Nico Müller spoke at length about the difficulties of the Berlin E-Prix, and hoped for an exciting race around the Tempelhof Airport Circuit.
The Swiss driver currently sits P14 in the Drivers’ Championship, having had a mixed season. However, Müller did finish P4 in Jakarta last time out. The Andretti man qualified P13 for Formula E‘s Berlin E-Prix.
Speaking exclusively to Fastest Formula News, Müller praised the good preparation of his Andretti team ahead of the E-Prix and looks to maximise his potential for the weekend.
On the challenges of the Berlin E-Prix
Müller has had a difficult past in Berlin, with a highest finish of P9 since season six of Formula E. Ahead of this weekend’s E-Prix, the Andretti driver is hoping to position himself well for a strategic race.
“I mean, it’s a very strategic race because of slipstreaming being so powerful, so positioning yourself right will be key. And then, as always, you need to have pace. So if you have a car that allows you to extract performance, then normally you have a good shot at scoring points.
“So that’s what we’re focused on.”
Andretti prepared for challenging Tempelhof Airport Circuit
The Tempelhof Airport Circuit provides a difficult mix of being low-grip and tough on tyres. On how he feels the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 will handle the track, Müller expects a fun race on a tricky circuit.
“I think it will be fun to drive these cars around here. Depending on what the weather does, it could become a bit more exciting than usual. I think this surface, when it’s wet, can be very tricky. So we’ll see.
“But we’ve prepared well. I think we’re ready for whatever’s coming up and try to maximise what we have.”
It is expected to rain throughout Saturday and Sunday in Berlin, so we may see Müller’s prediction of an “exciting” E-Prix come true.
Müller reserved about strategy for the race
The Tempelhof Airport Circuit has seen plenty of chaos and varying strategy since its Formula E debut in 2014. When asked about his strategy for the Berlin E-Prix, Müller joked: “I’m not going to give that away!” However, the Andretti driver emphasised the need for multiple options ahead of an unpredictable race.
“It really depends on the situation, where you’re in, the position, what the competition around you is doing. You’re trying to read the race as it’s going on, so you can’t really have a fixed, predicted strategy.”
Müller looking to maximise potential at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit
With his tough history in Berlin, Müller is unlikely to regard the Tempelhof Airport Circuit as one of his favourites. The Swiss driver explicitly refused to state any expectations for this weekend at the Berlin E-Prix, but will no doubt be hoping to build on his results in Shanghai and Jakarta.
“Just maximising our potential, and we’ll take what comes out of it.”
The Andretti Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 has shown glimpses of being a competitive car this season, but is yet to consistently crack the potential that Müller references. With four rounds of the Formula E season left, Müller will be hoping to end the season positively.
