Ahead of the Mexican E-Prix, Mahindra Team Principal Frederic Bertrand confirmed the team would continue into the Gen 4 era of Formula E. The commitment extended beyond the next season and secured Mahindra’s place in the championship for years to come. It gave the team a renewed opportunity to build towards sustained success. Alongside the long-term announcement, Mahindra also revealed that Jake Hughes would join the organisation as development and simulator driver.
Balancing the present fight with a high-stakes GEN 4 future
Mahindra’s commitment to Gen 4 marked a defining moment for the team. It also brought added pressure behind the scenes. Bertrand admitted the confirmation had come late, but he stressed how crucial it was to secure Mahindra’s place in Formula E’s future. The real challenge lay in setting priorities. It meant making compromises, giving a little in one area to protect something more important in another.
Despite the long-term demands of Gen 4 development, Bertrand made clear that Season 12 remained critical. The team focused fully on delivering strong race weekends while, in parallel, pushing hard to produce a competitive Gen 4 car. For Bertrand, the task was ultimately about people, ensuring every member of the team could give their full commitment.
“It’s a real challenge, to be honest. I think the challenge number one has been to confirm it properly, and we come a little bit late in the process, but we are so happy that we will be part of the game for the coming years, and we will be able to fight with our friends. Then it’s a matter of choosing priorities and sometimes compromising a little bit on the right to secure something better on the left, but as much as we can, season 12 is so important for us.
“We want to make sure that we deliver a very good season, so focus is fully on this one. And on the other side, Gen 4 is so important for us that we want to deliver a very good car. So focus is 100% there also. I just need to make sure that all my guys are able to deliver 100% as well. That’s all.”
Hughes adds depth as Mahindra focuses on development in season 12 of Formula E
Mahindra strengthened its technical depth by bringing former Formula E driver Jake Hughes into the team as development and simulator driver. A move Bertrand framed as both practical and strategic. He highlighted how demanding the coming months would be and underlined the value of adding experience and fresh motivation. Hughes, Bertrand noted, offered proven knowledge of the championship, not only as a racer but also as a contributor to car development. This immediately enhanced Mahindra’s capabilities, according to Bertrand. Just as important was the attitude he brought with him. In fact, he is fitting in neatly into Mahindra’s working culture. For now, Bertrand stressed, the focus remained firmly on development work and delivering a strong Season 12. Meanwhile, the discussion about Hughes’ long-term future was deliberately left for another time.
“I think additional competencies and additional motivation and experience is always good in our game. As you just mentioned before, there is a lot to do in the coming months, so having additional forces is for sure very good. Jake has a lot of experience in the championship as a racer, also as a developer for some cars, and that’s something we feel is a very simple additional value for us. On top of that, he’s coming with a very good spirit, and for the moment we are focused on developing and making sure that season 12 is going well. The future will be another topic we are prepared to concentrate on.”
