How we won the 2023 Jakarta E-Prix

With extreme heat and humidity, Jakarta’s temperatures were high, yet Maximilian Günther cut a cool, calm, and collected figure in the Formula E paddock.

From setting the pace in FP1 to scoring his maiden pole position on Saturday, Max was a frontrunner throughout, but executed the perfect afternoon on Sunday to return to the top step.

But how did Max seal Maserati MSG Racing’s first win of 2023? To answer that question, we’ve examined our data closely to create a step-by-step guide as to how we won the 2023 Jakarta E-Prix.

Free Practice Three: After leading the way in FP1 and FP2, Max sets the fastest time in the final practice session of the weekend. He produces a 1:07.552 run on his 16th of 21 laps to edge ahead of Jake Dennis, his nearest challenger, by 0.309 seconds.

Qualifying Group B: Max converts his practice pace into pure one-lap performance in the first stage of qualifying by topping Group B. His 1:08.416 lap is 0.008 seconds faster than team-mate, Edoardo Mortara’s, as the duo advance to the duels.

Qualifying Quarter-Final Four: Max faces reigning Formula E World Champion, Stoffel Vandoorne, in his first head-to-head. He outpaces the Belgian across every sector to take part in the Semi-Finals.

Qualifying Semi-Final Two: After leading his team-mate in Group B, Max goes against Edo in the penultimate stage. With the Swiss-Italian combatting oversteer, Max enters the final part of qualifying with a 0.342 second buffer.

Qualifying Final: Max defeats Dennis in the Final to score his second pole position in as many days. His 1:07.753 run is more than half a second faster than the Andretti driver’s best efforts and paves his path to a further three bonus points.

Lap One: Max takes advantage of starting from pole position by securing a good getaway when the race commences. His first lap is a 1:15.876 and he has a 0.540 second advantage over Dennis who holds second from Mitch Evans.

Lap Two: Due to a longer race distance, Race Two’s higher energy sensitivity requires more conversation and management. Max settles into a good saving rhythm at the front, but slightly increases the gap to Dennis to 0.616 seconds.

Lap Four: Max rolls the strategy dice by activating his first use of Attack Mode. Opting for a two-minute deployment ofthe 350kW power mode, he rejoins the race in third behind Dennis, who leads, and a second-placed Evans.

Lap Five: Dennis covers Max’s first deployment by activating his first Attack Mode. The Briton hands the lead to Evans but rejoins the race ahead of Max on track, who continues to hold third.

Lap Six: Evans activates Attack Mode to complete the leading group’s first strategy stint. The New Zealander’s overcut pushes him to third which allows Max to regain a position and hold a net second-place.

Lap Seven: Max starts to reduce Dennis’ advantage at the front, and begins to apply pressure, sitting in the slipstream by a margin of less than half a second.

Lap 10: Dennis’ buffer shrinks further as Max starts to turn up the pace. With a 1:11.899 run, the pair are only separated by 0.230 seconds.

Lap 15: After coming under mounting pressure from behind, Dennis activates his final Attack Mode, this time for alonger period of six minutes. He rejoins in third to release Max, who increases his pace by an impressive 1.3 seconds.

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Lap 16: By spending his saved energy, Max builds a gap to activate his final Attack Mode. He concedes track position to Evans only, and by posting the fastest Sector Two time of the race, rejoins 0.256 seconds ahead of Dennis who loses the net race lead.

Lap 20: Evans opts to activate his final Attack Mode, which releases Max into the lead. With clean air ahead, and energy in hand, the 25-year-old increases the race pace by dipping into the 1:10s.

Lap 22: With the final strategy phase complete, Max bolts to consistently build a lead over Dennis which now stands at 0.731 seconds.

Lap 24: Max breaks the one-second margin for the first time.

Lap 28: Max builds upon his pace further and increases his gap to Dennis beyond the three-second mark.

Lap 32: Dennis begins to increase his pace, and in one final push to the flag, starts to close the gap to Max. The two are separated by 2.286 seconds.

Lap 35: Max responds to Dennis’ challenge to set the fastest lap of his race, a 1:09.371 run, which opens the gap to 2.756 seconds.

Lap 37: Max re-establishes his former three-second lead on the penultimate lap of the race, with only one tour remaining until the chequered flag.

Lap 38: The chequered flag waves and Max scores his first victory for Maserati MSG Racing and the team’s first win of the 2023 season. With Edo also finishing inside the top 10, with an eighth-placed finish, the outfit rises to sixth in the World Teams’ Championship, overtaking McLaren.