• 24 February 2020
  • News

MAHINDRA RACING RETURNS TO HAPPY HUNTING GROUND TARGETING FIVE SUPER POLE APPEARANCES

24 FEBRUARY 2020, BANBURY, UK – Mahindra Racing returns to its happy hunting ground for round five of the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship on Saturday 29 February after the squad became the only team to make four consecutive Super Pole appearances in Season 6 last time out in Mexico. Following the Marrakesh E-Prix, the team is also pleased to announce it will be running Pipo Derani and its Reserve and Simulator driver Sam Dejonghe in the rookie test on Sunday 1 March.

Jerome D’Ambrosio, the 2018/19 season winner of the Marrakesh E-Prix, who became the sixth highest scoring Formula E driver of all time after the Mexico City E-Prix, will pilot the #64 M6Electro. His teammate Pascal Wehrlein, who had a strong qualifying session in his very first Formula E race in Marrakesh in Season 5, will be looking to repeat that in his #94 M6Electro.

Derani will join Mahindra Racing for the rookie test day. He has made a name for himself in single seater and sportscar racing as a British Formula 3 and Petit Le Mans winner. In 2016 he won the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona to become the first Brazilian to achieve these two feats in the same year. The 26-year-old has since won the 12 Hours of Sebring two further times (2018 and 2019), making him the youngest ever three-time winner and joining the Florida venue’s hall of fame alongside Formula 1 Champion Phil Hill and the legendary Mario Andretti. Most recently, Derani was runner-up in the 2019 IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship.

Dejonghe is a familiar face in the Formula E paddock. This will be the Belgian driver’s third rookie test. Since his last Formula E test, Dejonghe has grown his trophy collection from racing in the European Le Mans Series and continued as an F1 commentator for PlaySports, in addition to his role at Mahindra Racing. He’s back in Marrakesh for a third time to continue to help the squad with its M6Electro development programme.

The Marrakesh E-Prix takes place on Saturday 29 February at 15.04 local time. The Marrakesh rookie test follows on Sunday 1 March.

“Marrakesh has been a good track for me in the past and I won there last year in only my second race for the team, so I’m really looking forward to getting back there and seeing what we can do. The pace in Mexico was really encouraging and we will be aiming to take that momentum with us. Marrakesh is a good track. It does have a lot of combined characteristics which means it’s not always easy to drive, but it’s one that has suited me in the past. We’ll be aiming to qualify well to be fighting at the front again.”

Jérôme D'Ambrosio

“Last time out in Santiago and Mexico I was in Super Pole, and in Season 5 at my very first Formula E race in Morocco, I had a very good qualifying session so I think we can have a strong weekend. You never know how a race is going to go but I’m confident that we’ve overcome our reliability issues and we had good race pace in Mexico. Marrakesh is not your typical street circuit in Formula E, but the walls are still close and there are some difficult corners. I adapt my driving style at every race and I’m focused on getting the best possible result.”

Pascal Wehrlein

“The opportunity to test for Mahindra Racing at the Marrakesh test is one that I am very much looking forward to making the most of. Being able to contribute to a proven race-winning team is the perfect introduction to Formula E and I am very grateful to the team. The test will be a crucial one and I hope I can contribute with the experience I’ve gathered over the years working with great engineers and manufacturers. I have met some of the team already this week in the UK and have had simulator session time to ensure I am as prepared as possible. I have been looking seriously at Formula E for a few years now and I see this test as another important milestone in becoming more involved in the future.”

Pipo Derani

“I’m very happy to be joining the team again for the rookie test for the third time. It’s always an honour to drive for Mahindra Racing. My goal will be to serve the team in the best way I can and work on the development programme to help the squad be on the podium and winning races this season. I want to put my simulator experience into practice on the track, so I’m really looking forward to the test in Marrakesh.”

Sam Dejonghe

“The difficulties Mahindra Racing has had at the start of the season has only made us hungrier for success and the Marrakesh E-Prix will be a fresh start for the team. We know we have a quick car and we have been able to fix the issues we’ve had so we will show what we can do in Marrakesh on Saturday. We’re excited and optimistic for the upcoming races of the season. This weekend is an important one for us after the race as well as it’s the rookie test and I am delighted to announce that Pipo and Sam will be joining us. Pipo is extremely talented and his achievements at such a young age speak for themselves; we’re looking forward to working with him. I’m also happy to welcome back Sam who has a pivotal role to play in our testing and development programme, whether that’s on the track or in the simulator. He has been working very closely with our engineering team for a couple of years and, as always, his knowledge and feedback from the test will continue to help us develop in the right direction.”

Dilbagh Gill

«
»