Latest news with #MahindraRacing
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Oliver Rowland recalls his biggest career risk: "I remember not sleeping for two–three weeks'
Oliver Rowland's journey (Image credit: Formula E) Things weren't always well-planned for Oliver Rowland, who has just clinched the Formula E World Championship. The 32-year-old Nissan driver took major risks throughout his career, including walking away from a team without another offer in hand. He describes that time as one of the toughest periods of his life. But Rowland eventually bounced back, joining a new team and going on to win the championship this season. Oliver Rowland's journey in Formula E was full of ups and downs Oliver Rowland made his one-race debut in Formula E with Mahindra Racing at the 2015 Punta del Este ePrix, replacing the injured Nick Heidfeld. He quickly disappeared from the scene afterward. Reflecting on that strange start in Formula E's second season, Rowland told Formula E's official website, 'If you go back to Punta del Este, I remember having no idea about anything when I arrived and leaving thinking, 'I'm not sure I want to do that again, because it was pretty tough.'' He eventually returned as a full-time Formula E driver with Nissan in 2018. After delivering notable performances over a few seasons, he switched to Mahindra Racing in 2021. However, midway through the 2023 season, Rowland made another bold move — quitting the team without a confirmed offer elsewhere. Nissan brought him back the following season, leading to two remarkable years that culminated in him winning the Season 11 championship. Speaking about his decision to leave Mahindra Racing in 2023 after two seasons, Rowland said, 'I took a huge risk for my career and for my family because my contract is what keeps us all fed and watered, so walking away from that was a really, really tough period in my life. I remember not sleeping for like, two, three weeks at some point. To kind of write the story and come out on the other side with the team that I started in Formula E with is just perfect. ' He added, 'As a racing driver, a lot of days are bad, and you have to keep believing in yourself — that you're capable of doing it. Going into this year, I was confident that we would have a good chance.' Oliver Rowland shares his happiness on Formula E championship win Now, Oliver Rowland has become the Formula E World Champion in just his second year back with Nissan. 'The moment I arrived in the championship and looked at the caliber of drivers here and the previous World Champions, it's such a good achievement for me to become World Champion. To be part of that is incredible,' he said. Also Read: Oliver Rowland's rise to champion: Rare childhood moments highlighted in touching video Rowland will now race in front of his home crowd in London, where he'll lift the World Championship trophy. Since he won in London last year, another win or a podium finish would be the icing on the cake. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
London E-Prix Preview: Mahindra Racing Gears Up for July 26 Showdown
As the countdown begins for the London E-Prix, Mahindra Racing looks focused and ready to make a mark. In this exclusive clip, one of the team's key members shares thoughts on the season's final double-header. With fans eagerly awaiting the July 26 race weekend, this video offers a glimpse into the preparations, challenges, and hopes driving the Mahindra camp forward. Whether you're a die-hard Formula E fan or a casual viewer, this is the perfect build-up to one of the calendar's most exciting races.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Berlin Rookie Test standouts Gabriele Minì and Kush Maini share insights after impressive runs
Image credit: Instagram The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Berlin Rookie Test, held at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit on Monday, was a surefire success. A strong contingent of 22 rookie drivers showcased their potential on track, with several emerging talents setting competitive lap times. Italian driver Gabriele Minì topped both sessions and set the fastest lap of the day at 57.643 seconds. Mahindra Racing's Kush Maini and TAG Heuer Porsche's Ayhancan Güven followed closely behind Minì in the two sessions, respectively. Top performers Gabriele Minì and Kush Maini reflect on Berlin Rookie Test The highly competitive test saw all 22 drivers separated by a mere 1.5 seconds, as teams ramped up their development programs with rookie talent. Collectively, more than 1,000 laps were completed over the course of the day. Sharing a few pictures from Berlin, Gabriele Minì wrote on Instagram, 'Fastest in Berlin. Very happy about the Rookie Test: a productive day with 96 laps covered, multiple race simulations, quali runs, and we set the overall fastest time of the whole #BerlinEPrix weekend. Thanks @nismo for this year's second opportunity after FP0 in Jeddah and for these brilliant days together.' Indian driver Kush Maini, fresh off his historic FIA Formula 2 win, continued to impress in Mahindra's GEN3 Evo machine by securing the second-fastest time of the day. He appeared pleased with his performance in both sessions, finishing second in the morning and third in the afternoon. Reflecting on his experience with Mahindra Racing, he said, 'I think it was a very strong day overall. We always made progress, and the team gathered some good data for London. Obviously, it's a different track, so we tested a lot of things. In the morning, we focused on 350kW runs, and in the afternoon, more on race runs. Whatever the run, we were always in the top three and really fast, so a good step was made. Whenever I get into this car, I leave with a smile on my face. ' Jak Crawford and Abbi Pulling share their Berlin Rookie Test experience American F2 race winner Jak Crawford also made a notable rookie return, claiming third place in the morning session while driving for Andretti. Sharing his thoughts, he said, 'It was a great day testing in Berlin. I feel like we really got the opportunity to try a lot of setup items and gain a solid understanding of everything. It felt good to be back in the car, and I was able to get up to speed right from the start, which really helped us begin working on things early in the session. Hopefully, the work pays off and the team can deliver a strong result in London.' Abbi Pulling, one of the women drivers in the Berlin Rookie Test, drove for Nissan. She looked content with the day's progress and said, 'It was a great day—very productive—and we achieved everything the team needed. I'm happy to take on this new role with the Nissan Formula E Team, as it's created a new pathway for me to experience machinery at the World Championship level. The morning involved a lot of runs focused on race settings and data gathering, and in the afternoon we did more push laps, testing several important items ahead of the London finale. ' Also Read: Berlin Rookie Test 2025 results: Nissan's Gabriele Minì leads, Mahindra's impresses in both sessions She expressed satisfaction with the improvements made during the day but added that she was still striving for more. She appeared pleased with her performance, considering how competitive this year's rookie line-up was. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Berlin Rookie Test 2025 results: Nissan's Gabriele Minì leads, Mahindra's impresses in both sessions
Image credit: Formula E/Instagram Nissan's Gabriele Minì topped both the morning and afternoon sessions at the Berlin Rookie Test held at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit on Monday. It was his third time in a Formula E car, and the Italian proved he has learned enough to now be in contention for a race seat next season. Mahindra Racing's Kush Maini, an Indian driver from Bengaluru, also delivered an impressive performance in both sessions, finishing second in the morning and third in the afternoon timesheets. Berlin Rookie Test morning session Gabriele Minì led the timing sheets in the morning, followed by Indian Formula 2 race winner and Mahindra Racing rookie Kush Maini in second place, and Andretti's Jack Crawford in third. 2023 F2 champion Theo Pourchaire ended up in fourth place, while driving for Maserati MSG Racing. Mahindra's other rookie, Dino Beganovic, finished fifth. He was followed by Arthur Leclerc, F1 driver Charles Leclerc's younger brother, who claimed sixth place for Maserati MSG Racing. Berlin Rookie Test afternoon session Nissan rookie Gabriele Minì continued his dominant form in the afternoon. He was followed by DTM star Ayhancan Guven, driving for Porsche, in second place. Mahindra's Kush Maini maintained his strong pace and dropped just one position to finish third. Maini was followed by Cupra Kiro's Callum Voisin in fourth. NEOM McLaren's Alex Dunne, who led briefly in the second timesheets, ended up fifth. Andretti's Jack Crawford, who had finished third in the morning session, took sixth place in the afternoon. Standout performers at Berlin Rookie Test Gabriele Minì returned to Nissan for the third time, thanks to the team's collaboration with Alpine Racing. Last year, he finished in the top 10 at the Berlin Rookie Test and took second place in FP0 at Jeddah. He currently races in Formula 2 and recently secured a podium in the Monaco Sprint Race. Ahead of the Berlin Rookie Test, Minì told Formula E, 'It's great to be back. I've enjoyed my two previous outings with the team, so I'm delighted to work with them again. It's a track I know well, having driven here in last year's Rookie Test. I also had the chance to drive the GEN3 Evo in FP0 at Jeddah, with the 350kW power mode, new tires, and all-wheel drive. I'll be aiming to combine those experiences. My main goal is to keep learning and help the team complete its program for the day, like we did in Jeddah, while also showing my pace. ' Also Read: Berlin E-Prix 2025 results: Nick Cassidy wins Round 14 race, Oliver Rowland clinches Formula E World Championship Kush Maini's strong performance in Berlin follows his victory in the Formula 2 Sprint Race at the Monaco Grand Prix in May, continuing a standout season for the young Indian driver. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Berlin E-Prix 2025: Pascal Wehrlein tops FP1, collides with teammate Antonio Felix Da Costa before finish line
Image credit: Formula E The Berlin E-Prix kickstarted at the picturesque Tempelhof Airport Circuit on Friday. The first free practice took place in the evening and ended with a dramatic collision between TAG Heuer teammate Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix Da Costa. Wehrlein went on to top FP1 while Da Costa suffered damages to his car. According to Formula E, the incident will be investigated by the Porsche team after the session. Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix Da Costa's collision during FP1 Pascal Wehrlein is number two in the Formula E Driver Standings with 103 points. He went on to set the mood for the Berlin E-Prix by winning the first free practice session on Friday. However, his contact with his own teammate Antonio Felix Da Costa during the end of the session at the start/finish straight left the latter's car smashing into the wall. Da Costa is number three in the Driver Standings with 98 points. Da Costa had won the last race in Berlin in 2024. He has won the Berlin E-Prix thrice and is the driver with the most wins at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit. Berlin E-Prix FP1 results In the FP1, Wherlein was followed by Mahindra Racing's Edoardo Mortara in number 2 position and Jaguar TCS Racing's Nick Cassidy in the third place. Cassidy won one of the two Berlin races last year. This season's leading Formula E champion Oliver Rowland of Nissan finished in the fourth position. Cupra Kiro driver Dan Ticktum finished fifth in FP1. He was followed by DS Penske's Jean Eric-Vergne in the sixth place and NEOM McLaren's Taylor Barnard in the seventh place. Andretti's Jake Dennis finished ninth. DS Penske's Maximilian Gunther who is racing in his home country finished ninth. Lola Yamaha ABT's Zane Malooney finished tenth in FP 1. Felipe Drugovich, who made his Formula E debut as a replacement of Nyck De Vries at Mahindra Racing, finished 16th in FP1. What's next at Berlin E-Prix Saturday will be a packed day with the FP2 in the morning, the Qualifying race around noon and then the Round 13 final race at 4:05 pm local time (7:35 pm IST). There is prediction of rain as well on Saturday. Rain is expected on Sunday as well when the FP3 will take place in the morning, to be followed by Qualifying around noon and the final Round 14 race in the evening. Also Read: Berlin E-Prix 2025: Schedule, how to watch Round 13 and 14 Formula E races, weather prediction The Berlin E-Prix will be followed by the Berlin Rookie Test on Monday, July 14. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
