Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing is celebrating its first double-points finish of the Formula E season after Stoffel Vandoorne finished in P7 and Jake Hughes secured P10 in Mexico City. The weekend of racing saw the team overcome challenging qualifying sessions and make strategic gains on a track known for its limited overtaking opportunities.
Both Maserati MSG drivers faced difficulties in qualifying, with Vandoorne starting in P13 and Hughes in P16 on a track notorious for a lack of good overtaking spots. However, the team’s strategic planning and clean race execution allowed them to make significant progress.
Vandoorne gained five positions during the race, while Hughes climbed six places, securing 7th and 10th place finishes, respectively.
Despite initial concerns about tyre performance and tricky track conditions, the team’s use of Attack Mode and careful energy management played a crucial role in securing points. Vandoorne’s well-timed activation of Attack Mode after a late Safety Car helped him solidify his position in the Top 10. Meanwhile, Hughes, who narrowly missed out on points at the finish line, was promoted to P10 after a post-race penalty for McLaren’s Taylor Barnard.
In his post-race comments, Hughes expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying, “Honestly, we’re very happy with the race. I think we executed a good strategy. We got a bit unlucky with the timing of one of the safety cars; I think that cost us a point or two. But the car was good, I felt good on energy, I felt like I was moving through the field OK, so it was really rewarding to come away with a point. Considering we started P16, that feels like a very good race.”
Vandoorne echoed his teammate’s sentiments, saying, “We executed a very good race; we can all be proud of that. The day didn’t start very well with qualifying; we messed up some things, but we rebounded and had a super strong race.”
Maserati MSG Racing now holds P8 in the Team Standings with eight points. Vandoorne sits at P12 in the Drivers’ Championship with seven points, while Hughes moves up to P16 with one point.
The team’s performance in Mexico highlights significant growth and sets the stage for further improvement as they head to Jeddah for the next round on 14th February. For the full Formula E-Prix calendar, click here.
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Formula E: Tough start to the season for Maserati MSG Racing at São Paulo E-Prix
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Photo source: Maserati MSG Racing