Jehan Daruvala is looking to use this week’s Diriyah double-header to his advantage, by maximising the available track time.
Daruvala performed respectably on his competitive Formula E debut at the season-opening Mexico City E-Prix, where he qualified in 17th and finished the race in 16th. With a race under his belt, the Maserati MSG Racing driver now has some idea what to expect; however, Diriyah marks his first Formula E double-header.
Racing twice at the same event is something Daruvala is new to, with him having experience of doing very similar in Formula 2. For someone so new to the all-electric series, doubleheaders are actually very important for rookies, given the increased amount of track time available at the same venue.
In theory, Daruvala will be able to take so much knowledge from the opening race in Diriyah into the second day and hopefully make some progress. He will be able to understand how to get the most out of the car and build on from Friday’s race.
Whilst he could prove to be very strong in Saudi Arabia from the get-go, it’s the second race where Daruvala will find himself on more of a level playing field. He has big hopes for the event and is targeting his first Formula E top 10, although his “main target” is becoming more confident in the Maserati Tipo Folgore.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel after making my Formula E debut in Mexico City,” said Daruvala. “Heading into my first race, I felt a lot of anticipation and excitement but now that it’s out of the way, my main target is to continue building upon my existing knowledge and confidence.
“Like most circuits in Season 10, Diriyah is a new track for me to learn. It’s technical and challenging, but on the simulator, I’ve found that it’s very satisfying to drive. The race will be my first double-header experience in Formula E, but because the format is quite similar to Formula 2, this doesn’t phase me.
“What is does mean is that I’ll have double the track time than I did in Mexico City, and I want to maximise this opportunity as much as I can, and hopefully, score my first top 10 finish of the season.”
