Mahindra Racing
has announced Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna as drivers for the team’s entry of
the FIA Formula E Championship for the inaugural season.
The duo will
represent Mahindra when they line-up on the grid at the start of the world’s
first fully-electric racing series in Beijing on September 13, 2014. Neither
Chandhok nor Senna are strangers to the international racing scene, having both
competed in Formula One and have been teammates before aswell.
S P Shukla,
Chairman of Mahindra Racing, said,“Both Karun and Bruno come with very strong
racing pedigrees and have successfully competed in a variety of racing series
over the past few years. The entire team looks forward to working with both of
them to optimise the performance of our racing car over the next few months of
testing before the start of racing in September this year.”
Mahindra Racing
Team Principal Dilbagh Gill said: “Karun and Bruno both represent the perfect
balance between experience and youthful enthusiasm for this truly ground
breaking championship. I am confident they will do their best to represent
Mahindra on the world stage and the entire team is aiming for top results from
the start of the championship.”
Karun Chandhok, 30,
said: “I’m very excited to be a part of the Mahindra Racing line-up. The team are
showing a lot of commitment to Formula E and it’s very encouraging to see the
support of senior members of the group to this programme. To be a part of the
only Indian team in this series is a real honour for me. It's also going to be
a nice reunion for me with Bruno again. He's one of my closest friends from the
racing world; we respect each other and work well together which will be good
for the development of the team. The city races are going to be a great
spectacle and the quality of teams and drivers should ensure some fantastic
racing.”
Bruno Senna,
also 30, added: “I’m very proud to be joining Mahindra Racing. There is a real
ambition within the team to be leaders in Formula E from the start. It’s also
an exciting prospect to be part of such a revolutionary championship from the
beginning. There will be a lot to learn very quickly, both for the teams and
drivers in terms of technology and driving styles and for race fans as Formula
E will popularise a new type of motorsport across the world. Of course, I
already have a great relationship with Karun which will help us work together
and move the team forward very quickly.”
To date, six of
the 20 Formula E drivers (two per team) have been confirmed with Lucas di
Grassi and Daniel Abt signing for Audi Sport ABT, in addition to Jaime
Alguersuari and Sam Bird, who join Virgin Racing.
Formula E is the
FIA’s new fully-electric single-seater championship designed to appeal to a new
generation of motorsport fans, whilst accelerating the interest in electric
vehicles and promoting sustainability. Racing entirely on temporary city-centre
race tracks, it uses cars capable of speeds in excess of 150mph (225kph). The
first of 10 races takes place in Beijing around the iconic Olympic ‘Bird’s
Nest’ Stadium with the season finale taking place in London on June 27.
Source: Mahindra Racing