Jake Hughes heading to Hyderabad with a ‘fair amount of confidence’

Rookie Jake Hughes has been one of the star performers so far in the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, with the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team driver having started life in the all-electric series brilliantly.

The British driver has so far finished fifth on two occasions and eighth once in the opening three races of the Gen3 era, leaving the twenty-eight year-old fifth in the Drivers’ Championship as it stands. If that wasn’t enough, the rookie claimed his first Formula E pole position ahead of the second race in Diriyah, something he’d love to do again this weekend at the inaugural Hyderabad E-Prix.

Formula E heads to India for the first time in the history of the all-electric series this weekend, with it kicking-off a three-race streak of new host cities. Hughes goes into the weekend with a “fair amount of confidence” as a result of his great start to the season, with him currently having finished every race in the points.

The British driver is looking forward to seeing the “passionate” Indian fans and is hopeful of another great result.

“I’m really looking forward to racing in India, Formula E’s first new race of the season. We have three races in a row all at new venues, and I think India is the perfect place to start. The fans there are so passionate and really love motorsport, and visiting Hyderabad is something I am really looking forward to. It will also be exciting getting to experience the atmosphere at the race.

“I’m heading there with a fair amount of confidence off the back of my first pole position and three races in a row scoring points. Each race, I’m understanding the car more and more, as well as what needs refining. Hopefully we can improve even more going into India.” 

“We have good momentum” – René Rast

René Rast also heads into India full of confidence, after bouncing back from a retirement at the season opener in style last time out in Diriyah. The German driver claimed fifth and the fastest lap in the first of two races in Saudi Arabia, before claiming his first podium since returning to the sport in the second race of the weekend.

The impressive weekend moved him up to sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, just one-point behind his team-mate, with still so much to play for.

Like several of the drivers in the field, this weekend’s trip to India marks Rast’s first visit to the country, with the German “looking forward” to discovering so much about the nation.

Rast is hopeful that McLaren’s strong pace in Saudi Arabia will correlate into good pace in India, with the Woking-based outfit currently having “good momentum” that Rast doesn’t want to see disappear.

“Racing in Hyderabad marks my first time visiting India, and I’m looking forward to experiencing the city, the culture and learning lots of new things about the country. We have good momentum coming from a very positive week in Diriyah, where Jake secured NEOM McLaren’s first pole position and I got a podium.

“We were competitive there and I hope we are also competitive in India. We will keep pushing and make sure we are fully prepared, racing on the sim and learning the track. Hopefully, we can have another good weekend there!” 

Credit: LAT Images courtesy of FIA Formula E