After only three rounds of the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E season, Felipe Nasr will replace Maximilian Gunther at GEOX Dragon ahead of the Mexico City E-Prix on February 16.
Gunther, 21, joined Dragon after racing in Formula 2 over the course of 2018, taking one victory and one additional podium finish to power to 14th in the Drivers' Championship with 41 points.
Replacing Jerome d'Ambrosio at the American outfit for Season Five after spending the 2017/18 campaign as the team's reserve driver, the German racer's results in Formula E have been steadily improving, topped by an impressive eighth-placed qualifying result in Santiago.
"It was clear from the beginning that I would share the season at GEOX Dragon with another driver," explained Gunther.
"I know that I will be racing for GEOX Dragon again this season. Until then, I will continue to do the simulator work and be a test and replacement driver for the team.
"I had a lot of fun in Santiago de Chile, where I had a great race after my super qualifying until my retirement and I am looking forward to returning to the Penske EV-3 soon."
Nasr, who has two seasons of Formula 1 experience driving for Sauber from 2015-16, enjoyed a successful 2018 season in sportscars, contesting the European Le Mans Series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, winning the Drivers' Championship in the latter.
Racing in Mexico City will mark the Brazilian driver's first time behind the wheel of a single-seater since the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, despite being scheduled to test for Dragon at Formula E's second of three in-season group testing sessions in Marrakesh.
“Felipe [Nasr] has demonstrated incredible talent, scoring 29 points in his two seasons in Formula 1, and winning the 2018 IMSA Prototype Championship," explained Jay Penske, Owner of GEOX Dragon.
"He would be an invaluable asset to the evolving Geox Dragon organization. We would be thrilled to add a driver of his calibre to the team.”
With Formula E and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship having one clash on April 13 with the Rome E-Prix and Long Beach round, it remains to be seen whether Gunther will return to a race seat at Dragon.
