Mahindra Racing have announced that Dino Beganovic and Kush Maini will drive for the team in the upcoming Formula E Rookie Test in Berlin. The test will take place on Monday, 14 July at Berlin’s Tempelhof Street Circuit.
The test sees Beganovic drive an all-electric Formula E car for the first time, while Maini returns to the Mahindra M11Electro after his impressive outing in Jeddah’s Rookie Free Practice earlier this year. With Beganovic and Maini both being promising young talents, there is no doubt that the Berlin outing will prove valuable for Mahindra and other teams as they evaluate future prospects.
Who are Beganovic and Maini ahead of the Berlin Rookie Test for Mahindra Racing
The Berlin Rookie Test will be Beganovic’s first time in a Formula E car, with the Swede currently part of Ferrari’s Driver Academy. Driving for Hitech in Formula 2. Beganovic has had mixed success in recent years in Formula 3 and Formula 2. With two race wins in F3 and a pole position in the F2 Imola Round earlier this year. This year, Beganovic has driven for Ferrari in two Formula 1 practice sessions – Bahrain and Austria.
On the other hand, Maini has already had a taste of Formula E life, currently serving as Mahindra’s reserve driver. He is also one of the reserve drivers for Alpine in Formula 1. Maini took part in last year’s Berlin Rookie Test and topped the timesheets in Jeddah earlier this year. He has raced in Formula 2 since 2023, winning the Hungary Sprint in 2024 for Invicta Racing and the Monaco Sprint in 2025 for DAMS.
Bertrand excited to see rookies in action in Berlin
Frederic Bertrand, CEO and team principal of Mahindra, spoke about his excitement in being able to work with future talents.
“The whole point of the Berlin Rookie Test is to encourage and nurture the next generation of potential Formula E stars.”
Bertrand highlighted how Beganovic was one of the best choices available, stating: “Dino [Beganovic] quickly emerged as a front-runner for one of the seats. It’s a great opportunity for him to sample what Formula E is all about, and we’re all very excited to work together with him.”
On Maini, Bertrand highlighted how the Indian impressed in previous outings for the team: “Kush [Maini] is definitely a talent to watch. We’ve been very impressed with his performance and attitude so far and look forward to working with him again.”
Beganovic looking forward to driving the Mahindra M11Electro in Berlin
With Berlin’s Rookie Test being Beganovic’s first opportunity in an electric racecar, he is keen to impress. Given that the Swedish driver has driven F3, F2, and F1 cars in recent years, plus driven around difficult tracks such as Macau, he should be able to adapt to the Mahindra M11Electro and the Tempelhof Street Circuit.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to drive for Mahindra Racing at the Berlin Rookie Test, and to try a Formula E car for the first time. It’s a great opportunity to get experience and also contribute to the team’s development. It’s obvious why this is one of the front-running teams in the championship.”
Maini proud to represent Mahindra Racing
Reacting to the news, Maini highlighted his pride at being able to represent Mahindra, his happiness with the M11Electro, and the hard work of the team.
“I was really impressed with the Mahindra M11Electro in Jeddah. It’s a great car to drive and I can’t wait to experience it again. Mahindra is a manufacturer I’ve worked with first-hand over the last 18 months, and I’ve seen the hard work and development that has gone into improving the team’s results on-track.”
Maini is one of India’s brightest junior talents, and finds great pride in being able to represent the only Indian team at World Championship level in motorsport, adding: “It’s a great source of pride for me to represent them, and to help them push on.”
