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Movement in Formula E: who will drive where in '24 ánd what will Vettel do?

2 August 2023 at 20:22
Last update 7 August 2023 at 10:01
  • Ludo van Denderen

After Jake Dennis crowned himself the new Formula E world champion in London last weekend, an entertaining and exciting season came to an end. Meanwhile, the annual musical chairs dance: who will drive for which team next season began. A number of (very) famous names are in the picture in this regard, including a former Formula 1 world champion. GPblog lists all the teams, with their likely line-ups.

Envision Racing

Buemi/Frijns?
No individual world title for vice-champion Nick Cassidy - he was trounced by Jake Dennis - but Envision did manage to seize the constructors' championship. With Sebastien Buemi and Cassidy, Envision had a rock-solid combination, but it falls apart after this season. Cassidy has decided to seek refuge elsewhere (more on that later) and an old acquaintance returns in principle: barely a year after his retirement, Robin Frijns returns to Envision. Buemi will remain at his post for '24.


Jaguar

Nick Cassidy/MitchEvans
For several years Jaguar has been seen as a sleeping giant: with top drivers Mitch Evans and Sam Bird winning ePrix' every season, yet a world title has not materialise (yet). That is why the wheel is now changing. Sam Bird is leaving by necessity and in his place comes Nick Cassidy. With Mitch Evans - who is allowed to stay on - Jaguar undoubtedly has the strongest driver line-up for next season. After all, last season Cassidy and Evans finished second and third in the championship respectively.


Avalanche Andretti Porsche

Jake Dennis/Felipe Drugovich?
Not Porsche's factory team, but their customer team Avalanche Andretti ran away (surprisingly) with the drivers' title. The Porsche powertrain proved to be the best in the field, but what Dennis did with this car was outstanding. Indeed, the Briton was much stronger than his teammate André Lotterer, whose head seemed to be mainly with his work in the WEC.

Andretti will obviously say goodbye to the routine driver, and will probably replace him with a rookie. Felipe Drugovich is the leading candidate to take a seat alongside Dennis at Avalanche Andretti. Drugovich is a test and reserve driver at Aston Martin F1, but a spot with the Englishman is out of the question. During two tests in Formula E, the Brazilian impressed so much that Andretti wants to capture him.


Porsche

Pascal Wehrlein/AntonioFelix da Costa
Pascal Wehrlein was the championship contender for months, but in the second half of the season little worked out for the German. His Porsche was simply no longer fast enough to keep up with Avalanche Andretti, Envision ánd Jaguar. Recently, Porsche extended its stay in Formula E, as the first half of the season at least showed that it is on the right track. To take the next step, continuity is very important. That is probably why Porsche will continue with the current driver duo for another year.


DS Penske

Jean-Eric Vergne/StoffelVandoorne
The only team on the Formula E grid with two world champions in its ranks will stick with Verge and Vandoorne also in 2024. The team management is well aware that the nonetheless disappointing results were not due to drivers, but to the uncompetitive car.


Maserati MSG Racing

Maximilian Günther/Edoardo Mortara?/Nyck de Vries?
The first season in Formula E was one of peaks and troughs for Maserati. Prior to the year, Mortara was tipped as a championship contender, but the now 36-year-old Swiss was completely outclassed by his new teammate Max Günther. The German even won an ePrix. His contract has now expired, but it is only a matter of time before Günther extends his commitment. Mortara has an ongoing contract. Nyck de Vries' name is also emphatically dropping at the Monaco-based team.


Nissan

Sacha Fenestraz/Oliver Rowland/ Nyck de Vries?
Speaking of Nyck de Vries. Hardly had the Dutchman been shown the door by AlphaTauri, or Nissan is said to have already contacted him about a possible partnership. The Japanese want to continue with Sasha Fenestraz, have already thanked Norman Nato for proven service and - besides De Vries - are also considering Oliver Rowland. The Briton surrendered his contract at Mahindra during last season. Rowland reportedly currently has better cards than De Vries for the seat at Nissan.


McLaren Nissan

Sam Bird/JakeHughes
McLaren took over Mercedes' inventory and personnel last season, but did not have the same successes as the Germans. With René Rast and Jake Hughes, there were decent drivers on board, but not world-beaters in formula cars. Rast realised he was better suited to DTM and the WEC (where he signed with BMW) and quit Formula E. His successor comes over from Jaguar. With Sam Bird, McLaren does get a proven top driver in Formula E, which surely raises expectations for '24.


NIO 333

Dan Ticktum?/Sergio Sette Camara?/ Daniil Kvyat?
It was an anonymous season for NIO 333, even though it had enfant terrible Dan Ticktum in one of its cars. Little is likely to change for next season: Ticktum and Sette Camara seem set to stay for another year, although former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat is secretly hoping for a seat at NIO.


Mahindra

Lucas di Grassi/Jehan Daruvala?
A former champion, Lucas di Grassi had a disastrous season with Mahindra. The Indian-built car could not move forward and was at the back of the pack almost every race. If it started at all. The Mahindra was so dangerous that before the South African ePrix, it was decided not to participate at all (customer team ABT Cupra also withdrew at the time). The bad luck for Di Grassi is that no other team is waiting for him. Nor does the Brazilian (38, almost 39) want to quit. Jehan Daruvala, currently competing in Formula 2 and test driver for Mahindra, is the ideal Indian candidate to take a seat in the second car.


ABT Cupra

Nico Müller/Kelvin van der Linde?/ Sebastian Vettel?
"It's nothing and it won't get any better this season." It's a quote from Robin Frijns, speaking to GPblog earlier this year. Another season at the very back of the grid, the Dutchman had no appetite for that and so he left. ABT will continue with Nico Müller and Kelvin van der Linde is the main candidate to become second driver. The South African has his racing life in Germany, which makes him perfect for the German team he lives just a few kilometres away from. Or will it be Sebastian Vettel after all? ABT's team boss let slip in an interview that the four-time F1 champion is his ideal driver. But does the German himself fancy an adventure in the backfield of Formula E? It is highly doubtful.