Hughes lands test/reserve role at Mahindra

Jake Hughes has been given something of a reprieve in Formula E by joining Mahindra Racing as a reserve and test/simulator driver.

Hughes was left without a drive after the Maserati MSG Racing team became Citroen Racing ahead of this season, the team opting for Jean-Eric Vergne and Nick Cassidy in place of the Brit and Stoffel Vandoorne, who has gone on to take a reserve role with Jaguar.

“I’m excited to begin this next chapter in my Formula E career with Mahindra Racing,” said Hughes. “What Mahindra has built over the past few seasons is very impressive, and it’s clear that the team is on a really positive trajectory.

“I’m looking forward to playing my part and helping to move this team – which is one of the championship’s iconic names – back towards the front of the grid.”

Hughes made his Formula E debut in the 2022-23 season with McLaren, having served as the team's reserve driver in its previous guise as Mercedes. He stayed with McLaren for two seasons, and remains part of the McLaren fold to this day as a Formula 1 test driver – having completed multiple Testing of Previous Car (TPC) runs – before moving to Maserati.

He has two podiums to his name, a second place in the second race of the 2024 Shanghai E-Prix and a third in the second race of last season's Jeddah E-Prix, and has started on pole four times. All of his poles came during his two season stint with McLaren, the first of which being in just his third starts, the second race of the 2023 Diriyah E-Prix.

Hughes is well regarded for his technical feedback and development capability, and has also worked in a similar capacity at the Mercedes and Aston Martin F1 teams. He has already spent time in Mahindra’s simulator at its headquarters in Banbury in the UK, working alongside the team’s longstanding test and development driver Kush Maini – who is competing full-time in Formula 2 this season – to help optimize the team’s current M12Electro GEN3 Evo package as well as its new GEN4 car, which will debut next season.

“It’s fantastic to welcome Jake to Mahindra Racing as our new reserve and simulator driver,” said Mahindra Racing CEO and team principal Frederic Bertrand. “Jake gives us additional strength in depth in our driver lineup, and equally a very experienced, talented driver who can make a significant contribution across our GEN3 Evo and GEN4 test programs.

“We’re very excited to work with him and, alongside Nyck [de Vries], Edo [Mortara], and Kush, believe this gives us one of the most complete and experienced driver lineups in Formula E.”