Motorsport Week is trackside at this weekend’s Berlin E-Prix double-header, and we managed to speak to some of the drivers competing.
Max Günther – Maserati MSG Racing
On whether he and Maserati can bring their ‘A Game’ to the Berlin races:
“The goal is to have two strong races.
“It’s been good coming here with a good first half of the year, it’s a result of the output of a lot of work over the off-season and bringing the momentum from last season into this, and it’s now just to keep going with a similar trajectory of improvement, competition is very high and you can’t stop evolving.
“We come here with both feet on the ground, and extract everything from our package, so we can have good results here.”
On whether there is now more focus going into next season than on this season’s race car:
“I believe the better we do this year, the more it will benefit us for the future, so obviously there is some development on the side for next year’s car, but our focus is on doing the best possible Season 10 – it’s our clear goal.
“We have good points for the moment, but it’s important to finish in London with a happy feeling.
“We have now four weekends ahead of us, big points ahead.”
On the value of Monday’s rookie test:
“These testing days are of very high value for the whole team and myself, because we have a lot of ideas of how we can improve, but on a race weekend, you don’t bring that for the car because it’s too much risk to bring new things so Monday can be a chance to test these items.”
Jake Hughes – NEOM McLaren
On the team’s expectations for Berlin:
“I think if you offered me points in both races, and Taylor [Barnard] being in the points in one or two, we’d be happy with that.
“Of course we want more – whilst the last few races have been difficult, the pace underneath the results have been strong, so we have the potential to be fighting for podiums.
“Historically speaking, last year, this was probably our weakest track in terms of one lap performance, so hopefully we’ve improved that and we can fight for the top six.”
On working with rookie stand-in team-mate, reserve driver Taylor Barnard:
“I think Taylor is a very impressive young racing driver.
“He asks a lot of questions and wants to learn, he’s obsessed with this sport because you have to be, so he has the credentials along with the talent to go with what will hopefully be a very successful career for him.
“He did a very solid job in Monaco – he kept out of the wall, finished with energy etc, so he’ll be looking to build on that and I expect that after free practice, I’ll be able to look at his data and learn something from this.
“He’s a very quick young kid and he isn’t taking long to warm-up to the car so I’m expecting, in one lap, he’ll be fairly competitive this weekend.”
Pascal Wehrlein – Tag Heuer Porsche
On added pressure of a home race for both driver and team:
“Honestly, we just hope to do well for many reasons, firstly the championship.
“As it’s a home race, we have a lot of guests, friends, family and sponsors and we want to do well in-front of them, so yes we want to do well in general but we do also for our home race.”
On a better qualifying performance of the car this year:
“I think we are in a better position than we were last year, in the second half of the season, but this track and the asphalt has been a question mark for us, because our best position here has been P6, and we haven’t looked competitive here, so this year I hope we can turn things around.
“I’m optimistic and have a good feeling, so let’s see how it will go.”
Jake Dennis – Andretti
On whether the circuit will suit the Andretti, which has struggled in qualifying:
“I’d love to put the two [qualifying and race pace] together, but if we can’t, it isn’t the end of the world, and we can crack-on and move forward in the race.
“It’s a race we do well in, these peloton races, so we’re hopeful for a good one.
“It will be a bit more difficult than say Misano, but we can try and stay out of trouble and move forward in the race.”
On Andretti’s renewal of its powertrain partnership with Porsche through Season 12:
“You wouldn’t not be happy with this decision – they’ve given me the powertrain to win the championship, they’re leading the championship now with Pascal and I’m third, so it would be very hard to deny that we don’t have the best powertrain, so to continue that is important for me, the team and future results.”
