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As Team Manager, she became a central pillar of our racing operation and over the next 81 E-Prix, grew alongside Formula E to become one of the series’ most recognisable names.
Earlier this season in Mexico City, Delphine stepped away from the Formula E paddock, having made an impact on the world of motorsport, and many of those around her.
In her final interview as part of Maserati MSG Racing – in celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science – Delphine reflects on her time in Formula E, her thoughts on inspiring the next generation and her memories that will last a lifetime.
“Looking back on my time in Formula E, quite a lot has changed, but there are two things in particular. The first is our total evolution as a racing team,” recounts Delphine.
“During the first couple of seasons, when the series was very young, we worked with a lot of freelance personnel but overtime as we grew, we started to hire more full-time people.
“We became more organised as a team, we built processes, put procedures in place and through years of work and refinement, we built a true professional racing team.
“At the start, we had only five full-time people who were developing the car and going to every race, while working on other projects.
“We always worked extremely hard, but because of our amount of available resources and amount of investment, it was impossible to keep up with the bigger teams during the Gen1 era.
“Seasons 3, 4 and 5 were difficult, but even though we were small and independent, we built a professional organisation that could challenge for World Championships.
“The other thing I saw first-hand was my own evolution inside the Formula E paddock,” continues Delphine.
“My job was always the same, and with experience, it became easier, what really changed though was my role in Formula E.
“Motorsport is a very small industry, and everyone knows one another. When I arrived for my first race at Long Beach, I had no track experience, so I didn’t know anyone.
“Most of the team were freelance, and the faces changed frequently, and this made it quite difficult to become integrated. I had to adapt to this new environment, but over time, my place in the paddock changed.
“Cut to my most recent and final race in Mexico City and I knew everybody, and everybody also knew me. I received messages from a lot of people who I didn’t think would care that I was leaving, and that’s when you realise how long you’ve stayed in the sport and been there.”
Delphine’s impact on motorsport stretched far wider than the paddock, and in her work, she became an acknowledged role model, inspiration, and figurehead for female empowerment in motorsport.
“Being described as a role model or being called an inspiration always surprises me but is something I’m very proud of, it means a lot to me,” says Delphine.
“When people think of me like this, I like to think that it’s because I’ve demonstrated or shown authenticity in the way that I work.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always been the real me. I’ve never tried to put on a persona, and I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not.
“I’m me, and I’m not perfect. I do some things well, and there’s some things I don’t do so well, but I’ve always tried to be helpful to my team and lead by example, and I hope that’s what other people see.
“I’ve had a long journey in Formula E, I’ve evolved a lot, and I’ve grown over the last nine years, but most importantly for me, I’ve done it in my own way, in-line with my personal values. I’m happy with that, and I wouldn’t do anything differently.
“We’re all different, but based on my experiences, I would tell any woman who wants to work in motorsport to just be yourself.
“Do your best, don’t change, and don’t try to be someone you’re not. Keep your values, believe in yourself and if you can learn something from my experience, then I’m very glad that I was able to help.”
With six full seasons on track, it’s challenging to pick out a highlight when you have a headful, but Delphine explained that two interconnected memories will always hold a special place in her heart.
“I have a lot of special memories from my time in Formula E, but there are two that stand out the most,” she adds. “In Mexico City, Edo reminded me of a conversation we had after his first race.
“It was Hong Kong in Season 4. He was leading, wanted to go for the fastest lap, made a mistake, and then finished second.
“It was our first podium since Season 2, and we all came to the podium to celebrate but he was clearly frustrated and sad for us that he missed out on the win, and that meant that we couldn’t really enjoy the result as a team.
“Afterwards, I saw him in the pit lane, and I explained the significance of the result.
“I said ‘I know you’re disappointed, I don’t know what it feels like to win, because we’ve never won a race, but I can tell you that for this team, just being on this podium is huge. With your experience, maybe a podium is nothing, but to this team, it means everything.’
“One year later, we went back to Hong Kong and won. I remember Edo looking at me on the podium on that day, and we knew that we had achieved something big.
“We spoke about it on the grid in Mexico, and the memories came back. It’s not just about being on the podium though, it’s the journey to get there.
“I’ve talked about our evolution as a team already, and I don’t think there’s ever been more satisfaction than there was in Seoul last season.
“Edo won the final race of the season, we had finished second in the World Championship and the atmosphere was incredibly special, because for the first time ever, we were working as one team and had results that matched the effort we put in.
“So much hard work had paid off, and everyone was united. We were achieving what we had always dreamed of, and only one step away from the title. It’s a heart-warming memory of a family away from home, and it’s and one that I’ll have forever.”
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