Roberto Mehri will replace Oliver Rowland at the upcoming Jakarta e-Prix doubleheader after an agreement was reached with the British driver to “step aside for the next seven races”
Mehri, 32, previously raced in Formula One for Manor Marrussia in 2015 and recently took part in the Formula E rookie test in Berlin, his first taste of electric racing.
There has been no confirmation on who will replace Rowland for the remaining rounds of the season, or the reason behind the move.
In the Berlin rookie test, Mahindra was the only team to run three drivers, with Jordan King and Jehan Daruvala also taking part.
Roberto Merhi said: “It’s a huge honour for me to step in and represent Mahindra Racing for the races in Jakarta. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and I’m determined to make the most of it. I had a chance to drive the M9Electro at the rookie test in Berlin but Formula E is very different to any of the other series I’ve raced in so the learning curve will be steep. But I feel ready, excited and up for the challenge.”
Mahindra Racing CEO, Frederic Bertrand, said: “We are delighted to welcome Roberto to the Mahindra Racing team. Roberto has impressive experience in top-level racing and a good track record in major championships. He had a great run with us at the Rookie Test in Berlin last month and we could see he had the potential to become a great asset for the Mahindra Racing team. It’s not easy to jump in mid-season, but Roberto has experience of working with the team, so I’m sure he will slot into the team brilliantly.”