Barnard hoping to “be back in Tokyo” after “complicated” Monaco E-Prix Race 2

Taylor Barnard endured a difficult Race 2 at the Monaco E-Prix, a stark contrast to his standout performance in the opening race where he secured pole position. Starting further down the grid, he was unable to replicate the pace that earned him pole position for Race 1.

Throughout the race, Barnard remained on the fringes of the midfield and did not feature in the lead battles. His struggles were compounded late in the session when he received a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits. The penalty impacted his final classification, pushing him further down the order.

With limited strategic flexibility and no major opportunities to advance through the field, Barnard concluded the Monaco double-header without adding to his points tally from Race 1.

McLaren’s strategy as the key factor to the no-points finish of the Monaco E-Prix

Barnard identified the overall race strategy as the decisive factor behind his point-less finish in Monaco Race 2. McLaren had anticipated the track would dry more rapidly, a miscalculation that affected their tyre pressure choices and ultimately complicated the race for the rookie.

“The strategy was based on the track drying much more than it actually did,” Barnard explained. “Clearly, it did not, which explains our pace. We went wrong on tyre pressures, but beyond that, there is not much else to say. The race was complicated.”

Barnard and his team had designed their strategy around the shifting weather conditions, expecting the drying track to bring the tyres into their optimal performance window. Their approach also hinged on the emergence of a safety car, which could have bunched up the field and created overtaking opportunities. However, the race remained largely incident-free at the moments when intervention was most needed.

With the track staying damp and unpredictable, Barnard struggled to extract consistent pace. The absence of a Safety Car at a critical time meant the strategic gamble did not pay off. As a result, he was unable to make meaningful progress and finished outside the points.

“Yeah, I mean, we were waiting for the tyres to dry and come into the window for a Safety Car or something, so we were hoping for some kind of fortune, but it didn’t happen.”

Barnard hopeful for comeback in Tokyo

Taylor Barnard remained optimistic despite the disappointing result in Monaco Race 2. He acknowledged the team’s struggles in the wet, but expressed confidence in their ability to learn and improve. While Barnard admitted that mistakes had been made, he insisted that they would not be repeated in future races.

“I think even if it’s wet weather, to be honest, I think we’ll be okay. We probably won’t make the same mistake again.”

Barnard highlighted the car’s strong pace throughout the weekend, which made leaving Monaco without any points particularly frustrating. Nevertheless, he maintained a positive outlook and turned his focus towards regrouping for the next round in Tokyo, where he aims to capitalise on the car’s potential.

“We were in the fastest car all weekend, so to come away with no points is a bit unfortunate, but hopefully we’ll be back in Tokyo.”