Favourites in Formula E in 2024: Dennis, Evans or Cassidy?

There are plenty of opinions about Formula E, but friends and foes can agree on one thing: this is one of the most competitive motorsports classes in the world. At the start of the tenth season, which starts on Saturday with the Mexico City E-Prix, there is no clear favourite for the world title. A large group of drivers have the potential to compete for the top prizes. GPblog lists the main ones.

Jake Dennis

What a year it was for Jake Dennis. His first Formula E world title last season was somewhat surprising. The Brit (28) already finished third once in 2021, but the fact that he drives for a customer team - in this case Andretti, who buys the powertrain from the mighty Porsche - only made his achievement all the more impressive.

Moreover, Dennis didn't achieve many wins last season. He won only two races, including the opening race in Mexico. However, Dennis was extremely consistent: he finished no fewer than 11 races on the podium. In the end, the world title earned Dennis a nice bonus in the form of two appearances for Red Bull Racing (during FP1 and the test) in Abu Dhabi.

In the mid-season, teams were only able to make small improvements to their cars, so Andretti Global can be expected to be among the best in any event. Next, it will be up to Dennis to be as consistent as he was in 2023 again.

Mitch Evans

If there were to be talk of a 'sleeping giant' in Formula E, it would undoubtedly be Jaguar. An iconic name in motorsport. They have also been competing for the top prizes in the electric class for years. Enough E-Prix' have been won, but that final step has not been taken: capturing a world title. Jaguar's Mitch Evans will also get his chance in the eighth season in the FE. The New Zealander may by now be expected to reward the team that has given him confidence for so long with a championship.

In any case, the momentum is with Jaguar. The team started 2023 trailing Porsche, but the Jaguar's powertrain improved considerably during the year. In the final months of the season, the British team had the best version. Combined with Evans' experience, that presents huge opportunities.

Nick Cassidy

If Mitch Evans does not succeed, Jaguar have another top driver in their ranks with Nick Cassidy. The New Zealander came over from Envision Racing, the Jaguar customer team that took the constructors' world title last season. Cassidy finished second among drivers in 2023 and realises that now is his chance to glory. During the (only) test at Valencia, Cassidy was fastest in the Jaguar, giving him confidence for a successful season.

Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne

It is always a pleasure to talk to Jean-Éric Vergne. The Frenchman never minces words and is averse to PR talk. "The biggest humiliation of my career," the two-time champion, for example, called the last E-Prix of the 2023 season. In fact, he finished last in London then, as, in fact, the whole season was a setback.

For the ambitious DS Penske, yet another season in the same vein simply can't happen. Including former champion Stoffel Vandoorne, Jay Penske's team has what is probably the strongest line-up in Formula E. But as good as the seasoned drivers are, there is so much room for improvement in DS' powertrain. If the French manage to match Porsche and Jaguar in terms of (limited possible) development, Verge and Vandoorne's qualities could make all the difference.

Pascal Wehrlein

Things were going so well: Pascal Wehrlein seemed to be driving carefree to his first Formula E world title in the early stages of the 2023 season, but from one day to the next, things took a turn for the worse. What's hot: after a crash in South Africa - which briefly landed the German in hospital - all form was gone with both him and Porsche.

Jake Dennis showed that the Porsche's powertrain was fine, but at the same time, there must have been a realisation in southern Germany that Jaguar seemed to have caught up with the Porsche team in terms of performance. Wehrlein probably had a better chance of winning the title last year, but the former F1 driver should certainly not be discounted for 2024.

Sébastien Buemi and Robin Frijns

Sébastien Buemi and Robin Frijns will drive for Envision Racing in 2024, the team that was the best among the constructors last season. With a Jaguar powertrain, the Brits have a serious chance of prolonging that title. The chances of Buemi or Frijns taking the drivers' title are a lot less in advance.

This is not so much due to the qualities of the pair but to the Formula E calendar. Indeed, both drivers already know they will miss the first Berlin E-Prix, as they have commitments in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the same time. That means a zero score in Berlin anyway, and it is precisely the constant racking up of points that often determines the champion. On the other hand: miracles are not yet out of the world!

Nyck de Vries

How is Nyck de Vries doing? After an unsuccessful adventure in Formula 1, the Dutchman decided to return to the class in which he had already taken the world title once. So in terms of qualities, De Vries could be a title contender. The only problem is: he is in a Mahindra car. The team from India were the absolute laughingstock of Formula E in 2023. After an outlier on the opening day in Mexico (Di Grassi finished third), they finished in the points only four more times.

With new driver duo De Vries and Edoardo Mortara, Mahindra is hoping for improvement, but is that realistic? A place in the middle of the pack seems the highest achievable. On the other hand, De Vries will be full of revenge, and perhaps that very fact makes him someone to be reckoned with in the title fight.