New Maserati MSG group principal Cyril Blais is hoping his group can step as much as turn into championship contenders with its new driver lineup.
Underneath the guise of the legendary Italian model, the previous Venturi group has secured two wins over the past two seasons, with Maximilian Guenther triumphing in Jakarta in 2022-23 and Tokyo final season. Guenther has moved to sister Stellantis group DS Penske for this season, with 2021-22 champion Stoffel Vandoorne shifting within the different course, and highly-rated teenager Jake Hughes becoming a member of from NEOM McLaren rather than the departed Jehan Daruvala.
The group has proven to be aggressive now and again, however with its recent driver pairing, Blais thinks the group could make one other step forwards.
“Like each group up and down the pitlane, we need to be within the combat – nobody is right here to make up the numbers,” he mentioned. “However profitable a System E race is not any simple problem, particularly with the type of racing that we’ve seen develop over latest seasons. With our milestone victories in Jakarta and Tokyo we demonstrated that now we have what’s wanted to succeed in the highest spot on the rostrum however contending championships means greater than profitable races. You want consistency, you want stamina, strategic talent, group play, and also you want greater than a bit of luck.
“Our driver line-up is likely one of the strongest on the grid. Stoffel and Jake have actually impressed us in recent times, you don’t win a World Championship title accidentally. Jake’s one lap tempo has been formidable, now we have to work on our race craft. We’re hopeful and we’re decided, we simply must put all of the items collectively with regards to qualifying and the races.”
Maserari, together with all the System E paddock, has had its preparations for the upcoming season impacted by devastating floods in Spain which have pressured the four-day pre-season take a look at to be moved from Valencia to Jarama and postponed by a day. With the brand new GEN3 Evo formulation coming into play this season, testing is much more very important.
“For varied causes, testing in System E is de facto restricted so we have to make absolutely the most of each alternative we get to run our vehicles,” he mentioned. “Particularly when now we have a era change as we do now from GEN3 to GEN3 Evo. Not solely has the automotive modified, however now we have a brand new tyre compound to take care of which ought to enhance grip throughout races.
“The circuits we take a look at at aren’t precisely typical of System E avenue circuits, now we have an up to date automotive, new tyres and an all-new driver line-up to check so there’s nonetheless loads of work for us to do there. We’ve additionally by no means examined at Jarama earlier than in order that provides in a further aspect of problem and discovery however it’s the identical for all of the groups.”
Blais could also be cautious of the disruption, however he’s nonetheless constructive of the group’s place forward of testing, which begins on Tuesday.
“As group principal, my precedence is to make it possible for every individual within the group has the optimum working atmosphere to do the absolute best job,” he mentioned. “In a motorsport group in a quickly evolving championship, that is all the time going to be a piece in progress. We’ve got achieved numerous work within the background between the season finale in London and now and now we have additionally welcomed some distinctive new individuals to the group so I’m trying ahead to seeing everybody working collectively on the observe and to creating positive that the chemistry and group dynamic is correct.
“Efficiency on observe is straight impacted by group tradition, in motorsport, it’s good to make cut up second choices and other people really feel most snug and assured to do that when they’re working in a relaxed and trusting atmosphere. Testing performs an enormous position in creating this dynamic as we are able to run a lot of completely different simulations and eventualities to provide us an concept of how completely different conditions would possibly pan out in the course of the season.”
