Next Monday, India will begin on a new racing voyage, ten years after the unceremonious withdrawal of Formula 1. Formula E, an all-electric racing championship, will visit Telangana on February 10-11 for the first time for the Hyderabad E-Prix.
Formula E, now in its ninth season, is a typical single-seater competition that started in 2014 with one big difference: everything from the brakes to the engine is powered by an electric battery and zero petrol.
The majority of the rules, regulations, points, drivers, and teams are based on Formula 1, the pinnacle of racing. However, the series strives for a more sustainable future while minimizing carbon impact.
Lucas di Grassi is the only driver who has watched the sport progress from the first Formula E race, the 2014 Beijing E-Prix, to the Hyderabad E-Prix, which will be contested on the shores of Hussain Sagar Lake on February 11.
With 103 races and 13 victories, the Brazilian is the most experienced and successful driver on the Formula E grid, having also won the drivers’ championship in 2016-17. The 38-year-old will compete in the Hyderabad E-Prix as one of two drivers for Mahindra Racing, the sole Indian team on the grid, with Oliver Rowland.
Teams such as Mahindra, Nissan, Porsche, Jaguar, and Maserati are competing in Formula E to promote their electric automobiles in newer markets.
After eight seasons with Audi and Venturi, di Grassi got off to a flying start with Mahindra, claiming the pole in the Mexico City E-Prix, the season’s inaugural race, on January 14. He finally finished third, but his following two races in Diriyah did not go as planned, with the previous champion finishing 13th and 15th. The 38-year-old aims to turn things around at Mahindra’s home event, which will be contested at the 2.8km, 18-turn Hyderabad Street Circuit and will be the fourth race on the 16-race schedule.
In addition, Mahindra has recruited Formula 2 racer Jehan Daruvala as a backup driver beginning in December 2022. While Daruvala will continue to drive in F2, he will also continue to learn about Formula E by working in the simulator, assisting with vehicle development, and providing race assistance to the team.