Mahindra Racing added Indian racer Jehan Daruvala to its team’s roster for the upcoming Season 9 of the FIA Formula E World Championship and the 24-year-old has impressed one of the electric racings’ all-time greats, Lucas di Grassi.
The winner of the first-ever Formula E race, Lucas climbed to the top of the podium at the 2014 Beijing E-Prix and became arguably the most successful driver in the championship with 40 podium finishes and 13 wins. The Brazilian made his debut for Mahindra in Season 9 of Formula E and is thrilled with the Indian’s rise in the racing circuit.
“Jehan has been included in this year’s drivers’ line-up and he is a great kid who is coming along very nicely. He is developing into a very good driver and is very informative. He is learning with each race and also at the simulator, and I think he is going to be a great Indian driver. Formula E needs an Indian driver who can compete on the world stage, and Jehan has got all the skills to become one of the best Indian drivers in the circuit,” Lucas told Sportstar in an interaction.
‘Hyderabad circuit will present a huge challenge to the drivers’
Lucas was associated with the Audi Formula E team for seven years before having a stint with the ROKiT Venturi Racing team for the 2021-22 season. The veteran driver with 1027 championship points feels the Hyderabad street circuit will test the skill of the drivers.
“I haven’t driven on it yet but my understanding is that it is a very fast track and the overtaking is very technical and difficult and the track will present a huge challenge for the teams and drivers,” he said.
Lucas di Grassi has the unique distinction of becoming the first driver to cross the 100-race mark and earned the title of Mr Formula E in the circuit.
“You need to be very aggressive as a driver and also very efficient. It is one of the fastest tracks this season and it’s going to be extremely hot. Dealing with the rising temperatures will be a different challenge,” he said.
Born in Sao Paulo, the 38-year-old has the unique distinction of becoming the first driver to cross the 100-race mark and earned the title of Mr Formula E in the circuit.
“It’s a huge compliment and I really believe Formula E has a huge potential to change motorsport and a little bit of the world in its own ways and the sport is evolving ever since its inception 10 years ago. There have been a lot of changes from cars to technology and the manufacturers are connected to the highest level of technology. It’s been a great championship and the growth has been fast. It’s just nine seasons unlike F1 which has been there for ages and we need to understand that it takes time to create a sport and Formula E is only going to be stronger as electric cars are the future. It’s important to carry on the good work and move in the right direction,” he said.
‘India is important country for world’s economy’
The veteran driver feels that India is a vital hosting destination for Formula E and that the market will pick up as the seasons roll by.
“India is a very important country for the world’s economy and with the growing population bringing in the electrification in terms of mobility to this country is very important. Mahindra is doing that with different segments of mobility from tractors to tuk-tuks to cars in general with the new EV series. India is a huge market not just for Mahindra but for every automaker. We have a huge potential to showcase our electric technology here so having a race in India is incredible for the whole championship.
For me and my team, it is all the more special as is our home race,” said Lucas, who currently stands seventh in the 2022-23 drivers’ position.
From driving karts in Interlagos to winning the Macau Grand Prix in 2005, where legendary driver Sebastian Vettel stood third, the switch to electric racing has been rather easy for Lucas.
“The switch was definitely for the better and there is a lot of difference between driving a Formula E car comparison to a Formula One car. Everything changes from strategy to cars to circuits but there are a lot of similarities. Ultimately it comes to just one thing. It’s a racing car, we try to go as fast as possible on the track in an attempt to win the race.”
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