Pune: Mahindra Racing, one of the 10 founding teams of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, is the first team felicitated at the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy event, in Brisighella, Italy.
Mahindra Racing received the special award for commendable performance in motorsport. This is the first time that a Formula E team was recognised as a part of the award ceremony which demonstrates the success of the championship through its four seasons since 2014.
Team Principal & CEO Dilbagh Gill collected the award on behalf of the entire team while Nick Heidfeld was felicitated by the Italian Senate.
Nick will also drive the team’s season four challenger, the M4Electro, for two laps of the town’s ‘figure-of-eight’ circuit. Hailed as the surprise of season three, Mahindra Racing’s race to the front in 2017, has earned them a place as an equal amongst some of the biggest automotive names.
The team started out as a back-marker team in the first season though still finished eighth; they then moved up to fifth in season two. Season three saw them take their first win, and a haul of 10 podiums.
“It is an honour to be recognised by one of the most prestigious awards in motorsport history. Being the first Formula E team to be felicitated is definitely the cherry on top,” said team principal and CEO Dilbagh Gill on the award.
Factbox on Lorenzo bandini
Italian racing driver Lorenzo Bandini worked his way up through the racing classes to drive for the Scuderia Centro Sud and Ferrari Formula 1 teams from 1961 to 1967 and achieved one pole position, two fastest laps, eight podiums and a race win in his F1 career. He was also a decorated endurance driver and won Le Mans and the Targo Florio. Since his tragic accident in 1970 at the Monaco Grand Prix, the Bandini Trophy has been awarded to young people who have displayed commendable character, maturity and performance in Formula 1.
