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Upon joining the Monaco-based team in the gap between Seasons 9 and 10, Jehan knew he was in for a steep learning curve, especially as the only rookie driver on the current grid.
He may only be three races into his Formula E career, but so far, Jehan has moved from strength to strength, backing up his promising pace with solid performances in Mexico City and Diriyah.
From his debut weekend to present, Jehan has met our every objective, and in Formula E’s most recent race, exceeded our targets by soaring into the duels in only his third qualifying session.
After spending some time settling in at Maserati MSG Racing, Jehan reflects on the first chapter of his story in Formula E.
“For the first part of Season 10, the season, I set myself the target of becoming more comfortable and more confident in the car, and on that side, my performance has been really good,” says Jehan.
“Track position has been super important for the first three races, and I’ve been working hard to optimise my qualifying performances because starting well is a key part of scoring points in Formula E.
“I had a couple of difficult performances in qualifying to start the year, but in Diriyah, I made my first duel appearance, and I feel like the hard work I’ve been putting in is starting to pay off.
“I think push laps are where I feel most confident, but what has struck me so far with Formula E is just how mentally demanding the races are – there are so many different areas of performance to manage.
“In a 35-lap race, for example, I’m driving the car, meeting my energy-saving targets, managing my tyres, and I’m continually feeding back information to my engineers, all while racing wheel-to-wheel against 21 other drivers.
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my career, but despite it being challenging, I’ve found it very rewarding so far.”
As Jehan mentioned, qualifying has been of critical importance in Formula E’s 10season to date and advancing to the duels opens ahost of points-scoring opportunities in race conditions.
Every cloud always has a silver lining, however, and despite missing out on the duels on two occasions, in both instances, Jehan has been placed in a position where he can learn from others by racing against some of Formula E’s best.
“I think experience can make a big difference in Formula E, and as the only rookie on the grid this year, I’m aware that I’m constantly playing catch up with the other drivers,” explains Jehan.
“In Diriyah I was racing some of the most experienced guys on the grid, and following someone like Lucas [di Grassi], who has more starts than any other driver, is really helpful for my development.
“I’m definitely getting more and more comfortable, and at this stage, every single lap I do in the car is allowing me to learn and improve. Realistically, that learning process won’t stop this season.
“I think Diriyah, especially, was very helpful for my own development because with it being a double-header, I could take my learnings from Friday and apply them to Saturday.
“Seeing the result of that with a top-five start definitely boosted my confidence, and now, heading to Brazil, I know that there are a lot of things I can take on board to run a more competitive weekend.”
Before heading to Brazil for March 16, Jehan plans to spend some time at home in India, and is maximising his time away from the track to put himself in the best possible position for an intense run of races in São Paulo, Tokyo, and Misano.
“The gap between Diriyah and São Paulo is quite big and for sure, for my own development, I would like to be driving the car as often as I possibly can so I can continue to develop,” adds Jehan.
“From Brazil though, the races come in thick and fast. Having this break at this stage of the season, and making the most of it, is something we need to take advantage of.
“I’m already looking forward to racing again but having some time away from the track will be good for everyone, I think. With it, we’ll be able to hit the ground running when the season resumes.”
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