From Fangio to Formula E: Max reflects on his historic victory in Jakarta

The 2023 Jakarta E-Prix was historic. Maximilian Günther sealed his place in history and as such, will forever be immortalised in racing legend.

At 25-years-old, the young German not only executed one the most dominant performances ever seen in Formula E, but shattered a record that has stood for 66 years.

In Indonesia, Max became the first racing driver since Juan Manuel Fangio to navigate the Maserati brand to the top step of a World Championship single-seater podium.

He did so with unstoppable speed and uncompromising consistency, compelled by pure passion and a characteristic quiet confidence.

It was the result of hard work, self-belief, and consistent refinement, not only across the weekend but the whole of the 2023 season.

The Maserati MSG Racing driver explains.

“The whole weekend was almost perfect,” says Max. “Apart from Race One, we topped every session, and that not only makes me very proud, but it comes as a big relief.

“There were a lot of emotions throughout, and it was an incredibly special weekend for all of us, but as soon as FP1 was over, I knew that we had a good set-up for the weekend.

“It wasn’t perfect and there was room for refinement, but I knew that if we addressed the right things, we could be in for a very good weekend.

“The feeling improved in FP2, but in qualifying, the car was a joy to drive. It was in the exact window I wanted it to be in.

“Taking my first pole position in Formula E was probably the highlight of the weekend for me, and that’s because a lot of work went into achieving that result.

“I had come close on so many occasions in my career but to finally get it, and then get my second pole the following day was a good, good feeling.”

Good things happen to good people, and Max explained that his continued session-topping pace only fuelled his self-belief and confidence as the race weekend unfolded.

“Performing well so consistently across a race weekend definitely adds confidence, and building confidence is something that I’ve been working on for such a long time,” Max continues.

“We had a difficult start to this season, and as part of my development as a sportsperson, I’ve been focussing on bringing this kind of energy consistently.

“That’s a constant process that never stops, but in sport and in life more broadly, it’s important to feel confident, and that’s integral to unlocking performance on a personal level.

“We built the performance over the weekend, and the end result was a second pole position by nearly half a second on Sunday, and a win.

“It shows the value of momentum in sport, but regardless of the trajectory, it’s so important to keep both feet on the ground. It’s the same for every driver in the pitlane.”

After bringing home third in a near flat-out Race One, a more energy-intensive second race on Sunday demanded a strategic and tactical approach in the cockpit.

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“We were very happy about the podium on Saturday because we maximised our opportunities, but I had some clear ideas as to how we could improve the performance for Race Two,” explains Max.

“It’s always difficult to hit the sweet spot in every session, but with all of our learnings, we made exactly the right adjustments and focussed on race performance in FP3.

“Then from lap one to lap 38, we executed Race Two exactly how we wanted to. We pulled away and made the right moves to bring home first place.

“Formula E is a very competitive series. It’s unpredictable and each race this season has been very complicated from a strategy perspective.

“Drivers don’t want to lead for too long because it means that you consume more energy, and the advantage of the slipstream from behind is very big.

“You need to know when to save energy and when to attack, and I feel like we adapted very well to this style of racing, especially from Race One to Race Two.

“The communication throughout the team was fantastic. We had true trust in one another, and everything came together.”

Max’s emphatic victory ensures that his legacy will last a lifetime as his name extends beyond the past to write the next chapter in an already iconic and prestigious story.

“Achieving the Maserati brand’s first victory in single-seaters since 1957 is truly, truly special. If someone had told me this 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it,” adds Max. “It’s insane.

“Looking at what we achieved in Jakarta, and especially looking at how we have turned this season around, is very special. I don’t think many teams can do that.

“Steering a ship to success after such a tough start needs a very good, talented group of people, and being connected to this history in this context makes me even more proud.

“Prevailing after the challenges we’ve faced makes it even more satisfying, and it’s the tough moments that we learn the most from.

“If I look back at my career so far, it’s because of the difficult moments that I am where I am now. And it’s why, as a team, we are where we are now too.

“Approaching the difficult moments in the right way is so important because you can only become stronger with the right approach.

“This is what has defined our season, and now, as a team, and through so much hard work, we’ve broken a66-year record to make history.

“That doesn’t happen every day and for now, for at least a little while, we should embrace our achievements and let them sink in.”