is not yet entirely clear whether a change of name could be finalised for next season, as Maserati is still contractually bound to represent Stellantis for season 12.

What will become of DS Automobiles & Maserati MSG Racing?

Despite all of that, there is still the possibility for DS Automobiles to remain in the Gen4 era. This would mean that Stellantis would have to compete with three brands from the end of 2026. This is rather unlikely for Maserati. Stellantis' plan is to replace the brand with either Opel or Citroen. The timing is only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, the Monaco Sports Group, which is responsible for the team's racing fortunes, is still looking for a buyer for its team. Doubts about the team's future are therefore not diminishing. A deal with US businessman Brooklyn Earick, which was thought to be certain, fell through at the last minute last February. At the time, Formula E announced the alleged deal during the TV broadcast of the Jeddah E-Prix.

At the moment, Stellantis does not have its own team licence, which could well mean the end in Formula E for DS Automobiles. In the past, they have always favoured partnerships with teams that already existed - namely Virgin, Techeetah, Penske and MSG. However, Penske is currently negotiating with Porsche about the possibility of becoming a customer team of the Germans in the Gen4 era. The development of their own powertrain is also an option. However, a commitment from the team for Gen4 is still missing at the moment.

Another option for Stellantis would be to take over the team licence, as McLaren has done. As is well known, McLaren will withdraw from the racing series after just three seasons at the end of the current season. However, the team behind McLaren is endeavouring to remain in Formula E and is looking for options. They are said to be getting closer and closer to a solution. The current team principal, Ian James, has been in talks with Stellantis for some time...

Dodds: "Need 12 healthy teams"

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds also commented on the possibility of buying the twelfth team licence, possibly through Stellantis, in the aforementioned report. This licence is owned by Formula E itself following Techeetah's withdrawal and opens up the possibility of having 24 cars on the grid again: "The automotive sector is going through a difficult time right now. The tariffs are only making it more challenging. The economic environment is only just recovering."

"I would love to have twelve teams on the grid, but we need twelve healthy teams. They need to be self-sufficient and able to invest in the championship so that it can continue to grow," he continues. There have only been two seasons in the past where 24 cars have competed: seasons 6 and 7.

24 cars would be the specified upper limit, by the way. For logistical and sustainability reasons, Formula E allows a maximum of twelve teams. This was set back in 2014 when the championship was launched.