This win holds great significance for Mahindra Racing, which has faced a challenging period in Formula E after once being regarded as one of the early frontrunners in the sport. The last time the team celebrated a victory was in 2021 at the Valencia E-Prix with former driver Alex Lynn, after which they struggled to keep pace amid regulatory shifts and the transition to the Gen3 era.
Starting in second place behind pole-sitter Dan Ticktum, de Vries transformed his impressive qualifying performance into a decisive race victory, having dominated both free practice sessions earlier that weekend. The former Formula E world champion maneuvered through a tumultuous Monaco race, which included safety cars, full-course yellow interruptions, and intense energy management, ultimately achieving Mahindra’s first win in the Gen3 era.
A pivotal strategic decision was made on lap 16 when de Vries executed an early mandatory “Pit Boost” stop. He then engaged Attack Mode at the optimal moment to overtake race leader António Félix da Costa on lap 20, taking command of the race. De Vries crossed the finish line with a comfortable three-second lead over Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans, while Cupra Kiro’s Pepe Martí rounded out the podium.
For de Vries, this victory at Monaco marks his fifth career win in Formula E and his first since Berlin in 2022. More critically for Mahindra Racing, this result indicates a possible resurgence after years of underachievement. Backed by the Mahindra Group and a founding entry in Formula E since 2014, the Indian team has struggled to maintain competitiveness in recent seasons due to technical and performance challenges.
The triumph in Monaco, recognized as one of the most iconic street circuits in motorsport, serves as a significant morale boost for the Indian team, which has demonstrated improved speed this season yet lacked a breakthrough result until now.
(Edited by : priyanka deshpande)
