Mahindra Racing has unveiled its M9Electro challenger for the upcoming 2023 Formula E season. The all-electric race car sports a new red and copper livery, which is said to represent a “closer collaboration” between the team and the company’s dedicated design studio dubbed Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE).
- Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland to drive for Mahindra Racing
- Valencia pre-season test on December 13-16
- Frederic Bertrand joins as new CEO
New livery inspired by Mahindra’s Born Electric platform
Past Mahindra Racing cars have featured various iterations of a red and white livery. The M9Electro combines the team’s traditional red with copper. The livery has been designed by MADE and is said to take inspiration from Mahindra’s Born Electric platform design language.
The M9Electro will now take part in the official pre-season test in Valencia on December 13-16. “I am delighted to launch our livery for the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship here in Valencia. The Gen3 livery takes inspiration from our Born Electric platform design language and marks the latest global colour trend in fashion, with the copper combining with the signature Mahindra red,” said Asha Kharga, chairperson, Mahindra Racing.
She added, “Elements of the design pay homage to Mahindra Racing history and our previous successes, with others demonstrating our vision towards the Gen3 era of Formula E.”
Changes at Mahindra Racing for Formula E Gen3
The pre-season test will also mark the first official outing of Mahindra Racing’s new CEO, Frederic Bertrand, who replaces Dilbagh Gill. Bertrand previously served as the FIA’s director of Formula E and Innovative Sport Projects and played a key role in the development of the all-electric championship.
Mahindra Racing also has a new driver line-up, with former Formula E champion Lucas di Grassi joining alongside the returning Oliver Rowland. Formula 2 race winner Jehan Daruvala, meanwhile, has joined the team as a reserve driver.
ABT Sportsline (who have teamed up with Cupra for their Formula E return) will also be Mahindra’s first-ever customer team in the championship. Mahindra will supply its ZF-developed powertrains to ABT, but this isn’t just a one-sided deal. As a former championship winner with Audi, ABT brings a wealth of experience and both teams will be collaborating on software and development. Moreover, the partnership also gives Mahindra access to an added set of data, which could prove to be crucial for development.
“I am very excited for this new dawn at Mahindra Racing. It is a new start for the team, with this fresh new look on the cars. I have high hopes for the direction of the team, we have some fantastic people among us as well as two brilliant drivers in Oliver and Lucas,” said Bertrand.
Hyderabad E-Prix on February 11
The upcoming 2023 Formula E season is going to be a crucial one for Mahindra Racing for a number of reasons. Firstly, it marks the debut of the new, faster and more powerful Gen3 cars. They’re 100kW more powerful, delivering 350kW (476hp) and a top speed of 320kph.
To save costs, the carbon fibre chassis and battery are common across all 11 teams. Manufacturers can design their own powertrain (including the motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension).
Season 9 will also be the first time the team will race on home soil, with the inaugural Hyderabad E-Prix scheduled for February 11. The season kicks off with the Mexico City E-Prix on January 14. A total of 16 rounds makes this Formula E’s longest calendar yet.
Dipan Sur
