Mahindra Racing announces winner of #DrivenByDesign Contest

Formula E

Posted on: 26 May, 2017

May 19, 2017, Mumbai: Mahindra Racing has announced that Tejas Manek is the winner of its #DrivenByDesign contest launched earlier this month. The competition called on participants to design driver, Nick Heidfeld's race suit for the next Formula E ePrix in Berlin on June 10, 2017.

Nick chose Tejas' winning design from over 480 entries across 19 countries, including India, Italy, UK, Spain, Germany, France and Australia. The 23-year-old design student from Pune will get the opportunity of a lifetime when he travels to Berlin to present Nick with the actual suit he has designed. In addition to meeting Nick, Tejas will also get to see his design racing around Berlin's iconic Templehof Airport during the June 10-11 double-header.

"Our fans are an integral part of the team's success and we are constantly looking at ways in which we can increase our engagement levels with them. We received an overwhelming response from our passioneers across the world to #DrivenByDesign, proof that the popularity of the team transcends geographical boundaries. I am especially proud of the fact that the winner hails from India and look forward to seeing Nick wear the winning design in Berlin," said Mahindra Racing Formula E Team Principal Dilbagh Gill.

"We got some really interesting entries for the contest and frankly, when it came to choosing a winning design, I was spoilt for choice! Tejas' entry really caught my eye because of its simple look and clean, yet striking design. It's very modern and dynamic though understated at the same time. The fact that I will be wearing it at my home race in Berlin, makes it even more special," said Nick Heidfeld.

Nick Heidfeld is a world renowned, ex-Formula 1 driver, who now drives for the Mahindra Racing Formula E team. Nick has been successful in Formula E racing, achieving several podium finishes in past races, with the most recent one being in Monaco.

Tejas is currently pursuing a Masters in Automobile Design from the DYPDC School of Design (Pune) and has already completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) from Mumbai University. He is passionate about cars and bikes and all things auto. His design incorporates the signature Mahindra colours of red and white with clean dynamic lines running across the suit, echoing Mahindra's signature 'ridge' design which is part of its corporate identity.

Last July, Mahindra Racing asked fans to design the livery of the team's season three Formula E car. The team received an overwhelming 281 entries from 41 countries, including 72 entries from India. Adria Haro Jorba of Spain submitted the winning entry, with Nick and team-mate Felix Rosenqvist taking the livery to races across the world in the current season.

Mahindra Racing is one of ten teams – and the only Indian team – to compete in the FIA Formula E Championship. It is also the first and only Indian team to participate in the FIM MotoGP™ World Motorcycle Racing Championship Series since 2011 and the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV) in 2012.

Mahindra Racing enters the third season of Formula E with its own electric powertrain to power its quartet of electric racing cars. The new M3Electro, launched for season three, is already proving to be a competitive package netting two podiums, a pole position and two fastest lap awards from its first three races. These results are underscored by the Mahindra Racing’s joint second place in the Teams’ Championship standings. Together with drivers Felix Rosenqvist and Nick Heidfeld, the team has high technical and sporting ambitions in the ground-breaking, fully-electric championship.

In 2015, Mahindra & Mahindra was recognized as the Best Company for CSR in India in a study by the Economic Times. In 2014, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000, a comprehensive listing of the world’s largest, most powerful public companies, as measured by revenue, profit, assets and market value. The Mahindra Group also received the Financial Times 'Boldness in Business' Award in the 'Emerging Markets' category in 2013.