Formula E has seen some absolute earth-shattering driver market moves since its inception, and none are bigger than Mitch Evans trading Jaguar TCS Racing for the Stellantis-powered Opel team ahead of the GEN4 era. The Kiwi spent a decade with Jaguar starting in 2016/17, becoming the championship's most successful driver in terms of victories. After considering a departure in the past, Evans finally made the jump to a new manufacturer, motivated by the upcoming GEN4 regulations and the chance to explore other top team offers.
Another pairing written in the stars is reigning World Champion Pascal Wehrlein joining the Porsche Formula E team. Wehrlein originally entered the championship for the 2018/19 season with Mahindra Racing, balancing the seat with Development Driver duties for Scuderia Ferrari alongside teammate Jérôme d'Ambrosio. Following a dramatic mid-season exit from Mahindra in 2019/2020 via Instagram, Porsche snapped him up for their second season. Two drivers' World Championships and one Teams' trophy later, they remain a powerhouse.
Jean-Eric Vergne also shook up the grid by leaving DS for Citroën Racing for the 2025/26 season after eight seasons carrying the DS logo. JEV originally joined DS Virgin Racing in 2015 before winning titles with Techeetah, eventually becoming Formula E's first two-time champion when DS partnered the squad. After spells with DS Techeetah and DS PENSKE, he took a risk on Citroën Racing alongside teammate Nick Cassidy for GEN4, instantly securing a podium in their first season.
Sébastien Buemi similarly anchored himself to an organisation for years, starting with Renault e.dams in the inaugural 2014 Beijing E-Prix and claiming the 2015/16 title. Even when Nissan took a stake to form Nissan e.dams, Buemi stayed put to amass 13 wins, 14 pole positions, and 29 podiums under the banner. After eight seasons and two car generations, the Swiss legend moved to Envision Racing for the 2022/23 season, taking a victory at the 2025 Monaco E-Prix.
Lucas di Grassi's legendary run with Audi Sport ABT Formula E Team yielded 12 wins, three pole positions, 35 podiums, and the 2017/18 drivers' title. When Audi departed after 84 races, di Grassi transitioned to Venturi in Monaco—taking a win in the 2021/22 season—followed by stints with Mahindra, ABT, and Lola before retiring ahead of GEN4. Meanwhile, Nico Müller's career turned around when he joined the Porsche Formula E Team for his sixth season, converting his talent into a maiden Formula E win in Berlin and a pole position in Miami.
Nyck de Vries also found his way back to the electric paddock. After winning the 2020/21 title with Mercedes-EQ, the manufacturer exited, sending de Vries to Formula 1 with Williams Racing and AlphaTauri for 11 Grands Prix across 2022 and 2023. He returned for the 2023 London E-Prix finale before partnering Edoardo Mortara at Mahindra Racing, where he won in Monaco and Tokyo. Sam Bird likewise made waves by moving from Virgin Racing to Jaguar for the 2021 season, instantly rewarding the team with two victories and second place in the teams' championship.
Nick Cassidy's high-profile move from Jaguar to the new Citroën team raised eyebrows, but he immediately validated the risk with a podium in São Paulo and a maiden win in Mexico City. Dan Ticktum closed a multi-rebrand chapter—moving from NIO 333 through ERT to CUPRA KIRO—by signing with the new Australian squad Fortescue Zero Racing for GEN4 as a customer of Jaguar powertrains. Finally, earlier notable moves included inaugural champion Nelson Piquet Jr. heading to Jaguar in 2017/18, Andre Lotterer swapping DS Techeetah for Porsche, and Antonio Felix da Costa jumping to Jaguar TCS Racing to claim two victories and three podiums.
