Mahindra may have been the last manufacturer to begin the test programme for its Gen4 challenger, but there is optimism within the camp that it will be able to catch up to its rivals, even if it ends up starting the 2026-27 Formula E season on the back foot. The Indian manufacturer pulled off one of the most remarkable transformations in Formula E history, going from being the slowest manufacturer at the start of the Gen3 era to becoming a multiple race-winning outfit by its conclusion. In fact, Mahindra ended up third in the teams' championship in 2025-26, only behind FE heavyweights Jaguar and Porsche. But Gen4 is a different beast, and while manufacturers can carry over some of their learnings from the previous generation, the new regulations have effectively created a fresh development race. Mahindra isn't shy about admitting that it is behind the curve when it comes to the development of the car. Having received approval from the company's board in Mumbai only in November last year, at a time when its rivals had already started putting hybrid versions of their Gen3/Gen4 prototypes on track, it was always going to play catch up. Mahindra then missed its original target of beginning testing in May due to supplier issues and "risk management decisions", further compressing the development timeline ahead of the start of the new season in December this year. It wasn't until mid-July that the team shook down the car for the first time in the UK, with first fully-fledged tests following shortly afterwards. It's a complicated situation, but having completed a full overhaul of the organisation in the last few years, the Banbury-based team isn't in the same dire situation it faced when Frederic Bertrand took over the keys from former team principal Dilbagh Gill in late