More points on the board for Maserati MSG Racing in Shanghai

Maximilian Günther battles to points finish in 2024 Shanghai E-Prix

In Numbers

Maximilian Günther
Free Practice Three // P4
Qualifying // P10 [1:14.672, Group A]
Race // P8
Positions Gained // +2
Fastest Lap // 1:16.022
Championship // P8 [69 points]

Jehan Daruvala
Free Practice Three // P10
Qualifying // P16 [1:14.792, Group A]
Race // P17
Positions Gained // -1
Fastest Lap // 1:16.177
Championship // P19 [8 points]

Maserati MSG Racing
Championship // P7 [77 points]

In Detail
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.

In Their Words
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.”

Maserati S.p.A.
Maserati produces a complete range of unique cars, immediately recognizable for their extraordinary personality. Thanks to their style, technology, and innately exclusive character, they delight the most discerning, demanding tastes and have always been a benchmark for the global automotive industry. A tradition of successful cars, each of them redefining what makes an Italian sports car in terms of design, performance, comfort, elegance, and safety, currently available in more than 70 markets internationally. Maserati line-up includes the Levante – the first SUV made by Maserati, the Grecale, the “everyday exceptional” SUV, the GranTurismo, the iconic Italian grand tourer, and the GranCabrio, the new convertible of the Trident; all models characterized by the use of the highest quality materials and excellent technical solutions. A range equipped with 4-cylinder hybrid powertrains – available for Grecale and Levante – and V6 petrol, with rear-wheel and four-wheel drive, embodying the performance DNA of the Trident Brand. The top of the range is made up of the MC20 super sports car and the MC20 Cielo spyder, powered by the ground-breaking 100% Maserati Nettuno V6 engine, which incorporates F1-derived technologies into the power unit of a standard production car for the first time. The GranTurismo is available with both the high-performance V6 petrol engine, derived from the Nettuno, and a 100% electric version: the GranTurismo Folgore, the first car in the Modena-based brand’s history to adopt this solution. Today the full-electric range includes also the Grecale Folgore, Maserati’s first full-electric SUV, and the latest addition, GranCabrio Folgore. By 2025, all Maserati models will also be available in a full-electric version, and the entire Maserati range will run on electricity alone by 2028.

For further information:
MASERATI
Roberta Marchetti – Maserati Corse Communications Manager – roberta.marchetti@maserati.com

Maserati MSG Racing
Maserati MSG Racing is one of the founding teams of the FIA Formula E World Championship and, in December 2013, became the first manufacturer to join the first all-electric category in motorsport. As one of the few regular participants since the inaugural 2014/15 season, MSG Racing has grown steadily; in 2021, it came close to a win before completing its most successful season to date in 2022, when it ended the season in second place for teams worldwide.

Led by Chairman and Managing Partner Scott Swid, the Monaco-based brand is the most gender-diverse team in Formula E and is at the forefront of sustainability: it promotes the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, technical innovation and excellence. For further information, visit our website. To access the media library and content in the public domain, sign up here.

Maserati MSG Racing Media Contact:
Liz Brooks – Director of Strategic Communications – lbrooks@monacosports.com
Tel. +44 7887 846177