Maximilian Günther produced one of the standout charges of Formula E Berlin E-Prix Race 2, only to see his afternoon unravel in the closing laps. After climbing from 14th on the grid into the lead group, leading the race more than once and setting the fastest lap along the way, the DS Penske driver was struck down by a power cut at the Full Course Yellow restart that dropped him out of the top ten and ultimately to 15th at the chequered flag.
After the race, Günther spoke Pit Debrief to break down his run through the order, the positives he is taking from a difficult Berlin weekend, and why Monaco offers a fresh chance to reset.
A charge to the front, undone at the worst moment
Günther’s Sunday looked, for much of its running, like the home comeback he and the team had been chasing. From the moment the lights went out, the German made his way through the pack with intent, picking off positions and putting his car firmly into contention. By the early stages of Race 2 at the Berlin E-Prix, Günther had hauled himself into the lead group, and on more than one occasion he took the lead outright, even setting the fastest lap of the race during a particularly aggressive phase.
The Tempelhof script, however, rarely runs in a straight line. With energy management dictating the closing stretch and Attack Mode timing reshaping the order corner by corner, Günther found himself shuffled out of the top placings, before a late Full Course Yellow neutralised the field. When the green flag fell again, he was hit with a power cut that turned a likely points finish into a result well outside of where his pace deserved.
When Pit Debrief asked him to summarise his charge through the field after going from 14th on the grid all the way to the front of the race, Günther’s reflection mixed satisfaction with frustration in equal measure.
“Yes, it was a really good race. Unfortunately, without a reward at the end. Not for the first time this year, but it is what it is.”
He was clear about exactly when and how the afternoon turned against him.
“We unfortunately got a power cut at the end with the full course yellow release. Extremely disappointing of course because P8. Good points were definitely our realistic outcome today. But, I think just keep going and hopefully, it will be better in Monaco.”
Positives from a frustrating weekend
A weekend that yielded no points for Günther will inevitably leave a sour taste, but the underlying performance had been there across both races. Pit Debrief turned the conversation to what positives he was carrying out of Berlin, and Günther was clear that the speed itself was not the problem.
“For sure, there were good moments when it comes to the pace over one lap. I think in the race we have with P8 our ideal position in the race here in Berlin which is pretty energy sensible.”
Execution, however, remains the area he and the team must sharpen if those ideal positions are going to convert into actual points hauls.
“I think we did a lot of things right, but we also need to look into the execution where we can get better.”
Looking ahead to a favourite circuit
The Formula E paddock now turns its attention to Monaco, and for Günther the next round offers more than just a chance to reset. The principality holds a special place on his calendar, and the German was visibly upbeat about heading there with a fresh sheet.
When asked how he was preparing for Monaco and whether he felt confident the result would be better there, his answer left little doubt about his enthusiasm for the streets of Monte Carlo.
“Absolutely, I am looking forward to Monaco. It’s one of my favourite tracks, a really special place. And yeah, everything will be reshuffled again. I think, we try to take everything we can from this weekend and then head into Monaco.”
For Günther and DS Penske, Berlin closes as a weekend defined by what might have been. Pace was rarely the issue across either race, but two unfortunate afternoons in front of his home crowd leave him chasing the points his performances have deserved. Monaco, a circuit he loves and where he has every reason to believe the team can rebound, now becomes the next opportunity to put that right.
