Thomas Biermaier, Team Principal of the ABT CUPRA Formula E Team is aware that his side have a “lot of work” to do in order to become a midfield side, with the Germans currently requiring the “perfect lap” to get amongst those ahead of them.
ABT CUPRA endured a mixed Jakarta E-Prix double-header, with Saturday having been a significantly better day than Sunday. On Saturday, ahead of the tenth round of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Robin Frijns made it into the duels and claimed seventh on the grid, whilst Nico Müller qualified ninth. Frijns went on to claim his first top ten of the season after finishing ninth, with Müller just missing out on the points in eleventh. It was nevertheless a “strong” day for team.
Sunday was significantly more difficult, with the longer race having worked very much against them. Müller qualified seventeenth with Frijns in twenty-second, as ABT CUPRA returned to reality. Müller went on to finish the eleventh round in twelfth, with Frijns in thirteenth.
The main positive for the team is that they scored more points; however, they remain comfortably at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship. Biermaier is aware that his side aren’t yet capable of “consistently” fighting the midfield teams, something they’re targeting going into Portland.
“Many thanks for the efforts of the whole team, who worked hard under difficult conditions and always kept a cool head. Saturday we made it through to the duels in qualifying and scored points from our own steam in the race – that was strong! But for us to achieve something like that, it takes a perfect lap in qualifying and also a perfect day in other respects, which we weren’t able to repeat on Sunday.
“The reality is that there is still a lot of work ahead of us before we can consistently fight in the midfield.”
