Edoardo Mortara capped off a sensational day for Mahindra Racing at the Monaco E-Prix with a dramatic last-lap overtake on Nico Müller to secure fourth place in Race 1, completing a remarkable double top-five finish for the Indian manufacturer alongside teammate Nyck de Vries’ podium.
A last-minute overtake catapulted Mortara to the front
Nico Müller, who qualified ninth, delivered a composed performance throughout the race to steadily move up the order. However, it was the closing moments of the race that provided the most drama, as Mortara pounced on a slowing Müller to claim P4 in the final seconds.
When asked by Pit Debrief about the intense finish, Mortara revealed his frustration with what he perceived as team tactics from Andretti.
“He [Nico Müller] was trying to back me off because Jake [Dennis], you know, had a penalty and this was kind of like reminding me of what happened in London with Seb [Buemi] two or three years ago,” Mortara explained in the post-race press conference. “Honestly, these team games, I understand them, but there is a limit to everything.”
The veteran driver appeared puzzled by Müller’s actions in the closing stages. Elaborating from his perspective, Mortara said, “I didn’t really like it. In the end, I don’t know what he did, why he slowed down on the straight, if he ran out of energy, I don’t know.”
“It was very stressful, and I was under pressure with Pascal behind and I would have wished to have a more calm end of the race.”
A turning point for Mahindra Racing
While Mortara’s last-lap pass in Race 1 of the Monaco E-Prix captured attention, his result, combined with teammate de Vries’ second-place finish, marks a significant milestone for Mahindra Racing. The team, which has struggled in recent seasons, appears to be making genuine progress with their package.
When asked if this represented a turning point in Mahindra’s season, Mortara was measured but positive in his assessment. “I wouldn’t say that it’s a turning point, but like since two months we’ve been developing quite a lot our softness.” he explained. “And we are starting to understand better and better what to do actually with this car, which was not maybe not entirely the case at the beginning of the year.”
The improvements in the car’s performance have been particularly noticeable in its handling characteristics, according to Mortara. “Driveability now is improved. I think that this is something that you can see also through the practice, qualifying sessions. We are consistently now around the front runners, let’s say.”
Race progression
Starting from ninth on the grid, Mortara made steady progress throughout Race 1 of the Monaco E-Prix. While not as spectacular as some of the charges through the field, his consistent pace and energy management allowed him to be in contention when it mattered most.
As the race entered its closing stages, Mortara found himself in a battle with Müller, who had enjoyed an impressive race after benefiting from a well-timed pit stop. The Swiss-Italian driver maintained pressure on the Andretti driver, knowing that teammate Dennis was carrying a five-second penalty that would affect the final classification.
The pressure eventually told on the final lap, with Mortara making his move to secure P4 and cap off a remarkable day for Mahindra Racing. The result represents Mortara’s best finish of the season and further evidence of Mahindra’s improved performance.
Race 2 is a new day in Monaco and for Mortara
With another race scheduled at the same venue tomorrow, Mortara was cautious about making predictions despite today’s success. “The thing for me is that tomorrow it’s a complete, kind of like a complete new race. So you’ll start from scratch again, from the free practice. Everybody’s starting from zero again.”
Despite this reset, Mortara acknowledged that today’s experience would be valuable. “Obviously the experience that you gathered today will help you tomorrow,” he said. “But there is everything to do, and I hope that we can still achieve a good result tomorrow. But it’s not necessarily what you do today, let’s say, that will make you sure to get some results like tomorrow.”
Mortara’s realistic but optimistic outlook reflects the progress Mahindra has made while recognising the competitive nature of Formula E with both Mahindra drivers showing strong pace in Monaco. The team has reason to believe they can challenge for podiums consistently moving forward.
Mahindra’s ongoing development
Perhaps most encouraging for Mahindra and Mortara fans is the suggestion that there’s more to come from the team. “There’s definitely still a lot to come from us because we need to still fine-tune settings,” Mortara revealed. “But at least it’s getting more enjoyable, we are fighting at the front and let’s hope.”
This statement suggests Mahindra hasn’t reached the ceiling of their potential yet, with further improvements still possible as they continue to optimise their package.
For a team that has been working methodically behind the scenes to return to competitiveness, today’s double top-five finish in Formula E’s most prestigious race represents a significant milestone. The question now is whether they can build on this success and establish themselves as regular podium contenders for the remainder of the season.
