With the sun finally shining brightly over the Principality, following difficult conditions earlier in the week, the first day of the Monaco E-Prix delivered a tactical and exciting race for DS Penske, who secured vital points after putting in a strong performance on the track.
As has now become tradition in Formula E in Monaco, the cars took to the track at 7.30am on Saturday morning for a first 30-minute free practice session. It was a relatively quiet session, punctuated by a few close calls in the run-off areas, but mainly devoted to set-up work. At DS Penske, the focus was more on set-up than on pure performance, although Taylor Barnard managed to set the ninth-fastest time. The pace picked up a notch during the second session. While fine-tuning the final details ahead of qualifying, Barnard came very close to the wall in the tunnel, whilst Maximilian Guenther confirmed the potential of the DS E-Tense FE25 with the fourth-fastest time in a high-intensity session.
Both DS Penske drivers then found themselves in the highly competitive Group A for qualifying, a draw that effectively reduced their chances of reaching the quarter-finals. Guenther, however, navigated the session perfectly to reach the duels, where he would first face Nico Muller’s Porsche. But Muller was unable to keep up with the pace of the DS Penske on this demanding track. Ultimately third on the grid, Guenther secured an excellent starting position for an E-Prix billed as particularly tactical. Barnard, in 11th position, clearly had a chance to make his mark as well.
Taylor Barnard, DS Penske
Photo by: DPPI
A tactical race
At the start, the leading positions remained unchanged. Settled in third place, Guenther was able to manage his energy efficiently whilst staying in touch with the leaders. Barnard, for his part, held his place just outside the top 10 during a first part of the race tightly controlled by the entire field, with everyone mindful of the importance of preserving their car with two races on the weekend’s schedule. A collision between two competitors nevertheless prompted a safety car period. After the restart, the order remained stable and energy management became even more crucial in this 29-lap race. The race took a turn between laps 14 and 16 with the mandatory Pit Boost stops, the rapid recharge required by the regulations. This phase reshuffled the pack and cost Guenther several positions, having been firmly established on the provisional podium until then.
The DS Penske driver remained in contention, however, thanks to effective use of Attack Mode, which provides extra power and four-wheel drive for six minutes. After a minor collision with Muller’s Porsche, he crossed the line in eighth place. This result was ultimately nullified by a five-second penalty, specifically related to the aforementioned contact. Barnard, meanwhile, put in a solid and consistent performance. Starting 11th, the Briton fought his way up to seventh place to secure valuable points for the Franco-American team.
On Sunday, the second Monaco E-Prix will be contested over a reduced distance of one lap, with two activations of Attack Mode but no Pit Boost. This change in format will force the teams to completely rethink their strategy.
Taylor Barnard, DS Penske
Photo by: DPPI
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– The Autosport.com Team
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