Mumbai-based racer, Jehan Daruvala is driving for Maserati this season and opens up about being a part of Formula E

Having begun his racing career at a young age , Jehan Daruvala quickly rose through the ranks become a protégé of the Force India F1 team and a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.

Hailing from Mumbai, this Parsi boy has garnered attention for his impressive performances in various championships, including the FIA Formula 3 Championship and the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

After four years in Formula 2, the prominent Indian racer moved to take part in Season 10 of Formula E (an open-wheel single-seater motorsport champion - ship for electric cars) and is currently competing for Maserati MSG Racing.

Currently ranking 19 on the drivers standings, Jehan and his Maserati Tipo Folgore numbered 18 have managed to earn decent points placing the team 6th in the constructors championship. With six more races left in this ongoing series, we catch up with Jehan on his journey as a racer, so far, the future of motorsports in India and lot’s more...

It’s really difficult to choose one. There have been quite a few but on the top sits my selection for Force India F1 Team Academy’s — ‘1 in a billion’ program — when I was just 13 years old followed by becoming the Red Bull Junior and winning my first race in Formula 2. And of course, now driving in Formula E for Maserati MSG are the highlights of my career, so far.

My earliest memory is watching Formula One on the weekends with my parents. It was our kind of family gathering and that’s how my love for racing began. I’ve always loved cars since a young age but I was especially fascinated by super fast cars. I knew I wanted to be a racing driver, but back then I just didn’t know how.

Formula E because it’s a World FIA Championship and I get to race with a great team like Maserati, against many great manufacturers and talented drivers. It makes me proud — all my efforts have paid off when I head out every week and face drivers and teams at such a high level.

For the longest time, Circuit o f Spa - Francorchamps in Belgium had been my favourite track. But when I began driving for Formula E, Riyadh Street Circuit became my new favourite, thanks to its high speed — it’s been really fun to drive.

Typically, we train a lot in the off-season, because once the Formula E season starts, the schedule is super tight due to the number of races we have and the days we spend on the simulator. So, when I stayed in London, my trainer would come in for four or five days of training and balance it with a couple of days off in a week. We also have a mental coach and a mind coach who we speak to pretty much before every race weekend to get ourselves in the best shape possible for the race.

I do think motorsport is in a better place than it was a few years ago but it will be fantastic if Formula E came back to India next year. Plus, having an Indian driver on the grid would help the growth of motorsport because you never know who can win.

There’s so much happening on a race weekend that I just like to slip on my headphones for a few minutes and quiet out all the outside noise. It helps me focus on myself before I get into the car and gets me into my zone — ready to go.

Back in Mumbai, I spend quite some time with my grandmother and play cards with her because I don’t get to see my family often. I play a lot of sports like paddle. But when in London, I am either found in the gym, sauna or swimming pool where I like to relax. Otherwise, I catch up with my family and friends, go out for a nice meal or just have some alone time in the house. But being a racer means we have to stay in touch with our engineers as much as possible because we race almost every alternative week.

Formula E is streaming on Sony Sports Network.