Auto
More points on the board - for Maserati MSG Racing in Shanghai
Maximilian Günther battles to points finish in 2024 Shanghai E-Prix
Maserati MSG Racing secured a top 10 finish in the second leg of the double-header 2024 Shanghai E-Prix, with the team bouncing back from a difficult first race to score four points in China. After losing a provisional ninth place finish in Race One, the team regrouped for Sunday and showcased renewed pace in a promising FP3 which saw Maximilian Günther set the fourth-fastest time.
For Qualifying, Max and his team-mate, Jehan Daruvala, completed their initial runs in Group A but despite displaying clear pace, missed out on the duels in one of the closest sessions of Season 10 so far. With a 1:14.672 lap, Max missed out on the head-to-head stage by only 0.018 seconds to start 10th while Jehan, who was a mere 0.120 seconds shy of Max, qualified 16th. Facing another peloton-style race ahead, energy saving was a top priority for the duo and when the race got underway, both set out to establish a consistent saving rhythm. While Max held position on lap one, Jehan slipped to 18th but quickly recovered his lost ground by overtaking Sergio Sette Camara and Sacha Fenestraz on laps three and five. Ahead, Max strategically fell out of the top 10 to build an energy advantage and pressed forward to eighth place before taking his first of two Attack Modes, rejoining in ninth. On lap five, the 26-year-old overtook Jean-Eric Vergne to reclaim eighth in the first part of what would be a race-long battle with the DS Penske driver.
After pushing forward to overtake Mitch Evans for seventh, Max took his second Attack Mode on lap eight and continued to battle with Vergne when he rejoined the circuit and exchanged positions with the Frenchman for the next 12 laps. Unfortunately, Vergne cleared Max on lap 20 and while Max remained a consistent threat, he was unable to regain the position and took a hard-fought eighth at the chequered flag. Jehan, meanwhile, finished 17th after losing time in an incident ahead.
Season 10 of the FIA Formula E World Championship will resume on June 29-30 for the 2024 Portland E-Prix – the penultimate race weekend of the current campaign.
Maximilian Günther - Driver - Maserati MSG Racing
“Not a bad day in the office. We executed our strategy well and did a good job to move into the points to finish eighth. The car felt great, and we made a solid step forward from where we were in Race One. A lot of elements went well but I think that there are some things we can review, but all in all, we can be happy and I’m already looking forward to Portland.”
Jehan Daruvala - Driver - Maserati MSG Racing
“Obviously not an easy race. Today we had good potential in Qualifying, but I made a mistake on my best lap. Starting 16th wasn’t ideal, and the style of racing was a lot different to our expectations. Being one lap shorter than Race One, our energy saving targets were a lot lower and that meant that overtaking wasn’t easy. Of the drivers who started inside the top 10, nine of them scored points so it just goes to show that Qualifying was important today. We didn’t perform there, and that ultimately cost me in the race."
Cyril Blais - Deputy Team Principal - Maserati MSG Racing
“Getting more points on the board is positive, but it’s been a very challenging weekend overall. I think we had the pace, but the results don’t reflect this. Today in Qualifying, both drivers had the pace to get through to the duels, but the margins were very fine – we were only 0.018 seconds away with Max, and only 0.043 seconds from the fastest lap overall. It was the same with Jehan – he did a great first run, but there was a small mistake in his second which put him 16th on the grid. Today’s race was very strategic, with a bit less energy saving so because of that, we saw that wherever you start is pretty much where you finish. If we had started at the front, we could have finished at the front. We need to focus on the positives, we learned a great deal about the peloton this weekend, and if we qualify well and execute a strong strategy, we can finish higher.”
Giovanni Sgro - Head of Maserati Corse
"Round 12 of the Championship was another fast-paced race. Max demonstrated his strong competitive edge by gaining two places to finish in P8 and bring home additional points for the team. There are four races left and, as we have demonstrated from the beginning, the team will push for points until the last lap. Every race season has its challenges, but we know how important it is to stay focused and race forward. For us Formula E is more than racing, it’s an extension of our commitment to the new era of electrification, which we are entering with our new Folgore range. This second year in Formula E has shown once again how important it is to be on the grid to showcase both our racing spirit, which is part of our DNA, and the tech development for our cars. We are excited for Portland and then London: both race weekends are double-headers and there are still great opportunities for our team to climb the rankings.”
