Strong Performances From Maximilian Günther to Conclude FIA Formula E Season 12 with London EPrix Double Header

It was a weekend of almost for Maximilian Günther taking part in the final two races of the 2025/26 FIA Formula E Championship, where despite great strategy execution and car management on track he was unable to add any more points to his Season 12 campaign. Technical issues and car damage saw him starting each race on the back foot, and his comeback throughout the race was testament to the potential that has been on show but not completely unlocked this season.

Saturday didn’t have an ideal start with small contact with the wall in Maximilian’s out lap for qualifying meant he could take no further part in the session. This meant he started the race P19 and had a lot of work to do to get back into the points. Especially with the limited overtaking opportunities around the ExCel London circuit, it was going to be all about the strategy.

Utilising the Pit Boost race, Maximilian and DS PENSKE decided on energy management at the start to try and use the Pit Boost and Attack Mode to move up the field towards the end of the race. As one of the last to stop for his Pit Boost, the strategy was working well and Maximilian was in a good place on energy to be attacking at the end of the race.

It was a valiant effort to race into the points and a great recovery drive, with some stunning overtakes around the tight ExCel London circuit, but the caution period that played right into Maximilian’s strategy came at slightly the wrong time. Being on the same strategy as his teammate and the team only being able to pit one car at a time, Barnard was given the priority as he was the car ahead on track, meaning Maximilian missed out on the advantage of pitting during the full course yellow. He tried all he could when he returned to the track, but with his stop not having the advantage of the rest of the field being slowed down, he could progress to no better than 12th. However, it did show that there was a good race package this weekend and, so long as he avoided any damage or technical issues on Sunday, Maximilian should be on for a good race to end the season on a high.

Final practice showcased that pace and gave Maximilian the confidence going into qualifying that he would be able to challenge into the duels and set himself in a good start position. However, a sporting infringement in final practice saw him handed a three-place grid penalty for the race, something he would have to try to negate as much as possible in qualifying.

He drove well and set great lap times, challenging the top four for a duels position, but as has been the way in qualifying this year the margins are very tight from being in the duels and just missing out. He was sixth in Group B at the end of the session, unable to make any further progress in qualifying. With the three-place grid drop, this saw him starting the race P14.

Maximilian had almost managed to get into the points in that race with a good strategy. No Pit Boost but two Attack Modes instead, Maximilian once again managed his energy at the beginning of the race, holding his Attack Modes to be deployed when the rest of the grid was at its most vulnerable at the end of the race.

He did what he could, but a late safety period, the nature of the ExCel London circuit and higher energy management needed in Sunday’s race made progress harder than it should have been. At the flag, Maximilian just missed out on points, crossing the line 11th.

The race, as well as being the final time Formula E will race at ExCel London, also marked the end of Maximilian’s journey with DS and the Penske racing team. DS leave Formula E as the Gen4 era begins, but Maxmilian also parts ways with the team after two years with the marque. It has been a great campaign together, but Maximilan is excited for the next chapter of his Formula E racing story where he will be back on the grid to master the Gen4 machines and aim to return to the front of the grid.

Maximilian is very grateful to everyone in the team for their commitment and contribution, but above all for the close relationships that have developed along the way. It’s been a great chapter in his career and although he now looks forwards to the next one he will always look back on his time with DS PENSKE with fondness.

Gen4 and Season 13 gets underway later this year, with Maximilian now looking to take a few months to reset, rest and get ready for the next championship where he will be looking to put on a title challenge.

Results

Saturday

Free Practice 1 – P17, 1:09.310

Free Practice 2 – P11, 1:07.999

Qualifying – P20 (Group B, P10, 1:15.347)

Start Position – P19

Race – P12

Sunday

Free Practice 3 – P7, 1:07.509

Qualifying – P12 (Group B, P6, 1:08.704)

Start Position – P14

Race – P11

Championship

Championship Standing – P18 (23 points)

Maximilian Günther

“It was a tricky weekend because, despite driving well and loving this circuit and racing well on it, I wasn’t able to come away with any points. Points I felt were achievable.

“For Race 1, I broke the suspension on the exit of Turn 13 touching the wall with the rear left. It was a shame because the lap was mega strong until that point and it was disappointing not to be able to go out and set a lap that I knew the car had in it.

We had a good recovery from P19 to get to P12 but there was a lot more on the table for us today.

It’s the feeling I was left with after Saturday’s race because we did everything on strategy side to extend the Pit Boost window and hope to get lucky – with a safety car or full course yellow – knowing that would bring us right back into the race with good energy. We would have been able to get a lot of points and a great result.

“It was a shame because that did indeed happen and the full course yellow came at the right moment, but Taylor and me were both on the same strategy and we couldn’t both pit together. With him being the car ahead on track, he got the priority, so I was unable to optimise the luck that had come our way. I didn’t get that advantage that was the jackpot for most guys finishing well in the first race. But the race was executed exactly how we had planned and, had a bit more luck been on my side, I easily could have walked away with great points.

“I felt much better with the changes we made to the package overnight and was feeling confident going into the final race of the season. Qualifying was good and I was putting in some solid laps, but couldn’t quite get all the pieces perfectly together which saw me just missing out on the duels. Despite the improvements there was still something that didn’t quite click with me and the DS E-TENSE 25 this weekend which is why I was just missing the mark.

“London is a tricky one; if you start in the midfield or towards the back because of how tough it is to overtake it quickly can become a very tough race. It was complicated for me. We tried all we could, looking to get to the front and take the Attack Mode at the right time and we were doing ok having made a few places by the middle of the race by our energy wasn’t at the best. In the end I fought hard, gained some places, but 11th was the best we could do.

“It’s been a hard and tricky season, but I have zero regrets. We had some big limitations on the package which made Season 12 challenging for the team but myself and everyone at DS PENSKE did everything to bring the team into as competitive position as we could to tackle this challenge together. We gave it our best shot which is all you can ask. It was a pretty consistent season for me, just unfortunately consistently just missing out on points finishes. A lot of 11th places and, when we were in the points it was at the lower end of the top ten.

“Just one of those seasons where we all gave it everything but there just wasn’t any more possible that we could have got out of it. A shame to not come out with more points or be in the podium fight more often but I know myself and the team left no stone unturned and nothing on the table. When you give absolutely everything you can’t have any regrets.

“Like always in my career, I can look back on these two race seasons with DS PENSKE and know I’m coming out of it a better driver, coming out of Season 12 a better driver than I went into it. I’m really looking forward to the future. Gen4 is going to be incredibly exciting and the new chapter is one I can’t wait to begin.”