Di Grassi leaves Mahindra, Daruvala to Maserati in exchange for Mortara? - Transfer ticker for the next Formula E season 2023/24
Timo Pape
Jamie Sheldrick / Spacesuit Media
With Formula E's 2023 season over, all eyes are now on next year. In this news ticker, we'll keep you up to date on what driver changes there could be for the next season 2023/24 and which drivers have extended their contracts with their teams.
>>> Lucas di Grassi leaves Mahindra - possible return to ABT in 2024?
Lucas di Grassi and Mahindra Racing will go their separate ways from the 2024 Formula E season. On Tuesday afternoon, the team, which is based in Banbury, England, confirmed that the Brazilian will no longer compete for the red-and-white team after just one (extremely disappointing) season. A few days earlier, Motorsport-Magazin.com had reported that di Grassi was a candidate for the Mahindra customer team ABT Cupra, where he is to become Nico Müller's new team-mate.
The Brazilian already drove the first seven Formula E seasons for the ABT squad, who eventually became the Audi works team from the 2017/18 season. Due to Audi's Formula E withdrawal, the partnership between di Grassi and ABT ended at the end of 2021, and the team allowed him to make guest starts at two DTM race weekends as a farewell.
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Di Grassi moved to Venturi for one year and joined Mahindra Racing for the past season. The season 3 Formula E champion's best result with Mahindra was a pole position at the season opener in Mexico City. In the race, he was able to defend third place all the way to the finish - but apart from that, there were no top results.
>>> Media report: Jehan Daruvala hot candidate at Maserati
According to our Italian colleagues from Il Messaggero, a surprising development is brewing in the driver market: Jehan Daruvala, test and reserve driver for Mahindra, could join Maserati MSG Racing next season and become Max Günther's teammate. The former Red Bull junior could not compete this year as a replacement for Oliver Rowland, who surprisingly left the team after the Monaco E-Prix, due to his parallel Formula 2 commitment.
>>> Mortara to drive for Mahindra?
In return, former Maserati driver Edoardo Mortara is said to be a hot candidate for the second Mahindra cockpit. Here he would once again meet Lucas di Grassi, who was already his teammate at Venturi in 2022. Not entirely without incident: At the team's home race in Monaco, the two collided in the closing stages.
>>> Nyck de Vries: Formula E return becomes more likely
The 2021 Formula E World Champion is on the verge of returning to Formula E. In this article, we have summarised for you what options Nyck de Vries has in view of the many cockpits that have already been filled for 2024.
>>> Nio 333 also relies on Ticktum & Sette Camara in 2024
There will be no driver changes at Nio 333: The former back-bench team, which achieved some notable successes in the past season, has extended the contracts with its two pilots.
>>> Separation after six years: Edo Mortara leaves Maserati MSG Racing
Surprising news from Monaco: The Maserati MSG Racing team has announced that Edo Mortara is leaving the team. The Swiss with Italian roots had been competing for the team, which at that time still competed under the name Venturi, since 2017.
>>> Andretti: Norman Nato to be Jake Dennis' new team-mate
Good news for Norman Nato: After his departure from Nissan, the Frenchman is switching to Andretti, where he will succeed Andre Lotterer. One man's joy, another man's sorrow: Porsche and Andretti replacement driver David Beckmann, who had already replaced Lotterer at the Jakarta E-Prix, will thus be left empty-handed for 2024. At least as far as a regular cockpit is concerned.
>>> Andre Lotterer announces end of career in Formula racing
After Rene Rast, Formula E will lose another German driver next year: Andre Lotterer has made public the end of his Formula racing career. The 41-year-old wants to concentrate 100 per cent on his Porsche commitment in the World Endurance Championship in the future. We have paid tribute to Lotterer's time in the electric series, in which he was always denied a victory, with a photo series: Here you can see some highlights from Andre Lotterer's six years in Formula E.
>>> Oliver Rowland returns to Nissan
After a season and a half with Mahindra, Oliver Rowland will rejoin his former employer Nissan from next season. The Briton will be teammate with Sacha Fenestraz, who has extended his contract. Despite good results in the last races of 2023, Norman Nato will thus have to vacate his seat.
>>> McLaren signs Sam Bird
A few days after the announcement that Rene Rast will turn his back on McLaren, the Brits can now present their new driver: Sam Bird, who was ousted from Jaguar, will compete in Papaya next season. This means that the team now has an all-British driver duo.
>>> Concentration on BMW works contract: Rene Rast leaves McLaren
It had already been foreshadowed: Rene Rast is leaving the Neom McLaren team after just one season and will concentrate entirely on his assignments with BMW in the coming season. Rast will compete for the Munich-based company in both the World Endurance Championship and the DTM.
>>> Jake Hughes remains with McLaren for 2024
The Neom McLaren Formula E Team has announced on Thursday that Jake Hughes will remain with the team for the 2023/24 Formula E season. The Rookie of the Year had an impressive start to his electric racing career: In his first E-Prix in Mexico City, the Briton qualified 3rd, finishing the race in P5. He then secured the team's first pole position at his 3rd race in Diriyah, before clinching a 2nd pole position in Monaco. He finished the 2022/23 season in P12.
McLaren had announced only one day before that Rene Rast has left the team after one season. Announcements about who will be partnering with Jake Hughes next season - most likely Sam Bird – "will be made in due course", says a McLaren statement.
"Even though we never had any doubts about his performance, he impressed the team and the wider paddock with a great rookie season", says team principal Ian James. "Jake's commitment to the team and to Formula E is outstanding. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Jake and the Neom McLaren Formula E Team."
>>> Jaguar confirms future with Mitch Evans
Jaguar TCS Racing announced on Thursday morning that Mitch Evans will continue to drive for the British manufacturer's team. The New Zealander signed a "multi-year contract", committing to his eighth season with at Jaguar. This makes it the longest driver-team pairing in Formula E history.
"It's an absolute pleasure to confirm that Mitch remains a key part of Jaguar TCS Racing for the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and beyond," says team principal James Barclay. "Mitch has been one of the founding members of the team since Jaguar returned to racing in 2016 and is now one of the longest serving drivers in Jaguar's history. The fact that our future remains together for a new chapter is an accolade we are both proud of."
>>> Felipe Drugovich hot candidate at Andretti
One of the most coveted cockpits for the coming season is likely to be offered by Andretti. Although not officially announced yet, Andre Lotterer will most likely leave the team. Following speculation about a possible signing of Oliver Rowland or Nyck de Vries, the colleagues at The Race now report that Felipe Drugovich is likely to have the best chances.
A Formula E comeback by de Vries, on the other hand, is becoming increasingly unlikely. As we reported last week already, Max Günther is likely to stay with Maserati, while Rowland's return is probably the most realistic option for Nissan.
>>> Official: Sam Bird leaves Jaguar
Following Sunday's Formula E season finale, Jaguar TCS Racing has officially announced the departure of Sam Bird. In a social media post, the British manufacturer thanked the veteran driver for the past three years and showcased his sporting record. Bird is expected to move to McLaren (see below), but there have been no official statements on the matter.
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>>> ABT team principal Biermaier confirms Frijns' departure
Thomas Biermaier, team principal of Robin Frijns at ABT Cupra, confirmed to the colleagues of ProSieben that the Dutchman will leave the team after the end of the season. "Robin will be leaving us," says Biermaier. "His plans for the future don't quite fit with ours. Where exactly it goes for him, you have to ask him."
"With us, the nice thing was that we got relatively many enquiries," he describes. "That surprised us, but also shows that our standing here - even though we are at the bottom of the table - is relatively high. That was nice feedback. Maybe we'll go to Switzerland. There are former racing drivers there who are very committed to the environment and do a lot of sustainability work. Maybe there will be someone like that in the car with us soon." Biermaier probably means Sebastian Vettel but it is more than doubtful that the German will actually be driving for ABT Cupra next season.
>>> Nio 333 likely to rely on stability
Nio 333 is likely to compete next year with the same driver pairing as in the current season, i.e. Dan Ticktum and Sergio Sette Camara. In the meantime, there had been rumours that Sette Camara could make way for Daniil Kvyat, who tested for the team in both Berlin and Rome in recent months and loudly proclaimed his interest in Formula E. However, team principal Alex Hui now let slip to The Race that he is a friend of stability and Kvyat's WEC program with Lamborghini is "not really favorable for 2024."
>>> Media report Robin Frijns move to Envision
As several media outlets are unanimously reporting, Robin Frijns is to return to his previous employer Envision after just one (unsuccessful) season with ABT Cupra. He is set to take the seat of Nick Cassidy there and start alongside Sebastien Buemi. An agreement is said to have been reached shortly after the races in Rome, after his disillusionment with the Mahindra powertrain (Frijns: "the car is a shitbox!") had built up in the preceding weeks. Possible Frijns successors at ABT could be the likes of Kelvin van der Linde or Adrien Tambay, both of whom have been in the car for the Kempten-based company several times this season.
>>> Rene Rast facing McLaren exit - Sam Bird possible successor
Rene Rast could be facing a surprise exit from McLaren. e-Formula.news understands that the German is to be replaced by Sam Bird. The Briton, for his part, has to leave the Jaguar factory team and make way for Nick Cassidy, as The Race first reported. "My position is that there are two races to go," Bird told e-Formula.news. "But if anybody wants to ask me about stuff like that then Monday morning is a good time."
Rast, on the other hand, is said to have recently agreed with McLaren not to take up the option of a second Gen3 year. Apparently this was also in order to concentrate on his commitment as a works driver at BMW. "I can't say anything about it yet, it's still too early. My focus for now is on the next few days," Rast told e-Formula.news. "There are always options for everyone, but I can't comment on that for a few weeks." Jake Hughes, on the other hand, is set to remain at McLaren.
>>> Return to Nissan? Oliver Rowland "confident"
Oliver Rowland could return to Formula E after his mid-season exit from Mahindra. "Yes, I am confident of being part of the grid next season," the Briton tells The Race. The most logical explanation would be a return to his former team Nissan, with which he has enjoyed some success in the past. However, he could compete with Nyck de Vries, who was scrapped in Formula 1, for the cockpit alongside Sacha Fenestraz. Norman Nato, on the other hand, is expected to leave the team. Another option for Rowland might be Andretti.
>>> Nick Cassidy completes New Zealand duo at Jaguar
The probably worst-kept secret in the paddock is that Nick Cassidy is moving to the Jaguar factory team for the upcoming season. The deal has not yet been officially confirmed. But even Sam Bird, in a recent social media post, spoke of the "last dance" - at least in the service of Jaguar. The announcement by the "big cat" is now only a formality.
>>> Andretti: Some potential Lotterer successors
Andre Lotterer's Formula E departure is also fairly certain after an underwhelming season and in view of his WEC commitment to Porsche. There are several potential successors for his cockpit at Andretti. They include Nyck de Vries and Oliver Rowland - both also candidates for Nissan - as well as Norman Nato. Max Günther is also being considered as a candidate, but according to our information also has the option of another year with Maserati MSG Racing. In addition, Lucas di Grassi is said to be looking for a way to leave his uncompetitive Mahindra team. Jake Dennis is to remain at Andretti, despite offers from other teams.
Overview: Formula E transfer rumours for the 2024 season
| Team | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
| ABT Cupra | Nico Müller | Lucas di Grassi |
| Avalanche Andretti | Jake Dennis | Norman Nato |
| DS Penske | Jean-Eric Vergne | Stoffel Vandoorne |
| Envision Racing | Sebastien Buemi | Robin Frijns |
| Jaguar TCS Racing | Mitch Evans | Nick Cassidy |
| Mahindra Racing | tbd | tbd |
| Maserati MSG Racing | Max Günther | tbd |
| Neom McLaren | Jake Hughes | Sam Bird |
| Nio 333 | Dan Ticktum | Sergio Sette Camara |
| Nissan | Sacha Fenestraz | Oliver Rowland |
| TAG Heuer Porsche | Pascal Wehrlein | Antonio Felix da Costa |
bold = officially approved
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