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The Formula E paddock is mourning the loss of Citroën Racing Team Principal Cyril Blais, who has passed away at the age of 43. No cause of death has been disclosed.
The news was confirmed through a joint statement released by the Monaco Sports Group (MSG), Citroën Racing, Stellantis Motorsport, Formula E and the FIA. Beth Paretta, Managing Director of the Citroën Racing Formula E Team, was among many of those who paid tributes to Blais.
“We are all so saddened to lose Cyril. Many of the team have known and worked with him for several years. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues throughout the paddock.
“Cyril believed so much in this team, and we will respect his family’s wishes to honour him in the best way we can, by continuing to race in his memory with the exact dedication and passion he instilled in all of us”, Paretta said in the joint statement.
A race engineer by profession, Blais began his motorsport career with Manor Motorsport in Formula 3 before moving to Arden Motorsport, where he spent several years working across GP3, Formula 2 and Formula 3. He eventually rose to the position of technical director, overseeing the team’s junior single-seater programmes.
Blais switched to Formula E in 2019, joining Mahindra Racing, where he spent three years as a race engineer. He then joined Rokit Venturi Racing in 2022 as Lucas Di Grassi’s race engineer.
The team went through a rebranding, as it began to be known as Maserati MSG Racing, before it finally became what we now know as the Citroën Racing Formula E Team.
The 43-year-old was promoted to the position of interim Team Principal in 2023, and ultimately became the full-time Team Principal of the team in 2024. Under his leadership, Citroen Racing won two races, the most recent win being in January this year at Mexico, with Nick Cassidy behind the wheel.
Formula E to pay tribute to Cyril Blais during Tokyo E-Prix
Following Blais’ sudden and untimely passing, Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, confirmed that the racing series will honour his memory and legacy in the sport during the 2026 Tokyo E-Prix, which will take place on July 25–26, 2026.
In the same joint statement, Dodds said, “We are heartbroken by the loss of our colleague and friend, Cyril, and our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with his family, loved ones and all those who knew him. Cyril’s passing is a devastating loss for his family, for MSG, Citroën Racing, and for our entire Formula E community.
We have lost an extraordinary colleague, and someone many of us were proud to call a friend. The entire Formula E paddock is supporting one another through this incredibly difficult period. To honour his immense contribution to the sport, the Citroën Racing Formula E Team and the wider Formula E community will pay tribute to Cyril’s memory and incredible legacy during this weekend’s Tokyo E-Prix.”
