The Formula E championship eagerly anticipates its tenth season, commencing on January 13. This season faces the exciting challenge of outshining the highly competitive 2023 season. Last season’s introduction of the GEN3 cars brought exceptional thrills, setting high expectations for Formula E Season 2024.
Winter testing in Valencia has already given fans a sneak peek at the upcoming action. Dutch audiences will especially look forward to Nyck de Vries’ return to FE. F1Lead is gearing up to provide an in-depth preview of the 2024 season.
In the ninth season of the electric class, a new world champion was crowned at the season finale in London. Red Bull Racing simulator driver Jake Dennis clinched the title, capping off an epic battle with rivals Pascal Wehrlein, Mitch Evans, and Nicky Cassidy.
Seven different drivers from six teams claimed victories, and many of motorsport’s biggest names graced the grid: Maserati returned to single-seater racing after more than 75 years, alongside McLaren, Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan, and Mahindra. Mercedes exited Formula E prior to the 2023 season.
GEN3 Era Elevates Formula E
The ninth season marked the third significant evolution of Formula E and the commencement of the GEN3 era, continuing into 2024. The drivers have now had a year to adapt to the GEN3, which is lighter, smaller, faster, and more sustainable than its predecessors. This car is also the world’s most efficient racing vehicle, recovering about forty percent of the energy it consumes through its rear and front drive systems, boasting a total regeneration capacity of six hundred kW.
The high caliber of drivers, coupled with this complex, high-tech car, contributed to the thrilling races of the 2023 season. With a title fight that went down to the final race, the 2024 season appears set to once again offer fans competitive electric racing. This year, pit stops during races will also be mandatory.
De Vries Joins Mahindra, Frijns Returns to Envision
Last year, the introduction of the GEN3 car captivated Formula E, but this season promises more excitement in driver dynamics than technical advancements. Nyck de Vries, following a half-season in Formula 1, is returning to Formula E, where he previously secured the world championship title in the 2020/21 season.
He’s joining Mahindra Racing, an Indian team that faced challenges with the GEN3. Mahindra began 2023 with optimism, with Lucas di Grassi clinching pole position and earning a third-place finish in the season’s opening race. Despite this strong start, the team’s performance waned, and they ultimately secured only the tenth spot in the championship, narrowly outperforming ABT Cupra.
For 2024, Mahindra is taking a different approach with its driver lineup, bringing in De Vries. He will share the garage with Edoardo Mortara, embarking on his seventh Formula E season. In a discussion with Motorsport.com’s Dutch division, De Vries expressed positivity about the upcoming season.
“Formula E feels like a very familiar environment, and I see many familiar faces,” said the 28-year-old. “It’s no secret that Mahindra had challenges with the GEN3, but there was a good sign of progress. The plan is to climb higher. With the new strategy and all the changes, I believe it’s a unique project,” added the Dutchman.
Dutch Duo Dominates Formula E
With De Vries’ return to Formula E, Robin Frijns is no longer the sole Dutchman on the grid. The Limburger is gearing up for his eighth season in the electric class. Frijns began his Formula E career with Andretti, then found a successful partnership with Envision Racing.
However, he left Envision for the 2022/23 season to embark on a new journey with ABT Cupra, which, like Mahindra, faced a tough start and a challenging season. Frijns, however, is set to return to Envision in 2024, a team that clinched the constructors’ championship last season.
Formula E Experiences ‘Silly Season’ as Formula 1 Remains Stable
In stark contrast to Formula 1, where there were no changes in driver lineups, the Formula E 2024 season witnessed a ‘silly season’ of its own. In addition to the return of De Vries and Frijns’ switch, Sam Bird is leaving Jaguar to join Neom McLaren.
This move is particularly noteworthy as Jaguar finished second in the championship while McLaren was eighth. Formula 2 driver Jehan Deruvala is set to take the wheel for one of the Maseratis. Lucas di Grassi, another highly experienced Formula E driver, is departing Mahindra after a challenging season to pursue a championship with ABT Cupra, which finished last in the 2023 season.
Norman Nato, having concluded his stint with Nissan in 2023, is moving to Andretti, where he will share the garage with reigning world champion Jake Dennis. René Rast and McLaren have mutually decided to part ways, with Rast not returning to Formula E in 2024.
Rowland Returns, Legends Stay
In a return to familiar grounds, Oliver Rowland will rejoin Nissan, filling Nato’s seat and marking his comeback after having previously driven for them from 2018 to 2021. He spent the first half of the 2023 season with Mahindra. Mitch Evans, who has been with Jaguar since the third season, will continue with them in 2024. Additionally, former Formula 2 drivers, along with ex-Formula 1 drivers Jean-Éric Vergne, Sébastien Buemi, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Pascal Wehrlein, remain active in the series.
| Team | Coureur + Race Number | Coureur + Race Number |
|---|---|---|
| ABT CUPRA Formula E Team | 11 – Lucas di Grassi | 51 – Nico Müller |
| Andretti Formula E | 1 – Jake Dennis | 17 – Norman Nato |
| DS Penske | 25 – Jean-Éric Vergne | 2 – Stoffel Vandoorne |
| ERT Formula E Team* | 33 – Dan Ticktum | 3 – Sérgio Sette Câmara |
| Envision Racing | 4 – Robin Frijns | 16 – Sébastien Buemi |
| Jaguar TCS Racing | 9 – Mitch Evans | 37 – Nick Cassidy |
| Mahindra Racing | 21 – Nyck de Vries | 48 – Edoardo Mortara |
| Maserati MSG Racing | 18 – Jehan Daruvala | 7 – Maximilian Guenther |
| Neom McLaren Formula E Team | 8 – Sam Bird | 5 – Jake Hughes |
| Nissan Formula E Team | 22 – Oliver Rowland | 23 – Sacha Fenestraz |
| TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team | 94 – Pascal Wehrlein | 13 – António Félix da Costa |
This season, Jehan Daruvala stands out as the sole rookie. Alongside him, Jake Hughes, last year’s newcomer, and the seasoned Nyck de Vries also draw attention. Stoffel Vandoorne faces a demanding double season in 2024, juggling his Formula E responsibilities with a full-time position in the World Endurance Championship, and fulfilling his role at the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.
Winter Test Hints at Thrilling 2024 Season
An exhilarating pre-season test concluded at Spain’s Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia at the end of October 2023, signaling the potential for another highly competitive season. In the final session, nineteen drivers clocked the fastest lap times within seven-tenths of each other. Together, they completed 4960 laps, equating to a distance of 16,475 kilometers.
Evans showcased impressive speed in the first session, setting the week’s fastest time, surpassing Guenther’s 2022 record by half a second. Cassidy ensured his Jaguar teammate didn’t dominate all sessions, setting the stage for what could be an epic showdown between the two.
Da Costa recorded the same time as Cassidy but finished in third place. In the overall standings of the winter test, De Vries ranked eighteenth, returning to a Formula E car for the first time since the 2020/21 season. Frijns placed seventh, just less than a tenth slower than teammate Buemi. The snapshot from the test indicated that Jaguar was very fast and that TAG Heuer Porsche was also competitive. Envision also appeared to be close behind.
The two teams that struggled in 2023, ABT and Mahindra, did not make it into the top fifteen. Reigning world champion Dennis finished twelfth with his Andretti car, just five-hundredths faster than Vandoorne. Rookie Daruvala secured fifteenth place, about three-tenths slower than teammate Guenther in fifth. The test certainly demonstrated that the competition is incredibly tight.
Formula E Season 2024 – Sixteen-Race Calendar Kicks Off in Mexico
The tenth season of Formula E was initially set to feature a record-breaking seventeen races. However, due to the cancellation of the Hyderabad ePrix, the season, like in 2023, will comprise sixteen races. The action begins on January 13 in Mexico City.
The series then moves to Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, for the second and third rounds on January 26 and 27. There are also changes to the calendar, including the addition of a race in Tokyo on March 30, following the ePrix in Brazil. Shanghai is another new addition to the schedule.
Formula E has removed the ePrix in Cape Town and the Rome ePrix from its calendar, replacing the latter with the Misano ePrix. The Italian capital’s street circuit no longer suits the current Formula E cars. Additionally, the Jakarta ePrix will not feature in this season’s schedule, as the Indonesian presidential elections on June 8 clash with the planned race date, creating logistical challenges for hosting the event.
For the first time, the Portland ePrix will be held over two races to compensate for the dropped events. The season concludes with a double-header in London, scheduled earlier than usual due to the 2024 Summer Olympics.
2024 ABB FIA Formula E Schedule Season 10
| Round | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City, Mexico | January 13 2024 |
| 2 | Diriyah, Saudi Arabia | January 26 2024 |
| 3 | Diriyah, Saudi Arabia | January 27 2024 |
| 4 | To be determined | February 10 2024 |
| 5 | To be determined | February 24 2024 |
| 6 | São Paulo, Brazil | March 16 2024 |
| 7 | Tokyo, Japan | March 30 2024 |
| 8 | Rome, Italy | April 13 2024 |
| 9 | Rome, Italy | April 14 2024 |
| 10 | Monaco, Monaco | April 27 2024 |
| 11 | Berlin, Germany | May 11 2024 |
| 12 | Berlin, Germany | May 12 2024 |
| 13 | To be determined | May 25 2024 |
| 14 | Jakarta, Indonesia | June 8 2024 |
| 15 | Portland, USA | June 29 2024 |
| 16 | London, UK | July 20 2024 |
| 17 | London, UK | July 21 2024 |
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