The only Indian Formula E racing team on the grid, Mahindra Racing announced the appointment of Frederic Bertrand as its new Chief Executive Officer. The Banbury based outfit saw former team principal and CEO Dilbaugh Gill depart from the team earlier this year. And now, Bertrand will be stepping into his shoes as the team prepares for Season 9 of the electric championship. Frederic Bertrand will be reporting to Asha Kharga, Chairperson, Mahindra Racing.
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Speaking about the announcement, Asha Kharga, Chairperson, Mahindra Racing, said, "We are delighted to welcome Frédéric to Mahindra Racing. Frederic brings with him an excellent combination of automobile industry expertise coupled with a specialised focus on motorsports. This is an exciting time, as we get into Season 9, which will feature the all-new Gen3 car. This is also an especially important year for Mahindra as a founding Formula E team. For the first time in Formula E history, India will host its first race in Hyderabad in February 2023. We remain committed to our electric mobility agenda, which is a strong marker of our sustainability credentials."
With a new leader, Mahindra Racing is now gearing up for Season 9 that kicks off in January 2023
Speaking about his appointment, Frederic Bertrand, said, "I am delighted and extremely excited to be joining Mahindra Group to lead its racing activities. I have been privileged to witness the growth of the Mahindra Formula E team and feel proud to have now been entrusted with driving the team to even greater performance and results. The coming months will be tough and will require a lot of hard work, but the goal is clearly to be on the pace in what promises to be an ultra-competitive field of manufacturers and teams. It is a new chapter and major challenge in my career, and I cannot wait to get started!"
An automotive industry veteran having begun his career in 1998, Federic Bertrand worked with Sommer Allibert, a leading components supplier. He then moved on to Renault Sport Technologies, before specialising in motorsport from 2006. The ESC PAU Business School graduate joins Mahindra Racing from the FIA as the Director of Formula E and Innovative Sport Projects. He joined the FIA a decade ago as the Head of the Federation's Sporting Department, and worked on strategy and development across single seaters, touring cars, truck racing, drag racing, alternative energy and more. Frederic was then appointed Director of FIA Circuit Championships, which required him to promote FIA circuit racing series globally.
Bertrand has also been instrumental in the development of the FIA's e-sports programs, which brought the Race At Home initiative during the pandemic. He was also the driving force behind the FIA Motorsport Games, which recently concluded its second edition in Marseille.
