How Guenther played it to perfection

It might have appeared like a simple pole position to Shanghai victory conversion for Maximilian Guenther today, but the real story shows a story of anything but simple. In a race packed with intense energy saving, brave battles and a variety of pit boost strategies, DS Penske emerged the winner with its first-ever Formula E one-two result.

For Guenther, who took home his second winners’ trophy of the 2024/25 season, both he and his team played the very complex game the Shanghai International Circuit threw their way perfectly.

Although qualifying on pole has its perks, with the three additional points awarded, this certainly isn’t a circuit where first place on the starting grid is the be-all and end-all. At such a large track, where it can drain your energy and leave you vulnerable at the front, it’s not often we see pole position translate to 25 points for the victory.

“To see the one-two result is incredible and I am very proud of what we’ve done today,” Guenther stated after the chequered flag. “Already qualifying was super strong and I had a very good feeling in the car. We delivered really good laps, and that was the first milestone of the day.

“But in Formula E, these races are so complex and long, especially a race like today with the Pit Boost. We really managed well with good execution, good pace and a very good strategy.”

As the lights went out for Round 10, it was reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein of Porsche who nabbed an early lead from third. The pack was reshuffling continuously, with polesitter Guenther retaking his starting position just a few corners later as McLaren’s Taylor Barnard kept himself involved after starting second.

By the second lap, Wehrlein was back in front, with the Nissan of Oliver Rowland storming up the grid from sixth to second and Guenther now down to third. The climb of four positions for championship leader Rowland was one of the biggest moves in the early stages, alongside that of Jake Hughes, who had jumped four places to fifth for Maserati.

Hughes’ team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne, who took victory in Japan across the last double-header, was the first to take Attack Mode and as expected proved it to be a very powerful tool to pass with the all-wheel drive and extra 50 kWh of power launching him towards the front of the grid.

Stability was a rare occurrence in the opening laps, as Guenther, Rowland and the Mahindra of Nyck de Vries took turns leading the race as the order continued to reshuffle behind them.

Pit Boost returned once again for this race – a mandatory 30-second stop for an additional 10% energy increase – with Nico Muller for Andretti being the first to use the recharging technology on lap 13 of 29. The following loop Guenther made the call to pit from fourth, headlining a clump of drivers as they entered the pitlane for their respective stops that included the likes of Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa and Vandoorne, both of whom had used their first Attack Modes.

Guenther peeled out of the pits in 15th, and by half race distance took his first Attack Mode as most of those ahead did the same. Muller, who had already stopped and now had Attack Mode, managed to pass the DS Penske for the net lead, and kept the eventual winner behind as Rowland and de Vries both came into the pits for their stops on lap 17.

Rowland emerged in front of Guenther after his stop, but only just as the two fought nose to tail. Aided by the final moments of his first Attack Mode, Guenther made an overtake stick on the standings leader and by lap 18 was fronting the pack once again from Wehrlein in second and Rowland now third.

As the only car within the top seven with Attack Mode, Barnard went bold and burst through the cluster of cars up front to take the lead around the outside of Wehrlein and soon began pulling a gap to those behind. Having totalled up four top-three results so far this season, there was just one spot on the steps that Barnard has yet to visit: first place.

However, the dream of becoming Formula E’s youngest victor, a record held by Guenther, was put on hold as his final Attack Mode ran out and left him at risk with five laps to go.

Soon Rowland passed his former karting protege Barnard at Turn 6 with the help of Attack Mode, but it was Guenther who was in the strongest position as the race reached its exciting climax with a handful of laps to go. The DS Penske pilot had almost a minute more of Attack Mode left to Rowland and after telling his team “we pass and we go” was able to send it down the start-finish straight on lap 26 to snatch back the lead. From there he kept his foot firmly down.

He was up on energy – 2% to Rowland in second – and was able to extend his lead with what looked like ease. Within a lap he was two and a half seconds clear of the pack as those behind squabbled for the final two podium places.

Barnard made an audacious overtake on Norman Nato of Nissan, but the real heroics came from Guenther’s team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne, who waited until the final few corners to pounce and secure second place to give the team its very first one-two result in 142 race starts in Formula E. The ambitious lunge down the inside of Barnard and the CUPRA KIRO of Dan Ticktum as the race reached its final few metres saw the two-time Formula E champion Vergne go from fourth to second.

With the shenanigans for second and third unfolding at a rapid rate behind him, Guenther was able to extend his lead to an impressive seven seconds by the time he passed the finish line and was eventually able to see his team-mate Vergne emerge in second, much to the delight of DS Penske over the radio. 

“We waited quite long before our last Attack Mode just because we were able to, being in front and then having… good energy at the end,” Guenther added. “This then gave us the shot for the win and it was quite clear that then I needed to pass Rowland and try to disappear in the distance. I saw the guys fighting for second, and then I did the most efficient laps I could.”

Team Boss Jay Penske was on hand to accept the manufacturer trophy on the podium, but stood underneath with a tear in his eye was deputy team principal, Phil Charles. Having made the move from Jaguar, it’s clear to see the mark one of the most influential technical minds in the Formula E paddock has made on this team in the 16 months since joining the team.

“Phil Charles is amazing and it’s a real pleasure to work with him, a great leader,” concluded Guenther. “And what Phil and Jay [Penske] are building in this team is special. It’s a very strong vision, and that’s the reason I came here, I really see what this team is capable of particularly in the future and this is a great step for us to win our second race of the year.”