FORMULA E: TAYLOR BARNARD AND DS AUTOMOBILES FINISH JUST OFF THE PODIUM IN MEXICO

• The distinctive DS Automobiles single-seaters were in the thick of the Mexico City action

• Taylor Barnard finished fourth after round two of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Season 12, scoring his first points with the DS PENSKE team

• Maximilian Günther was hit by a rival and deserved a lot more than his final 12th place at the chequered flag

Mexico City is undoubtedly one of the must-see events on the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar, thanks to its unique atmosphere and the sheer intensity of its racing. Held on Saturday in front of thousands of fans at the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, Season 12’s second race lived up to expectations by once again delivering a fiercely contested E-Prix.

The DS E-TENSE FE25 cars showed a strong level of performance right from free practice session, with Taylor Barnard going on to become one of the stars of qualifying. He set the fastest time of all after reaching the final of the Duels, only to have the lap deleted for exceeding track limits.

The 21-year-old British prodigy was second on the grid as a result, constantly fighting at the front against the sport’s leading names. At the end of a superb race, the new DS Automobiles driver crossed the finish line in fourth place, just 1.4 seconds behind the winner. By finishing just off the podium, Taylor Barnard not only scored his first points for the French premium manufacturer but also climbed to sixth place in the provisional championship standings, underlining how he will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

His DS PENSKE teammate Maximilian Günther did not enjoy the same success. Battling for a place in the top five, the German was spun round by a rival with just 10 laps to go. His eventual 12th place finish did not reflect the true potential of the DS Automobiles driver nor that of his DS E-TENSE FE25.

Just like the rest of the team, he will be eager for revenge at the next round, where a brand-new American track will host the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship competitors on Saturday, January 31. For the Franco-American DS Automobiles and PENSKE Autosport squad, the race at the Miami International Autodrome will be a very important event.

Taylor Barnard:

“Overall, it was a much more positive weekend than in Brazil. Qualifying went really well. A very small mistake on my part cost pole position but starting on the front row and then finding myself in the lead was obviously very pleasing. The race itself was a bit crazy, as is often the case in Formula E. There were a few moments that might have allowed me to gain one or two more positions, if we’d gauged them differently or had a bit more luck. But fourth place is still a good result and it allows both me and the team to score important points. It’s also a good foundation to prepare for the next races.”

Maximilian Günther:

“Honestly, it was a really encouraging weekend. We were competitive from free practice and I immediately had a very good feeling in the car. I didn’t quite manage to get the tyres into the right operating window in qualifying and narrowly missed out on the Duels, but ninth on the grid was still a decent start position. The race itself got off to a great start. I was able to make up several places while still managing energy effectively; we were definitely in a situation that would have allowed us to fight for a very strong result at the end of the race. Then I was hit from behind while just driving normally through a corner. I was spun around and lost more than 10 places. I fought hard right until the end, but could do no better than 12^th at the finish. Nonetheless, I leave Mexico with a smile on my face because the performance of the car and the enjoyment I felt driving it give me a lot of optimism for what comes next. I can’t wait to get to Miami!”

Key figures since DS Automobiles entered Formula E:

• 139 races
• 4 championship titles
• 18 victories
• 55 podiums
• 26 pole positions

PRESS CONTACTS

DS Performance : Nathalie Dumas  +33 (0) 6 60 26 10 37 –nathalie.dumas@external.stellantis.com

DS Automobiles : Benjamin Maigre  + 33 (0) 6 75 58 80 41 – benjamin.maigre@dsautomobiles.com