Maserati has announced that they will be joining the FIA Formula E World Championship in 2023.
It is a move that came quite unexpectedly but one that is bringing a lot of excitement to the world of electric motorsport.
With the Gen3 car making its debut in 2023, it seems like the ideal time for anyone to join the sport and we could yet see more manufacturers join.
It is exactly what the series needs now with many leading teams withdrawing from the series and we will see that again at the end of Season 8 when the 2020 Champions Mercedes depart.
While there has been no announcement yet on which drivers will join the team, with the manufacturer being away from top-level motorsport for quite some time, they don’t have any drivers associated with the team.
Not only will it be the first time in 60 years that we will see a single-seater Maserati car on the grid, but the manufacturer will also make history as being the first Italian brand to compete in Formula E.
If the move for Maserati can be a success, then I expect we could see more major manufacturers join the series or even return for those that have left in the past.
It is a series that is going under an identity crisis and the only way it can resolve that is by making the message clear, but what is that message? Something we don’t really know.
The team will be the second Stellantis brand on the grid and while they will be able to share certain things with DS, the two will race against each other on track.
What Formula E allows manufacturers to do is give them incredible access to electric powered technologies and success on track may also help them sell their on-road equivalents much easier.
I believe it will take Maserati a few seasons to really settle into Formula E and create a team behind the scenes that will be able to understand and develop the car into a title challenger.
Is the brand big enough to fill the void of Audi, BMW and Mercedes, possibility not, but if they can create a strong team that is able to win races then they might just be able to see a reward for their investment.