- The 25-year-old will become only the third Indian to take part in a single-seater World championship event
- He will drive for Maserati MSG Racing alongside Maximilian Günther
New Delhi: Indian racer Jehan Daruvala will make his debut in the all-electric Formula E championship when he lines up on the grid with race-winning works team Maserati MSG Racing in Mexico City this weekend.
The 25-year-old, making the switch from F1 feeder series Formula 2, will drive alongside Maximilian Günther, becoming only the third Indian driver to take part in a single-seater world championship event more than a decade after Narain Karthikeyan last lined up on the Formula One grid.
“It’s fair to say that I’m really excited for my debut with Maserati MSG Racing in Mexico – what an iconic place to start my journey as a Formula E driver,” said Jehan, who will also become the first Indian to race in Formula E since it was awarded ‘World Championship’ status.
“Together with the team we have worked really hard over the last few months to make sure that I’m as prepared as possible ahead of the start of the season.
“The track layout looks fun to drive and the atmosphere in Mexico is something I’m very much looking forward to experiencing as well – people underestimate the impact that these things can have on a driver.
“Most of all though, I want to do myself and my team proud.”
Formula E, which held its first season in 2014-15, has become staggeringly popular worldwide, and is heading into its 10th season.
The series boasts a field of competitive, top-level racers and has drawn in big-name manufacturers and established motorsport brands like Porsche, Nissan, Maserati, Jaguar, Mahindra, McLaren and Andretti.
Its calendar this year will take it through some iconic cities like Sao Paolo, Tokyo, Monaco, Berlin, Shanghai and London.
The switch to the championship marks the latest breakthrough in a career of highlights for Jehan.
The youngster began his motorsport journey in go-karts in 2009. In 2011, he finished third in Force India’s ‘One From a Billion’ talent hunt which paved the way for him to race in Europe.
He made his single-seater debut in the Formula Renault category, where the likes of Kevin Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz Jr also raced in their junior careers, before moving up to European Formula 3.
He first appeared on the F1 support bill in 2019, when he moved to the FIA F3 series, which races on the same weekends as Formula One, and immediately made headlines as he battled for the championship in his rookie season.
Having finished third in the overall FIA F3 standings, Jehan moved up to F1 feeder series Formula 2.
Jehan has won races in every category he has raced in, including F2 where his haul includes four wins and 18 podiums. Although a Formula E rookie, Jehan has had plenty of experience driving the current Gen3 car initially as a reserve driver for Mahindra Racing and later in the official pre-season test for Maserati MSG Racing. His aim is to establish himself as a front-runner like in other categories.
The season-opening Mexico City E-Prix will be telecast live on the Sony Ten 1 and the SonyLIV app.
Schedule
Free Practice 1 – January 13th, 2024 at 0355
Free Practice 2 – January 13th, 2024 at 1855
Qualifying – January 13th, 2024 at 2110
Race – January 14th, 2024 at 0133
