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The German racer scored the Maserati brand’s first single-seater podium in 66 years since five-time Formula One World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1957 German Grand Prix.
Max started from the fourth row of the grid after extracting strong pace in the group qualifying stages to secure his place in the head-to-head duels.
Team-mate Edoardo Mortara lined up 11th after qualifying but the duo made good progress in the race and remained in contention throughout.
While Max advanced to fifth with a sweeping move around the outside of Turn One, Edo slipped to 15th although he made quick progress to fight through the field.
The Swiss-Italian battled deftly into the top 10 to take the lead on lap 11 of 40 after overtaking reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne before the race was neutralised by a Safety Car on lap 12.
Given the high energy sensitivity of the Tempelhof Circuit, the race evolved into a high-speed peloton and a second Safety Car on lap 20 created another vital opportunity to save energy.
By this time, Max had recovered to the top five and was in direct contention with Mitch Evans, Sam Bird, and Sebastien Buemi as the quartet jockeyed for position and victory.
After the Jaguar pair broke out ahead, Max continued to duel with Buemi and came out on top in a drag race against the Swiss on the final lap up to the chequered flag.
Edging ahead of the Envision by 0.111 seconds, Max scored our first podium of the season while Edo also finished inside the top 10 with ninth to secure a double points finish.
The 2023 Berlin E-Prix will continue on Sunday, 23 April, for a second round at Tempelhof.
James Rossiter, Team Principal, Maserati MSG Racing
“That was something else. I’ve never been on a rollercoaster like that before, not even as a driver! What an incredible way to start our weekend in Berlin by scoring our first double points finish and our first podium of the season. Results like this one are special, and I’m immensely proud of everyone in the team. It comes from the hard work and dedication we put in every single day. Berlin has historically been a strong circuit for us, and after seeing some encouraging signs in practice, we were quietly optimistic. The race was incredibly intense, and ultimately, it’s about being in the right position at the end. Both drivers drove excellently, and coming away with our first podium of the season is very satisfying. We can’t rest, however, and in motorsport, you’re only as good as your last race. We now need to focus on tomorrow, improve and repeat today’s achievements or, better still, exceed them.”
Edoardo Mortara, Driver, Maserati MSG Racing
“That was an action-packed race, with a lot of racing, a lot of overtaking, and a lot of moves. Because Berlin is so energy intensive, and because of the benefit of the slipsteam, no one really wanted to lead at the start of the race, and this gave us a very special opportunity to come back. I was able to pass some drivers and took the lead myself, but in the second part of the race I started to struggle with the balance, and this meant that I couldn’t keep up my pace. It’s nice to be back in the top 10, and I’m proud of everyone in the team to get onto the podium. After a tough start to the season, it’s what they deserve. We have another race tomorrow, and as always, the goal is to do better.”
Maximilian Günther, Driver, Maserati MSG Racing
“This is such an incredible feeling! After the season we’ve had and the challenges we’ve faced – and now overcome – it feels so good to be on the podium. Achieving this at my home race, in Berlin, makes it an even more satisfying way to celebrate, and knowing that I’m the first driver since Fangio to finish on the podium for Maserati in single-seater motorsport is a great honour. The race was hard-fought throughout, and my battle with Seb at the end – knowing that so much was on the line – was intense. I’m so proud of everyone in the team for achieving this result, and with the benefit of a double-header, we will try to keep this momentum going.“
Giovanni Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse
“Maserati made history today with our first podium finish in Formula E. We have celebrated many milestones in our long racing history, but today we made a mark in this championship and look forward to the future with optimism and resilience. We congratulate both of our drivers on their podium and top-ten finishes. They did a fantastic job and never gave up; this is well deserved!”
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