Nyck de Vries has revealed that Porsche will no longer field a second factory team in Formula E’s Gen4 era. The Mahindra driver’s statement came on Wednesday (5) during an official press conference in response to a question posed by GRANDE PRÊMIO, preempting a strategic shift that had not yet been publicly communicated by the German manufacturer—nor to the series itself.
The topic arose when GRANDE PRÊMIO asked De Vries about the impact of differing manufacturer strategies heading into the Gen4 era. While pointing out that Mahindra had already stated it will not supply customer teams at the start of the next generation—whereas Jaguar continues with Envision, and Porsche had decided to expand its presence with a second factory outfit alongside its customer supply to Cupra Kiro—the Dutchman interrupted the question.
“Porsche will not have a second factory team,” he stated.
When reminded that the manufacturer had announced that exact expansion in late 2025, De Vries reiterated that plans had changed.
“No, no, not anymore,” he replied.
Asked by GRANDE PRÊMIO if this was unannounced information, he confirmed once more: “I think it hasn’t been communicated, but now you know.”
The statement comes as a surprise because in November 2025, Porsche officially announced it would expand its Formula E footprint starting in Gen4. The project outlined maintaining its primary factory squad while launching a second factory outfit alongside a customer entry, which was confirmed to be Cupra Kiro. To date, however, the manufacturer had communicated no change of direction.
Contacted by GRANDE PRÊMIO following the press conference, Formula E stated it was unaware of any change: “There is nothing official that we have been made aware of,” a series spokesperson stated.
De Vries’ revelation comes at a critical juncture for the future of Formula E. With the entry of Opel and Porsche’s second factory team, the grid was set to be maxed out for the start of the Gen4 era at 12 teams and 24 cars—the maximum allowed under current regulations.
The Mahindra driver’s comment leaves a major question mark over the championship, particularly as Penske has yet to finalize its Gen4 plans. In March, DS announced its departure from Formula E at the conclusion of the current campaign. Since then, the American outfit has been exploring options to remain on the grid, including manufacturing its own powertrain to become a full factory operation. However, no decision has been finalized, raising doubts about the project’s continuation—a key factor behind Maximilian Günther securing a deal with Envision.
Given this context and the possibility raised by De Vries, Formula E could face three team departures within two years, following McLaren’s exit at the end of the 2024/25 season. Currently, the 2026/27 grid is expected to feature Jaguar, Envision, Citroën, Andretti, Cupra Kiro, Lola Yamaha, Mahindra, Nissan, Opel, the two Porsche entries, and Penske. Should the Dutchman’s revelation be confirmed, the field would drop to 11 teams, with the potential to shrink to ten if Penske fails to secure a partner for the Gen4 era.
Formula E returns on August 15 and 16 for the 2025/26 season finale, a double-header at the London E-Prix. As the official broadcaster in Brazil, GRANDE PRÊMIO will broadcast all track action live on YouTube and GPTV.
