The 2024-25 Formula E season is less than three weeks away from commencing, and India’s best hope in the Formula E World Championship, Jehan Daruvala, confirms that he won’t be a part of Season 11 of the all-electric racing series.
For those following Jehan’s Motorsport career, the news isn’t a surprise. After all, Jehan wasn’t a part of the pre-season testing either. However, there is more to Jehan’s journey which I try to uncover in this conversation, specifically his ability to deal with the uncertainty that the world of Motorsport often throws at professional race drivers.
For autoX, Jehan and I reflect on his debut season in Formula E Season 10, and what his Motorsport future holds given that he faces a 'break' in his racing career for the first time ever since he started racing in 2009-10.
Debut with Maserati
Jehan had to choose between two teams for his debut in Formula E - Maserati and Mahindra. At the Berlin ePrix last year, Jehan participated in the 'rookie test' with Mahindra, the team he was a test and reserve driver for and followed it up with a Free Practice appearance in Rome. However, he chose to make his debut with Maserati, a more competitive option of the two.
In his 16 races with Maserati, Jehan scored points on two occasions - in Misano and in Berlin. In qualifying, Jehan impressed in only his third session in Formula E by making it to the duels round at Diriyah. He ended the season in 21st place (out of 28 drivers) with 8 points, in comparison to his much experienced team-mate Maximilian Guenther (6 seasons in Formula E) who scored 73 points and was ranked 8th in the World Championship.
Reflecting on his debut season, Jehan says, 'I think the season looked a bit worse from the outside than it did from the inside. I genuinely believe that my qualifying pace improved towards the end of the year. There were a lot of races I could have scored a handful of points in, but I had incidents - some of them out of my control.'
'The level of Formula E drivers is as high as Formula 1, and to race in Formula E as a rookie, especially in almost equal machinery, is challenging. I think I managed to do that consistently in my debut season even though we didn’t score as many points as we should have,' he continues.
Enjoying Formula E
Formula E was the first series where Jehan raced against established and veteran racers. In the feeder series (Formula 3 and Formula 2) that are a part of the Formula 1 ladder, and where Jehan raced for 7 years, the grid is filled with rookie and junior drivers learning their craft. In contrast, the Formula E grid is filled with a mix of World Champions, race winners and podium finishers across some of the toughest racing series such as Formula E and World Endurance Championships.
Jehan says, 'I really enjoyed myself. Obviously, it was not an easy season. But even being sometimes in the top eight or top 10, it felt good. Just competing with these guys, on paper, is probably the hardest line-up of softs. Every single driver performed at a very high level, and that’s what makes Formula E so interesting. For me, as a driver, it was fun to compete - every tenth mattered!'
Parting Ways with Maserati
Before the final race of the season in London, Jehan already knew that he and the team would part ways after his debut season concluded. He had signed a one year contract with Maserati that included a possibility of extension - a clause that is usually performance dependent.
Explaining his chat with Maserati on parting ways for Season 11, Jehan says, 'We didn’t get into the key reasons about what and why the season turned out the way it did. We kept it professional, and that’s about it. Although, I did feel that I deserved a second season as there were a lot of races I could have scored a handful of points in.'
'Generally, I believe the right amount of time is needed to succeed in Formula E - most drivers found it difficult as rookies, and they had more seasons in the series. Of course, I am working hard to secure another opportunity to prove myself - keeping my fingers crossed!' confesses Jehan.
Case in point, Jehan’s Maserati team-mate Maximilian Guenther scored in just two races in his first season to end 17th (20 points) in the Drivers’ standings. Similarly, Dan Ticktum, Jehan’s team-mate from the 2021 Formula 2 season, finished 21st (1 point) in his debut season in Formula E. Guenther will start his 7th season in Formula E later this year, while Tickum will race in his 4th.
The Present
Jehan shifted to Europe to pursue his Motorsport dreams at a very young age. That also meant giving up time with the family back home in Mumbai. The current break in his career gives him time to pursue activities he otherwise wouldn’t get time to.
Jehan says, 'It is nice to be home with friends and family, especially during the festive time of the year - Parsi New Year, Diwali and even my birthday. For the last 15-odd years, I haven’t had the chance to experience these celebrations at home.'
Further, he confesses, 'Obviously, I miss driving! When you’re not racing, the break feels longer. Honestly, it’s the uncertainty of not knowing what I am going to do next.'
Apart from his on-track skills, a key trait of Jehan’s that has stood out through his career is his mental strength. During our conversation, Jehan’s composure reflected that mental strength even more when he philosophically says, 'There is uncertainty, yes, but that’s the life of a professional athlete - year to year. I focus on giving my best - with the car and the team, and see where it takes me.'
'That’s how Motorsport is - sometimes you’re not in the best team and you don’t have the best car, you have to accept it. The expectations need to be in control as you go through the ladder
He continues, 'The key thing is to not be negative and just take things as they come - and that’s how I am as a person. I have worked hard for the last 15 years and I will take things as they come and see what the future holds.'
The Future
After four seasons in Formula 2 (2020-23), Jehan was certain that his next steps in the world of Motorsport needed to be in a series and with teams that respected his talent rather than the financial package his personal backers offered. This belief will continue to guide Jehan’s future decisions.
Jehan and I discussed the obvious options - IndyCar, WEC, DTM, and of course a return to Formula E, if the correct opportunity came by.
The Mumbai-lad says, 'I would like to continue as a professional racing driver. Beyond a point, there’s no point in continuing to invest and drive. If it is a professional racing series where I can earn a living from, then it’s definitely something I would think of.'
Elaborating on his interest in IndyCar and the WEC, Jehan says, 'I believe that with a good CV in Formula 2, one could get straight into IndyCar (bypassing Indy NXT). However, some form of corporate sponsorship involvement might be required.'
He exclaims, 'Even endurance teams want you to bring sponsors these days, even if you have achieved well in other series. Frankly, it is not easy to raise the kind of sponsorship needed from India, especially to race in America.'
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While concluding our chat, it was evident that Jehan’s plans for 2025 were uncertain. What was even more certain was that he was at ease with this uncertainty and wanted to patiently wait for the future to unfold. In the meanwhile, the new sporting sensation paddle has caught Jehan’s fancy, while he’s also taking more interest in his family business.
'Even if I don’t race somewhere in 2025, there’s still a whole year to plan and decide for 2026. This isn’t the end of my racing career!,' he signs off.
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