Formula E, World Championship at the start: the reasons for Maserati's optimism | FP

By Carlo Platella
The 2024 Formula E championship, the tenth in its history, starts on Saturday 13th from Mexico City. Maserati is ready for its second year in the category, which coincides with the 110th anniversary of the house of the Trident. The 2023 campaign was a growing one, with an inevitably difficult start, which was followed by a second part of the season that brought various satisfactions. Precisely the performances expressed at the end of the last championship become a reason for optimism for Maserati in view of 2024.

Inertia to exploit

“The start of last season was difficult for us,” the thoughts of Giovanni Tommaso Sgro, head of Maserati Corse. “However, I like to define the team not by the number of podiums achieved, but by the way in which they overcame difficulties. One of the most memorable experiences of last year was Berlin, when Max finished on the podium at his home race, taking home the first trophy for Maserati and MSG Racing, something none of us will ever forget. Obviously then there was Jakarta, with the double pole position, the victory and another podium, or third place in Rome, at our home”.

One of the turning points in the 2023 season for Maserati was the Hyderabad E-Prix, when the team began to change its approach in setting up the car. The Maserati Tipo Folgore proved to be particularly competitive on the fastest tracks, as demonstrated by the podiums achieved in Berlin and Rome. In general, the second half of the season was a crescendo for the Italian-Monegasque team, with victory in Jakarta and final sixth place in the constructors' standings. “Whenever you enter a championship for the first time, there is always a learning curve to follow,” Sgro continues. “The team did a great job evaluating all the opportunities for next year. I can't wait to get started in Mexico, building on the momentum of late 2023.”

Expectations for 2024

Giovanni Tommaso Sgro talks about opportunities evaluated by the team, referring above all to the development of the car. According to the regulations, the Stellantis powertrain is identical to the one approved in 2023, but in Formula E development also focuses on the software part. The Tipo Folgore, in fact, will benefit from software updates energy management, power modulation and braking optimization. “We had the chance to test the car and had some exciting new features to explore from Saturday's race in Mexico”, explains Sgro.

“Our expectation is to take advantage of the inertia accumulated by Max at the end of last season. At the same time, we want to keep our feet on the ground and not be overly optimistic. In motorsport and in sport in general, there are variables that you cannot calculate. However, we are confident that we can ride the wave of the end of last championship. The expectation is to arrive on the podium. We are confident that we have the resources and capabilities to do so and that we can improve on what we did last year.”

The relationship with DS

Another theme of Season 10 will be the collaborative rivalry between the two brands of the Stellantis group, DS and Maserati, whose single-seaters share the powertrain hardware, but are managed by independent software. “It's great to have a partner in Formula E from the Stellantis family”, comments Sgro. “They have a long experience, with 7 years in the championship. There are many things that we at Maserati can learn from them as partners in Stellantis. At the same time we are different brands and we compete against each other. However, I think that the collaboration works well and, even though we compete as adversaries, we cheer each other on.”

“Having had DS in Formula E for so many years, when Maserati entered there was inevitably a lot that we could absorb. At the same time, however, we have our values ​​and our opportunities.” Historical memory also stands out among Maserati's values. In 2024, in fact, the Trident turns 110, with the hope of being able to celebrate in the best possible way with the results on the track. “It's a big anniversary for us: remember that we were born on the track”concludes Sgro.