Mahindra Racing’s return to Formula E continued at the Mexico E-Prix, with Nyck de Vries achieving another points finish, signaling a promising turnaround for the team. After a difficult 2023-24 season that yielded just five points finishes from 16 races, Mahindra’s summer reorganization appears to be paying off with improved performance and consistency.
De Vries Maintains Momentum
Nyck de Vries, the 2021 Formula E world champion, drove a controlled race to finish eighth, adding valuable points to Mahindra’s tally. Reflecting on the weekend, de Vries acknowledged the team’s progress but stressed the need to continue to develop.
“Overall it was a solid weekend, and it’s good for the team to come away with another points finish,” said de Vries. “Compared to 12 months ago, starting the season with two decent points finishes is a big step forward. We have a month until Jeddah, and it’s a great opportunity to continue working on improvements.”
Qualifying Highlights and a Double Points Missed Finish
The weekend was not without its share of challenges. Edoardo Mortara impressed during qualifying, reaching the duels for the second race in a row and securing eighth place on the grid. However, his race took a turn for the worse after contact from behind caused a puncture, effectively ending his chances of adding points to Mahindra’s tally.
“Constant points have always been the team’s ambition this season,” explained team principal Frederic Bertrand. “Nyck had a strong race to bring the car back to eighth, and if it wasn’t for the puncture, there’s no doubt Edo would have been in the mix with him.”
Despite Mortara’s misfortune, Bertrand expressed optimism, highlighting the progress made by Mahindra during the off-season.
A Revitalized Team After an Offseason Reshuffle
Mahindra Racing has entered the new season with significant changes, including a revamped technical team and an all-new powertrain. These improvements, combined with the experience of drivers like de Vries and Mortara, have brought renewed energy to the team.
-“We have taken a step forward,” noted Bertrand. “This result in Mexico and the qualifying pace in Edo demonstrate our improvements. Now it’s about maintaining that momentum.”
Mortara Optimistic Despite Setbacks
Although his race was compromised, Mortara found encouragement in the team’s overall progress and de Vries’ performance.
“Points were definitely on the table before the puncture,” Mortara said. “Nyck showed what was possible, and now we have a month to analyze these first two races and prepare for Jeddah.”
Let’s look towards Jeddah
Mahindra’s back-to-back results suggest that the team is on an upward trajectory. With a month to go until the next two races in Jeddah, the team has time to fine-tune their car and capitalize on their good start to the season.
As Bertrand summarized:
“We are going in the right direction. It’s time to analyze, improve and come back stronger.”
