Citroën Racing joins Formula E; marking a monumental return to the pinnacle of motorsport and a strategic entry into the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. This venture, commencing with the 2026 Season, is powered by the same passion for learning, progress, and performance that secured victories in Rally Raid, WRC, and WTCC. CEO Xavier Chardon emphasizes that motorsport has shaped Citroën’s history and legend for over 60 years. By committing to this %100 electric, responsible, and determined competition, Citroën shares strong, forward-looking values that embody the brand’s Sustain mobility vision. This innovative adventure provides a massive technological inspiration and an international showcase, reaching a young and connected audience in city centers. Furthermore, the single-seater boasts a tri-color design reflecting French expertise and pride on the track, developed at the heart of Stellantis motorsport.
The Citroën GEN3 Evo single-seater is a masterpiece of engineering, a direct synthesis of power and efficiency that acts as a performance laboratory where every kilowatt is critical. Faster, lighter, and more efficient than ever, it embodies the vision of sustainable motorsport. Built upon the Spark Racing Technology GEN3 chassis, the car features a carbon fiber monocoque that meets the highest FIA safety requirements. With a minimum weight of 859 kg (including the driver), it ensures agility and energy efficiency while offering dynamics similar to internal combustion single-seaters.
Beneath its sleek body lies an electric powertrain producing up to 350 kW (approx. 470 hp), achieving breathtaking acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.86 seconds, with a maximum speed of about 320 km/h. A significant innovation of the GEN3 generation is the dual electric motor system designed for record energy recovery. The rear motor provides propulsion, while the front motor is dedicated to regeneration. Together, they can recover up to 600 kW during braking, meaning nearly 50% of the energy consumed during an E-Prix is reused. This energy is stored in a 47 kWh battery optimized for instantaneous power, thermal stability, and endurance.
The single-seater is being developed at the Stellantis Motorsport center in Satory, under the leadership of Jean Marc Finot. The team utilizes nearly 11 years of unique experience in designing, operating, and optimizing %100 electric, top-tier single-seaters for championships like the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. This expertise allows Stellantis Motorsport to master the fundamental balance between power, efficiency, and reliability—where every fraction of energy efficiency translates into a competitive advantage. The team’s specialization covers the entire powertrain, including high-performance electric motors, in-house developed inverters, power control software, and advanced thermal and energy management.
Finot states, “We are doing much more than designing a single-seater: we are reviving the Citroën passion in one of the world’s most visionary championships.” Importantly, lessons gleaned from Formula E—including optimizing battery management systems, inverter efficiency, brake energy recovery, and motor control software strategies—are directly transferred to the brand’s production electric mobility projects.
The French manufacturer’s new Formula E livery immediately sets the tone: audacity, energy, and identity expression. Developed by the Citroën Design Center, the scheme features a color gradient that appears to stretch with acceleration. Red and blue are separated by two white bands that mirror a striped pattern pressed onto the bodywork, creating a powerful and highly graphic overall effect.
A vibrant red, symbolizing passion, sport, and Citroën’s heritage, ignites the nose of the car. This color, the heartbeat of the brand, represents a marque that constantly generates excitement on both road and track. This red then transitions and fades through a technical movement—clean, controlled, and contemporary—where performance meets elegance. Flawless white lines and electric blue create a tri-color composition proudly showcased at the heart of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. These three colors represent three promises: passion, technology, and pride, offering an explicit tribute to France, its expertise, and its innovative spirit.
Two talented drivers with extensive Formula E experience will carry the brand’s flag.
French driver Jean-Éric Vergne, 35, has established himself as a motorsport benchmark. He is the first driver to have won back-to-back Formula E championships. His versatility extends to endurance racing, accumulating experience and performance across all track categories.
Key Achievements: French Formule Campus and Formule Renault 2.0 champion in 2008, Formula 1 driver for Toro Rosso (2012-2014), Double Formula E Champion.
New Zealand driver Nick Cassidy, 31, is considered one of the most successful talents of his generation. After a promising start in karting and single-seaters, he shone by winning the “Japanese Triple Crown” (Super Formula, Super GT, and Formula 3). He joined Formula E in 2020, where he quickly proved to be a serious title contender, collecting victories and podium finishes. He joins the Citroën Racing team after two exceptional seasons.
Key Achievements: Triple Champion in Japan Formula 3, Super GT and Super Formula. Runner-up in the Formula E World Championship in the 2024-2025 season. 11 wins and 25 podiums in Formula E. Experience in DTM and FIA WEC in addition to his single-seater career.
Cyril Blais, armed with solid Formula E experience, is brought in to lead the organization Citroën Racing joins Formula E. Cyril Blais began his Formula E career as a race engineer for famous drivers such as Lucas di Grassi and Maximilian Günther. He gradually rose to the positions of Chief Engineer and Assistant Team Leader, before moving to his current position as Team Leader at Maserati. His collaborative approach and ability to unite talent focus on creating an optimal working environment. His strategic vision emphasizes cutting-edge technologies, energy management, and the use of advanced simulators to maximize the team’s performance on the track. Blais states, “My goal is to consolidate the team’s achievements and continue to progress in the championship, valuing the work and commitment of every team member.”
The Citroën brand is experiencing extraordinary momentum. Returning to motorsport after renewing its entire product range in two years is a step further in shaping its identity, uniting people, and communicating its values and objectives. The Formula E entry will provide real impetus to Citroën’s image, as motorsport is the beating heart of automotive passion. It creates brand legends, reinforces their legitimacy, and reaches vast audiences. It unites employees and the network around a common enthusiasm and demonstrates to customers the brand’s commitment to developing high-standard products transferable from competition to consumer models.
Citroën’s objective is clear: to thrill enthusiasts and uphold the human values and high standards that constitute the brand’s DNA. Citroën Racing joins Formula E is returning as an official team but has not completely abandoned competition, offering customers a kit that brings the C3 Rally2 to life—a car that still excites fans, faithful to the Citroën Racing culture, with over 95 victories in 2025.
This return to competition is happening in the most visionary, audacious, and determined championship. Formula E is more than a championship; it is a social responsibility model that aligns with Citroën’s commitments. Electrification, a key pillar of the brand’s strategy, finds its natural outlet here. Competition, audacity, and responsibility converge to support the driving force of progress for the benefit of the greatest majority of society. This championship also offers an opportunity for concrete technology transfer to future electric vehicle ranges.
Formula E is a full-scale laboratory where every advancement in energy efficiency, battery management, and connectivity directly contributes to the development of future electric road vehicles. From engine energy recovery to software management, every element serves as a testing ground for future electric technologies on the road.
Beyond sporting performance, Formula E is distinguished by its tangible commitment to sustainable development. It is the first global championship to receive ISO 20121 certification for responsible event management and has targeted a net zero carbon footprint since its inception.
Batteries are recycled or reused, Hankook tires are made with 35% recycled materials, and all logistics operations are optimized to reduce the environmental footprint. Promoting cleaner mobility and planet-respectful innovation, Formula E demonstrates the convergence between the passion for sport and ecological responsibility—values that perfectly align with Citroën’s vision and its pledge for accessible and sustainable mobility.
With 18 races in 12 countries, the championship offers a strong international dimension, strengthening Citroën’s global reputation, particularly in markets where it seeks to increase visibility. Citroën is a brand close to people, engaging with audiences in the heart of cities through highly attractive race formats. Citroën is a popular brand dedicated to democratizing electric mobility (Ami, ë-C3, etc.). Formula E shares this objective with its city-center races: bringing motor sport closer to the public, making events accessible, and creating a genuine bond with fans. The audience profile—younger, more female, engaged, and connected—mirrors Citroën’s strategic segments, making the championship a vehicle for inspiration and proximity.
Citroën is reconnecting with a motorsport world that has shaped its history and legend, from Rallies (5 titles) to WRC (8 titles) and WTCC (3 titles). The brand approaches the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with the same ambition to win and explore new competition, bringing with it the high standards that motivated its teams throughout its long and illustrious history.
The brand’s models had already made a name for themselves in private teams. The victory of a Citroën ID 19 at the 1959 Monte Carlo Rally, for example, stood out, along with the Citroën DS in rallying in the 1960s. This story continued in the 1970s with the SM and CX, then with the Visa and BX 4TC in Group B in the 1980s.
Rally Raid Dominance: Citroën asserted itself in the 1990s with the formidable ZX Rallye Raid. This extraordinary vehicle was driven by exceptional pilots such as Guy Fréquelin, Ari Vatanen, Pierre Lartigue, and Timo Salonen. The ZX Rallye Raid won 36 events between 1990 and 1997, notably securing four Paris-Dakar rallies.
WRC Golden Era: In the early 2000s, Citroën established a new benchmark in the World Rally Championship (WRC) led by a generation of extraordinary drivers. It all began with Philippe Bugalski, the architect of the brand’s first world championship successes with the Xsara Kit Car, capable of beating powerful WRCs on asphalt. These bold victories paved the way for Citroën’s WRC dominance, marked by the meteoric rise of the young Alsatian talent: Sébastien Loeb. Under Loeb’s leadership,
Citroën became legendary, clinching nine consecutive World Drivers’ Championships and eight Manufacturers’ Championships between 2004 and 2012 with the Xsara, C4, and DS3 WRC models. The team exemplified the perfect blend of technical rigor, innovation, and champion instinct. Later, Sébastien Ogier brought further success, cementing Citroën as one of the most successful manufacturers in WRC history.
Citroën made history with its unrivaled dominance in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) between 2014 and 2016. With the C-Elysée WTCC, the Chevron brand secured three consecutive Manufacturers’ and three Drivers’ Championships thanks to an exceptional team including José María “Pechito” López, Yvan Muller, and Sébastien Loeb. Citroën distinguished itself through exemplary preparation, a highly competitive car, and strategic mastery that allowed it to crush its rivals and achieve victories.
It must be noted that Citroën did offer a single-seater in its sporting history: the Citroën MEP. Born from the passion of a Citroën dealer in Albi in the 1960s, the MEP represented the Chevron brand’s valued spirit of innovation and accessibility. Designed as an economical single-seater trainer using parts from the Ami 6 and GS, the MEP offered a genuine springboard for young drivers into motorsport.
