Edoardo Mortara is very much excited for what he believes is going to be a “really interesting” weekend at the first ever Hyderabad E-Prix, with the circuit itself having features which the Swiss driver hopes will “promote a lot of overtaking”.
Mortara enters the fourth round of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on the back of a very mixed Diriyah E-Prix, which started in the worst way possible. After hitting a barrier in qualifying ahead of the first of two races in Saudi Arabia, Mortara started right towards the back, before retiring during the race after getting a puncture. Race Two, though, was much more promising, as the Maserati MSG Racing driver made it into the duels, before going on to claim the team’s first points of the season in ninth.
Given that this weekend is a new circuit, it should present Mortara and Maserati with a great opportunity, with the thirty-six year-old recognising that whichever side can understand the new venue the quickest “will be the one to beat”.
“Hyderabad is one of the races that I’m most looking forward to this season, and after spending some time in the simulator, it’s a really interesting circuit to drive. Like other races this season, I expect qualifying to be very important, but the heavy braking zones in Turns One and Three should promote a lot of overtaking. Because the circuit is new, it will be very important to maximise our available track time in practice, and I think that whichever team is able to adapt and evolve the fastest will be the one to beat.”
“The track looks and feels awesome” – Maximilian Günther
On the other side of the Maserati garage, Maximilian Günther‘s tough start to the season continued in Saudi Arabia, with the German having missed Race One after his car was too damaged from a crash in qualifying. Race Two wasn’t much better for Günther, after finishing nineteenth.
It means that the fastest driver from pre-season testing is yet to score a point in the Gen3 era; however, he’s certainly feeling upbeat going into this weekend. The Maserati driver has revealed that the Hyderabad Street Circuit “looks and feels awesome” based on the simulator, with the hope being that this weekend will see him “build some momentum”.
“India will be an incredible setting for a Formula E race, and I’m very excited to race in Hyderabad for the first time this weekend. From my time in the simulator, the track looks and feels awesome, and I can’t wait to drive it in real life. With three new races back-to-back, we’re entering one of the most intense points of the Season 9 calendar, but I think the upcoming set of races offer a good opportunity to build some momentum.
“We’re a strong team, and in the way we’re working, I know that we’re close to achieving a good result.”
Credit: Maserati MSG Racing