Revealed on the streets of Maserati’s home in Modena, Italy, in the marque's iconic blue, Maserati Tipo Folgore is the first electric racing car in the marque’s distinguished heritage, and by transferring on-track innovation to road-relevant technologies, it is set play a significant role in the brand’s electrification journey.
The Maserati Tipo Folgore pays homage to Maserati’s first racing car, the Tipo 26, which won the 1926 Targa Florio when Alfieri Maserati delivered an audacious performance on the winding mountains of Sicily. Now, 96 years on, Maserati Tipo Folgore represents a new era for Maserati MSG Racing and embodies the Italian brand’s commitment to its all-electric high-performance Folgore automotive range
“After months of anticipation, it’s a great feeling to lift the covers off the Maserati Tipo Folgore," says Team Principal James Rossiter. "With the prestige of Maserati and the experience, success and diligence of MSG [Monaco Sports Group], we believe we have a winning combination. Now our focus returns to pre-season preparations and after a promising private testing phase, we need to maximise every minute of track time in Valencia. At this stage, it’s very difficult to make any predictions, but with a competitive package and Edo [Mortara] and Max [Guenther] behind the wheel, we’re confident that we can have a successful season.”
Mortara: 'We're looking good but refinements to come'
Gen3 is a huge step up from Gen2, and every team has been working tirelessly to make the leap ahead of Formula E's new era and testing in Valencia in less than two weeks' time. Edoardo Mortara, who finished third in last season's Drivers' World Championship is encouraged by the work done so far, with testing set to provide a "key opportunity" for the team to refine and optimise before lights go out in Mexico City.
“Looking at our car, it’s very different compared to the other liveries on the grid for 2023 so we’ll definitely stand out on track in Mexico," says Edo Mortara. "Over the past few months, we’ve been going through our development cycle and so far, things look good but it’s too early to really tell. Pre-season testing will be a key opportunity for us to validate our work as we continue to refine and optimise our performance ahead of the start of the season.”
New signing Maximilian Guenther agrees with Mortara.
“The car looks incredible, and it feels fantastic to drive," says Guenther. "With more power, less weight and improved regenerative braking, it’s a great step compared to the Gen2. During private testing we’ve made some positive steps on the performance and reliability front, and I’m excited to continue that work in Valencia later this month. With a strong pre-season test, I know that we’ll be able to hit the ground running in Mexico City for the first race of the season.”
Giovanni Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse adds: “This is another unique milestone accomplished as we continue our countdown to our first race in Formula E as the only Italian luxury automotive brand in the championship. Maserati has competed and left its mark in many championships and unveiling the Maserati Tipo Folgore today is a testament of our audacity, that reignites our competitive spirit and our commitment to race beyond.
"It’s fantastic to see Maserati’s first fully electric racing car unveiled right in the centre of Modena, the home of Maserati, and I can’t wait to see it perform out on track as we head to Valencia for pre-season testing.”
Maserati is the latest team to show off its Gen3 colours in the last week with Nissan, Jaguar, DS and McLaren ahead of the new season.