Mahindra Racing team principal Frederic Bertrand says the team must now focus on learning how to win races if it is to continue its upward trajectory in Formula E, after finishing fourth in the Season 11 teams’ standings.
The Indian manufacturer enjoyed one of its most consistent campaigns in the all-electric championship, regularly qualifying inside the top ten and steadily building a tally of points. The team secured a total of five podiums: Nyck de Vries claimed three with second-place finishes in Monaco and both races of the London finale, while Edoardo Mortara added two more with second in Jakarta and third in Berlin.
However, despite the progress, Mahindra remains without a race victory – a step Bertrand admits is essential to keep climbing the order.
“For us to take the next step we have to learn how to win,” Bertrand stated. “We have learned how to qualify regularly in the top eight, how to get through the duels, and how to consolidate positions in the races. At the beginning of the season, we were slipping back in the points. Slowly we learned to hold those positions and make sure we scored, which gave us confidence and brought podiums. But what we haven’t learned yet is how to win.”
Bertrand highlighted Monaco as a turning point for the team’s belief, but also stressed that ambition sometimes needed to be tempered.
“The drivers want to win every race, but sometimes it’s about calming down and taking solid points. If we do things properly, we know the results will come. The important thing is to avoid wasting good opportunities by being too aggressive.”
Reliability was another area where Bertrand admitted improvements are still needed. The team faced technical issues in both qualifying and races that prevented it from fully capitalising on its pace. He emphasised that Mahindra must avoid chasing “silver bullet” solutions, which in the past created more problems than they solved. Instead, he called for discipline, process, and execution.
“The car is good, the team is good, and we have put the right structures in place,” Bertrand said. “We just need to avoid overreacting – whether too ambitious when things go well, or too pessimistic when they don’t. Success in Formula E is about consistency, and learning to make the most of every opportunity.”
He likened Mahindra’s rise to climbing a mountain: “Each time you go up, you secure the step behind you. Even if you fall, you only fall one step, not all the way down. That’s how we need to approach it.”
After a season in which Mahindra scored points at nearly every round – a significant improvement compared to previous years – Bertrand is clear on the next goal. “The step now is learning how to win. Once we do that, the rest will follow.”
