Formula E News: Mahindra Racing confirms Drugovich for Berlin

Mahindra Racing announced today that Felipe Drugovich (pictured) will make his ABB FIA Formula E World Championship debut with the team at the Berlin E-Prix on 12-13 July, substituting for Nyck de Vries.

The Brazilian rising star will step into the #21 car in place of de Vries, who has a pre-existing commitment to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship on the same weekend, for the double-header in the German capital.

To fans of single-seater racing, the 25-year-old from Maringá, Brazil needs little introduction. Drugovich enjoyed a silverware-laden rise through the junior ranks, including championship titles in Euroformula Open and the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

More recently, Drugovich has balanced his commitments as a Reserve Driver for Aston Martin in Formula 1 alongside several sportscar appearances, including IMSA, ELMS and appearances at the past two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With an impressive 47 race victories and a further 71 podium finishes across his career to-date, Drugovich will now turn his talents towards his competitive debut in the FIA’s all-electric series – Formula E.

He recently completed a successful test for the team at Circuito Guadix, Spain, to gain crucial mileage in the team’s Mahindra M11Electro, built to Formula E’s latest GEN3 Evo regulations. He is also no stranger to the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, having participated in the last two Formula E Rookie Tests at the same venue, topping the times in the 2023 edition.

Drugovich will be hoping to add to Mahindra Racing’s ever-improving run of form. The team currently sits fifth in the standings after 12 races of Season 11, with podiums in Monaco and Jakarta, plus a one-hundred percent record for making the qualifying Duels and scoring points in almost every race.

Drugovich’s team-mate for the Berlin weekend will be Mahindra Racing’s other regular driver, Edoardo Mortara.

Speaking on the news, Felipe Drugovich commented: “I’m very happy to confirm I will be making my Formula E debut with Mahindra Racing in Berlin.

“Formula E is a championship I’ve been around for a while now; having tested on several occasions, I’m excited to now get the opportunity to race.

“Mahindra Racing is a fantastic team, one of the championship’s standout names, and it’s clear from their recent results that the new car is a significant step forward. I’m looking forward to working closely with them to prepare for Berlin, and I’m sure we can have a good weekend together.”

Mahindra Racing CEO and Team Principal, Frederic Bertrand, added: “It’s very exciting to be able to welcome Felipe to the team for the Berlin E-Prix.

“It’s been on our radar for a while now that we would need to find a solution for Berlin to substitute for Nyck. Felipe quickly emerged as the standout candidate, his achievements speak for themselves, and he’s been very impressive when he’s tested a Formula E car in the past.

“The benefit of having this confirmed so far in advance is that we have had plenty of time to get him fully integrated with the team, to prepare him properly for the race weekend and give him the best opportunity to go out and showcase what he can do.”