In a shock announcement forward of subsequent weekend’s Jakarta E-Prix double-header, Mahindra Racing have revealed that ex-Manor Marussia F1 Workforce driver Roberto Merhi will likely be changing Oliver Rowland, who has departed the workforce after spending eighteen months with the Indian producer.
It was introduced by the workforce Sunday morning {that a} “mutual settlement” had been reached between Rowland and the facet for the Briton to vacate his seat for the remaining seven races of the 2022/23 ABB FIA System E World Championship, beginning subsequent weekend in Indonesia.
Having joined Mahindra initially of Season Eight, Rowland has loved minimal success, along with his greatest outcome with the workforce having been second within the first race of the season finale double-header in Seoul final August. This yr has been a catastrophe thus far for Rowland, who’s reportedly not been happy with the progress made by Mahindra’s Gen3 powertrain, which is arguably the weakest on the grid.
Rowland has claimed simply two factors finishes this yr, with the Briton having completed sixth in Hyderabad and tenth within the second of two races in Berlin. His departure maybe reveals among the frustrations amongst the workforce, who’ve didn’t construct on from Lucas di Grassi‘s podium on the season-opener.
Merhi enters the facet having pushed for them within the latest Rookie take a look at in Berlin, the place he impressed Workforce Principal Frederic Bertrand. The skilled Spaniard will at the least have extra time to rise up to hurry than regular subsequent weekend provided that it’s a double-header, with him being “decided” and “up for the problem” of competing within the difficult sequence.
“It’s an enormous honour for me to step in and characterize Mahindra Racing for the races in Jakarta. I’m extremely grateful for the chance and I’m decided to profit from it. I had an opportunity to drive the M9Electro on the rookie take a look at in Berlin however System E could be very completely different to any of the opposite sequence I’ve raced in so the educational curve will likely be steep. However I really feel prepared, excited and up for the problem.”
Workforce boss Bertrand additionally shared how “delighted” the Banbury-based workforce are to be welcoming Merhi into the facet, who he expects to “slot into the workforce brilliantly”.
“We’re delighted to welcome Roberto to the Mahindra Racing workforce. Roberto has spectacular expertise in top-level racing and a great monitor report in main championships. He had an ideal run with us on the Rookie Take a look at in Berlin final month and we might see he had the potential to grow to be an ideal asset for the Mahindra Racing workforce. It’s not straightforward to leap in mid-season, however Roberto has expertise of working with the workforce, so I’m certain he’ll slot into the workforce brilliantly.”
In keeping with The Race, Mahindra appeared into the opportunity of having reserve driver Jehan Daruvala change Rowland subsequent weekend; nonetheless, the Indian driver is tied-up along with his System 2 commitments for MP Motorsport in Barcelona.
Whether or not Daruvala may very well be used past Jakarta stays to be seen, with Mahindra having thus far solely confirmed Merhi for subsequent weekend’s tenth and eleven rounds of the season.
Following his “mutual” exit, Rowland’s time in System E may very well be over, with him having made his debut in a one-off look for Mahindra, funnily sufficient, on the Punta del Este E-Prix in Season Two (2015). His first full marketing campaign within the all-electric sequence didn’t come till Season 5, when he was signed by Nissan. Rowland went on to finish three seasons for the Japanese producer, earlier than switching to Mahindra forward of the ultimate season of the Gen2 period.
Ought to he by no means return to the championship, then he at the least leaves as a System E race winner, along with his sole victory having come again within the COVID-19 affected Season Six, the place he gained the fifth of six races on the Tempelhof Airport Circuit, Berlin.
