Nick Cassidy reveals key figure behind Citroën Formula E switch

Nick Cassidy has revealed that Citroën Formula E team-mate Jean-Éric Vergne was a "big part" of why he left Jaguar to join the new French outfit.

Cassidy announced ahead of last season’s London E-Prix that he would be leaving Jaguar after two campaigns with the squad, before being confirmed as a Citroën driver in September.

Stellantis-owned Citroën has replaced fellow Stellantis-owned brand Maserati on the Formula E grid, with the new season getting underway next weekend in São Paulo.

It is a fresh start for Cassidy, who has spent the past three seasons in the championship fight – something he is not expecting in the upcoming campaign.

He delivered a solid performance across pre-season testing in Valencia last month, where he began to adjust to a Stellantis-powered Formula E Gen3 EVO car.

Cassidy is avoiding putting pressure on himself going into what is Citroën’s first season, with no real expectations having been set.

"I’m feeling good, but I must say that this year I don’t have the pressure on myself where we’re expected to be world champion," Cassidy told RacingNews365. "We know this is a building year for us.

"Since Season 9, Season 10 and Season 11, I walked into those seasons thinking, okay, I’ve got to get the championship done this year, in a way – whereas that’s not really the case right now.

"So it’s a nice feeling, actually. It means that anything over X is a good feeling. And even in testing, we’re all quite laid back, and we’re all quite happy with the performance, because we’ve not had expectations on ourselves."

Vergne's role in Cassidy's arrival

The biggest challenge for Cassidy following his switch is understanding how to manage a Stellantis powertrain and, in particular, control its energy usage.

At Jaguar, Cassidy became renowned for his exceptional energy management, which often saw him circulate towards the back of the pack for much of an energy-sensitive race, before surging to the front with an energy advantage.

Asked if he has had to re-learn how to manage energy in a Formula E race again, Cassidy said: "That's exactly right. It’s a bit of an unknown.

"I would say that’s probably the thing that I’ve got to develop the most, and what I’m lacking the most right now."

Citroën’s arrival into Formula E comes a season before the new Gen4 car is introduced – something Cassidy recently drove in the private manufacturers’ test in Monteblanco.

Formula E’s next era is a big part of the New Zealander’s move, although it was Vergne who urged Cassidy to make the jump from Jaguar.

Cassidy and Vergne’s relationship has been tested at times, most famously in Misano back in April 2024.

Things have clearly improved considerably since that low point, to the extent that the two-time Formula E champion played a leading role in Cassidy’s arrival at Citroën.

Discussing his relationship with Vergne, Cassidy explained: “It’s been mega, to be honest. He was actually a big part of my move as well.

"He’s one of the ones who almost, let’s say, presented the opportunity to me, gave me insight into what we’re building for the future and definitely pushed everything on board.

"So clearly, when it starts like that, it means you come to your first tests and races and the relationship is naturally good, and so far that’s been the case, which is awesome."