Mahindra Racing has today announced the appointment of Frederic Bertrand as Chief Executive Officer, overseeing Indian marque as they prepare for the all-new Gen3 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Based out of team's headquarters in Banbury, United Kingdom, Bertrand will report to Mahindra Racing Chairperson Asha Kharga, in a role that will see him lead the only Indian team in Formula E and one of the founding outfits in the series as they head towards their ninth season.
Mahindra Racing is pleased to announce the appointment of the team's new CEO, @Fred_Bertrand.
— Mahindra Racing (@MahindraRacing) November 7, 2022
Frederic brings with him ten years of experience working with the FIA. He joins the team as we embark on a new era, and we look forward to seeing what we can achieve!
Welcome, Fred!🙌pic.twitter.com/i27Etm8ZDt
Speaking about the announcement, Asha Kharga, Chairperson, Mahindra Racing, stated, “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 Gen 3 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.”
Frederic joins Mahindra Racing from the FIA where he was Director of Formula E and Innovative Sport Projects. He joined the FIA a decade ago as the Head of the Federation’s Sporting Department, where he worked on strategy and development across a wide range of disciplines from single seaters to touring cars, truck racing, drag racing and alternative energy. He was then appointed Director of FIA Circuit Championships – a position in which he was charged with structuring and promoting official FIA circuit racing series on an international scale.
Frederic also spearheaded the development of the governing body’s e-sports programs, which resulted in the launch of both the popular #RaceAtHome initiative during the global pandemic and the Olympic Virtual Series, in partnership with the International Olympic Committee.
He was also a driving force behind the FIA Motorsport Games, which recently concluded its second edition in Marseille (29-31 October) and was hailed a resounding success.
Speaking about his appointment, Frederic Bertrand, stated, “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!"