Written by Divebomb Formula E Team
We are only one sleep away from the commencement of Formula E action in 2024. In tune, we asked our Formula E writers to predict the outcome of the 2024 Formula E season, along with other aspects such as surprises, apart from giving a hot take for the season. From teams leaving, to multiple teams winning, and varying predictions for the best race, hear from our writers as they go about predicting the outcome of Formula E in 2024.
Jake O’Callaghan
Drivers Champion: Mitch Evans, Constructors Champions - Jaguar
Mitch Evans and his team Jaguar are my predictions for the driver and teams’ championships this year. Evans had a really strong year in 2023, often setting the pace of the field.
His four wins and seven podium finishes were enough to secure third in the drivers’ championship. He was prevented from a title charge by crashes caused by his teammate Sam Bird in Hyderabad and Jakarta, and then a big mistake by Evans leading to a massive crash with Nick Cassidy in Rome.
I think he and the team will have learned from their mistakes, and with his new teammate Nick Cassidy, last year’s vice champion, I think they are great contenders for the championships.
Most improved driver of the season: Jake Hughes
I think Jake Hughes will be the most improved driver in 2024. He had a solid debut season in 2023, highlighted with three top 5 finishes, including at Formula E’s crown jewel event in Monaco. His team McLaren are proven winners under their previous name, Mercedes. They had a comparatively tough year in 2023, but are more than able to bounce back in 2024.
Surprise of the year: ABT Cupra win a race
I think the surprise of the year will be a shock victory for ABT Cupra. One of Formula E’s backmarker teams, they have proven in difficult conditions to have some real pace.
They took a sensational 1-2 in a wet qualifying in Berlin, and the conditions were the main reason for this, to their own admission. Don’t be surprised to see them surge up the timing screen if a race this year sees some showers.
Best race of the season: Misano
I believe Misano will be the best race of the year. Often new events can bring up unique and unexpected troubles for teams, lending them to more drama than other, more established races. Last year’s Portland race also proved that Formula E works amazingly on permanent circuits, and I expect Misano to be no different.
Hot Take of 2024: Mahindra leave Formula E
Finally, my hot take of 2024 is that Mahindra could leave Formula E. It is no secret Mahindra have had some issues in the background, particularly with a struggling powertrain.
They also have lost some key personnel, particularly their longtime Team Principal Dilbagh Gill, who left before the 2023 season. These troubles have seen a slide down the table for the Indian outfit.
The team that once contended for races on a weekly basis now consistently struggles to score points. I would not be surprised to see Mahindra call an end to their Formula E journey before the new Gen3 Evo regulations are implemented next year.
Jacob Awcock
Drivers Champion: Jake Hughes; Constructors Champions - Porsche
Following a strong debut season I believe that with his current experience in Formula E and other racing series Jake Hughes will leave London as the 2024 Formula E world champion. The experience he has gained during 2023 as well as being in a familiar environment for 2024 will all add up to an outstanding performance this year.
Having missed out last year following a disappointing end to the season, Porsche will take the Constructors Championship this season having been pushed all the way by Mclaren, Envision and Jaguar.
Porsche showed great promise at the beginning of 2023 and this will be replicated again however, unlike 2023, they will continue to show consistent form with both drivers being regular features on the podium helping them claim the constructors title in the last race at London.
Most improved driver of the season: Dan Ticktum
Dan Ticktum, I believe, will be the most improved driver and a surprise driver this season. Known for his fiery temper and aggressive driving style, I feel he will be a force to be reckoned with, particularly when given a car that can compete right up at the top.
He will show many astonishing drives, making people remember the old Dan Ticktum from various junior racing series.
Surprise of the year: ERT to win a race
ERT will be looking to make an impact in Formula E this season; score points consistently and maybe push fro top 5 will be there main goals but with a strong driver pairing i feel that they will challenge for the podium on several occasions and will come out on top at one race, winning early on in the season I believe, possibly in Mexico.
Best race of the season: London
London will be when the curtain closes on this year's championship and there will be a lot on the line I predict.
Drivers and teams alike will be giving it there all around the difficult track that circles the London docks and the DLR lines and it will prove to be a cracking two rounds. With variable weather conditions and an indoor section, drama will be prominent on every lap and you won't be able to take your eyes off of the action.
Hot Take of 2024: Andretti leave Formula E
With the team knocking on the door of Formula One I think this will be Andretti’s last year in Formula E with the team opting to sit out 2025 and focus more on Formula One. This will come as a shock to many and 2023 world champion Jake Dennis will have to find a new home following this.
Max Smolarski
Drivers Champion: Nick Cassidy; Constructors Champion: Jaguar
Despite there being an incredible amount of drivers capable of going for the title in 2024, one of the most reasonable picks for Season 10’s champion would be Nick Cassidy.
In Season 9, Cassidy went above and beyond to not only power Envision Racing to a constructors’ title, but also 4 brilliant wins that pushed him to a challenge for the title with Jake Dennis and Mitch Evans right until the final race weekend in London. It is no surprise that Cassidy will be able to keep this form for the upcoming season.
Season 10’s lineup for Jaguar Racing is stronger than ever, and possibly the strongest in the entire field. Last season, Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy collectively won half of the 16 races that went ahead, as well as 4 pole positions and 3 fastest laps.
The Jaguar powertrain took first and second in the constructors’ championship last year, with both manufacturer and customer fighting to the title until the last race, so it is very possible that Jaguar will be able to keep their level of high performance in Season 10.
Most improved driver of the season: Sacha Fenestraz
Last season, Sacha Fenestraz was one of the two rookies in the championship, and was just as impressive as Jake Hughes in his level of performance throughout the season, despite the underwhelming Nissan powertrain.
He took a brilliant pole position in Cape Town, and almost got another in Monaco. Despite this, he was never able to reach the podium steps — almost getting there in Cape Town before crashing on the final lap.
I am absolutely certain that the French-Argentine will learn from the experience of the entire season, and improve massively over Season 10, not just in terms of results.
Surprise of the year: McLaren championship contender
The Nissan powertrain wasn’t brilliant in Season 9, but I believe that Nissan will be able to improve it to a competitive level for this season. That, and a new face in Sam Bird, will push McLaren even further.
The surprise will be less in the drivers, as both Bird and Hughes have proven to be brilliant racers, but the surprise will be more in the improvements within the car and the team around it, which has evolved for the better over the past few months.
Best race of the season: Portland
It’s very tricky to say what the best race of the season was in 2023, because so many of them were so competitive and many races went down to the final lap. However, there was pure chaos in Portland, and with estimated higher speeds than last season, I expect this chaos to continue in 2024.
Hot take of 2024: Multiple Season 1 drivers leave Formula E
There are currently 5 drivers in Season 10 of Formula E that were also present in the inaugural season in 2014/15; Bird, Buemi, Da Costa, Di Grassi, and Vergne.
Despite being confident in the high level of both performance and experience these drivers possess, it’s very possible that at least one of them will move away from the sport by the end of the season.
Buemi has multiple years of achievements in WEC and is still currently racing there, a few others like Bird and Di Grassi have some level of previous WEC experience and could potentially return, and maybe ones like Vergne or Da Costa would hang up their helmet for good, as seen by the latter’s recent exit from endurance racing from this year onwards.
Vyas Ponnuri
Drivers champion - Nick Cassidy
Picking a driver’s champion in Formula E is an incredibly tough affair, as the whole grid is closely matched all through the season. Given the battery and chassis similarities among teams, the onus is on drivers to make the difference, and be the defining factor for their teams.
And this season, one name will have even more fire in his belly to go big, given the ending of the 2023 season. Rejuvenated at the prospects of taking Jaguar to the championship, Nick Cassidy will become the next first-time champion of the series, winning out in a battle among as many as six different drivers, headlining a stellar Formula E season.
Of course, he will be pushed all the way by many contenders, not least his team mate Mitch Evans, and reigning champion Jake Dennis, but Cassidy will come through the ups and downs Formula E has to offer, emerging on top with the coveted Formula E crown in London.
He has proven to be a comeback king, winning races from far lower down on the grid, and that skill will once again benefit Cassidy in his quest for glory in season ten.
His competitors will include a wide array of racers, including teammate Mitch Evans, reigning champion Jake Dennis, Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, and the DS Penske duo of Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne.
Constructors Champion - Jaguar Racing
With so many teams matched closely together in the electric racing series, it comes down to the team having the most consistent line-up on the grid, and I predict Jaguar as the constructors champions of Season Ten.
With two drivers in prime form, and having bedded into the Gen3 era as championship contenders, there’s no doubt Evans and Cassidy will be raring to end the team’s seven-year search for the teams’ crown. The Jaguar powertrain proved to be superior over the course of a season, with the team’s customer Envision Racing taking the crown in 2023, with Nick Cassidy starring in this feat.
The Jaguar works team missed out on a constructors championship win by a mere 12 points, and armed by the signing of Nick Cassidy, this will spur them to the crown in 2024, their first in what will be eight seasons of Formula E.
They will certainly have to work for it, and will face stern competition from DS Penske, whose duo of world champions will no doubt push the British team all the way. Andretti and Porsche will be in the fight, but will be unable to match the Jaguar and DS Penske outfits in their quest for the crown.
Most Improved Driver of the Year
I’d put down two names for this metric — Maximilian Gunther and Sacha Fenestraz. While Gunther impressed towards the latter stages of 2023, he will carry this momentum into the new season, and join the five aforementioned contenders in the battle for world championship glory.
However, while he will most certainly improve, I believe Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz will display just as much improvement over the course of season ten, out-scoring returning teammate Oliver Rowland, and finishing in the top ten of the drivers standings.
The French-Argentine racer was a standout qualifier in 2023, shattering speed records to take pole at Cape Town, and genuinely revels under the pressure of a qualifying session. Alongside this, Fenestraz will improve his race pace in 2024, capitalising on the strengths the Nissan machine has to offer, and I expect to see him on the podium a few times in 2023, and take at least one race win in 2024, signifying the evolution and growth potential of this young racer.
One to watch out for in 2024, indeed, and he will certainly make his way into the duels just as frequently as he did in 2023, maintaining the same rhythm he had across qualifying.
Surprise of the year
Surprises can come in various forms, and I believe the performance of Envision Racing in 2024 will certainly be a surprise for many to ponder about.
Constructors champions in 2023, but I highly doubt the team wearing green will be able to live up to the highs of season nine, falling out of championship contention, and a distant fifth, well behind the championship contending quartet.
The Cassidy-sized hole will be one too big to fill for Envision Racing, and despite being buoyed by the return of a familiar face to their fold, I simply don’t think the team would be able to maximise their package, and contend for the championship in 2024.
Buemi proved to be an able ally last season, but was largely inconsistent compared to teammate Cassidy, and I doubt he will be able to replicate the same performances of yore, and might even choose to hang up his Formula E boots after 10 seasons.
Best Race of 2024: Tokyo E Prix
This is an interesting metric for sure. 2023 had so many new locations, and each one delivered a thrilling race, and this topped off at the Portland E Prix in June, with over 400 overtakes in the race, and entertainment all through.
In the same vein, I believe a new venue will once again deliver the best race of the season. As much as I would love to go in with a permanent road course as a prediction, I simply believe the highly-awaited Tokyo E Prix will prove to be the most interesting race in 2024.
A challenging layout would certainly prove to be tough to tame for most of the grid, with the technical corners to kick off the lap certainly testing the reflexes and catching out a few drivers. The track also features ample overtaking opportunities, with three long straights headlining the track layout.
Topping it off will be home favourite Nissan securing a victory, with a sterling drive from their rapidly-improving sophomore season driver Sacha Fenestraz, giving the fans plenty of reasons to cheer. The Tokyo backdrop will also be one for photographers to savour, with plenty of iconic shots of Formula E cars racing in the locales of Tokyo making their way to our galleries.
Hot Take of 2024: Eight Teams to win at least One Race in 2024
You wanted a hot take, right? And here it is. Formula E’s 2024 season will see as many as eight teams taste victory at least once in 2024. Season Nine saw six teams experience the winning feeling, and I believe more teams will join them on the top step in 2024.
Some may be surprises, others may be the usual suspects taking victory. Apart from my championship-contending quartet of teams Jaguar, DS Penske, Andretti, and Porsche, I believe McLaren will take a victory at some point in season ten, much to the experience of Sam Bird playing out. Max Gunther will take Maserati to the top step of the podium once again in 2024.
My aforementioned prediction of a Nissan win in Tokyo adds on to a growing list of teams taking the spoils at least once, and my final shout for a team winning would be Mahindra Racing, with Nyck de Vries channelling his Formula E expertise to bring an ever-improving Mahindra team a surprise victory.
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