DS Penske showed great strength throughout the weekend of the Miami E-Prix. However, the team left the Miami E-Prix without points. Strong performances in practice sessions and a solid Qualifying session from Taylor Barnard suggested a potential breakthrough. But changeable weather conditions ultimately affected the team’s ambitions.

The DS Penske drivers, Taylor Barnard and Maximilian Günther, were caught out by the rain, each losing ground in different ways as the race unfolded.

Barnard’s Speed without Reward

Taylor Barnard arrived in Miami looking like one of the grid’s biggest prospects of the weekend. The British driver found his pace quickly during Free Practice 1 and, starting Free Practice 2, emerged as the fastest. He carried the momentum into Qualifying, reaching the Duels stage and securing fifth place.

However, as the rain complicated the conditions and affected grip levels, Barnard struggled to maintain the position and gradually slipped backwards. As the track worsened, Barnard was forced to defend, losing positions to the rivals with better traction and timing. Despite his best efforts, Barnard crossed the line in 14th. A frustrating result that failed to reflect the promising speed he had shown earlier.

“It’s obviously disappointing tonight because everyone was hoping for a better result. However, we need to stay positive and build on what we did well this weekend. We arrived in Miami with a very competitive package, which allowed us to fight at the front of every session before the E-Prix.”
—Taylor Barnard, DS Penske Formula E Driver

Günther’s Strategy Gamble Backfires

For Maximilian Günther, the Miami E-Prix became a strategy gamble that didn’t pay off. Günther also showed competitive speed across practice and Qualifying, placing himself in 10th. With rain looming over the race, the grid largely opted for wet tyre pressures, but Günther and DS Penske chose to gamble on a drier setup.

Unfortunately, the German’s decision backfired and proved costly for the team, as grip levels dropped. Struggling to find traction, Günther was unable to match the pace of those around him and began losing positions early on. As conditions continued to deteriorate, the strategy left him effectively out of contention. He crossed the line at the back of the field, bringing a frustrating end to an otherwise encouraging weekend.

“We took a risk with the car setup, and it did not pay off. We lacked the grip to be competitive, and that’s frustrating because we showed very strong pace in dry conditions.” 
—Maximilian Günther, DS Penske Formula E Driver

DS Penske Looks Ahead to Jeddah

DS Penske came into the Miami E-Prix with ambitions and a strong pace, supported by positive runs in Mexico and competitive sessions in Miami. Yet the unpredictable rain prevented the team from scoring any points. Despite the disappointing results, the car showed promising performance and the pace to compete near the front line of the pack.

The team is now fully focused on the next round, a double-header in Jeddah on February 13 and 14. They will aim to translate their pace into tangible results and challenge for the first podium of the season.