The Italian driver who races with the Swiss license for the Italian team: “Many negative episodes, but we’re not in such bad shape: a good result would also change the perception that the Italians have of me”
– Milan
An Italian driver, he points out over and over again, in an Italian car. Edoardo Mortara on Maserati. The big news of this Season 9 of Formula E is this. That Italians can, should, finally take sides. Above all for a driver who in the last two years (with the Monegasque Venturi) has been battling for the title right up to the last race. And that this year, with its blue livery and trident, it has so far collected very little, even if not above all for a series of negative episodes, with some blame in South Africa, and totally innocent in Brazil and India. So that after 6 races he has just 3 points. But – he assures on the eve of the double appointment in Berlin – he does not give up.
You haven’t had much luck so far.
“Definitely not. It wasn’t a good start to the season. We had bad luck, it’s true. But I also think we didn’t work well enough. But it’s not over. We’re looking for solutions. very close races: we lacked time to improve. Then we finally had four weeks, and we are counting on having put them to good use”.
Maserati took over from the Venturi team. How much continuity is there? And how different?
“The team is the same. The engineers are more or less the same as before. But there have been a lot of shuffling in skills. So in fact a lot has changed. The team principal (James Rossiter, ed) is new and above all the engine supplier has changed, no longer Mercedes, it’s Stellantis. And so we needed some time to adjust. It’s a transitional phase, difficult to manage”.
Net of the unfavorable episodes in South Africa, Brazil and India, he has only 3 points: what are the prospects?
“I’d like to race with the others: I haven’t been able to do it for three races. In India and Brazil they kicked me out when I was in the top five. In South Africa I did very well in free practice and then nothing worked in qualifying. So I’m curious to begin to understand what we’re really worth, in my opinion we’re not that bad. I’m quite optimistic and confident that we will do better.”
What does it mean to be on a Maserati, to ideally continue the tradition of Juan Manuel Fangio?
“As an Italian it is something very special. I would really like to get results with and for Maserati. For the moment they have not arrived: but I hope they will. In terms of support they are really helping us a lot. And you see the experience, the background: they’re understanding what’s going on. They know, and we all know, that not everything is beautiful in the world of racing. Sometimes there are moments when you suffer. But if we all stick together, I think we’ll make it.”
The championship started with official Porsches and Andretti-Porsche in front of everyone, then something seems to be changing. How do you see it?
“At first the Porsche seemed uncatchable. Then we saw Jaguar and Envision. The DS, which has the same engine as us, has grown. And so this makes me very hopeful ”.
How do you see the format of the one-on-one direct challenge qualifiers?
“I’m not sorry at all. And yes, maybe they should think about something like that in other categories of motorsport as well. As a rider I can say that it is a pure challenge. It’s interesting to see the dynamics in the dueling phase, the psychological aspect. Inevitably you think about who your opponent is, what his strengths and weaknesses will be. And this shows the human factor as preponderant. It’s a dilemma about the risks to take”.
For example, do you relax if you think you are superior to the antagonist…?
“No. But you saw what he did in free practice and more generally up to that point in the season ”.
What will Mortara do when he grows up?
In Rome they have already opened the pre-sale…
“First of all I like the city. Even just being in Rome makes me happy. Then I like the circuit, very complete and technical. Above all, as an Italian, it is my only home E-prix. I’ve always felt support: I imagine that this year, as a Maserati driver, will be even more beautiful”.
Even if we are used to seeing it with the Swiss flag next to the name…
“It’s also partly my fault: I started racing with Italian nationality, then I changed and now I’m racing with a Swiss licence. So maybe many don’t know that I’m half Italian and half Swiss (he was born and lives in Geneva, his father is from Turin, ed) so when I come to Rome I would like it to be clearer to everyone that I feel at home. That I’m racing my E-prix.”
Who is the favorite at this point, for the title?
“I see that things are changing a lot. I can’t say that he will be able to develop the best software from here to the end. In the last three weekends, Jaguar has made a lot of progress: Evans and Bird could get back into the fray. As well as Vergne with DS-Penske. And then, sincerely…”.
“Even though we’ve had a disastrous season so far, as long as we have even a chance to win the championship guaranteed by arithmetic, I keep hoping for it. Also because we have been fighting for the title for the past two years. I certainly didn’t get the start I was hoping for: but I dream of a comeback. For now, I’m thinking about getting competitive again. Competitive with the Maserati. Not just for me, but because Maserati deserves it at a team level and at a brand level”.
Could a result from Mortara on Maserati change the perception of Italian sportsmen?
“I hope so. I really hope so. It will do everyone good to see an Italian achieve results with an Italian car…”
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