Report: Nick Cassidy & Jean-Eric Vergne to drive for Formula E newcomer Citroen

A two-time champion and the reigning world championship runner-up as team-mates in Formula E? According to The Race, that's what it currently looks like for Stellantis newcomer Citroen, which will take over the grid position from Maserati. The French brand is considering Jean-Eric Vergne and Nick Cassidy as the driver pairing.

The Formula E silly season rumour mill is currently in full swing. But one thing seems to be certain at the moment: a driver pairing consisting of New Zealander Nick Cassidy and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne at newcomer Citroen. Vergne has been part of the racing series since season 1 and is the only driver to have won two titles in Formula E history.

Cassidy has been a regular driver since season 7 and has narrowly missed out on the world title in the last three seasons. He was runner-up in the 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons and finished third in the 2023/24 championship, so both drivers bring a lot of experience and undoubtedly exceptional talent.

Both drivers are leaving their old teams

Cassidy announced on his Instagram account in mid-July that he was leaving his previous team, Jaguar. Rumours that the New Zealander would be moving to another team had been circulating for some time beforehand.

This was also followed by the announcement of a WEC test with Peugeot, hinting at a double programme for Cassidy in season 12 - a season in which there is actually no overlap between the endurance series and Formula E for once. Cassidy's commitment to Stellantis is considered certain, even if official confirmation from the driver and team side is still pending.

The switch would be relatively straightforward for Vergne: He would simply switch from Stellantis team DS Penske to Stellantis team Citroen and drive with the same powertrain as before. Although there has been no official confirmation of this either, the transfer is already rumoured to be a done deal.

Maserati withdrawal paves the way for Citroen

With the withdrawal of Maserati MSG from the electric world championship, which is of financial origin, the Stellantis Group was faced with the question of who would take the team's vacant position in Formula E.

The decision was obviously in favour of Citroen - with Cyril Blais continuing as team principal. The partnership with the Monaco-based Monaco Sports Group (MSG for short) is likely to continue, meaning that the team's name could become Citroen MSG in the coming season.

What happens with Vandoorne & Hughes?

It is not yet clear exactly what will happen to the two current Maserati drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Jake Hughes. Vandoorne, who also drives for Peugeot in the WEC in addition to the electric series, is said to be considering only driving in the endurance championship and taking a break from the electric series. However, a switch to another manufacturer and team is also a possibility.

Hughes is currently rumoured to be in talks with several teams, with Kiro and Andretti playing the main roles.

With the planned driver pairing of Vergne and Cassidy, Citroen would be entering its debut season with a powerful team. It would be a strong signal for Stellantis: despite the withdrawal of Maserati, the company would remain represented in Formula E with two teams.