Jake Dennis, the reigning Formula E World Champion, has expressed his profound admiration for the significant progress made by McLaren. He acknowledges that McLaren’s exceptional efficiency has been the “biggest shock” to Andretti Racing this season.
In their second Formula E season in 2024, McLaren has made substantial strides, leaving a lasting impression on Dennis and his team. Their inaugural season in the electric racing series was marked by a mixture of results, but this year, McLaren’s performance has been nothing short of remarkable.
In the previous season, McLaren, operating as a Nissan customer team, demonstrated exceptional speed over a single lap, as evidenced by Jake Hughes securing two pole positions in his rookie campaign.
However, their Achilles’ heel was efficiency, leading to Hughes and Rene Rast frequently slipping down the standings during races. Similar struggles were observed with the factory Nissan team, the hardware supplier for McLaren.
Recognizing the need for improvement, both the Japanese manufacturer and the British outfit worked tirelessly during the off-season to address these shortcomings. Their efforts have paid dividends, with McLaren emerging as the most efficient team on the grid in Season 10.
To Dennis’ astonishment, Hughes showcased exemplary efficiency during the recent Diriyah double-header, while Nissan driver Oliver Rowland clinched the pole position.
With McLaren now boasting a formidable package capable of excelling both in qualifying and race trim, Dennis believes they are genuine contenders for victory in upcoming races, such as the São Paulo E-Prix.
In a race where energy management plays a pivotal role, McLaren’s newfound efficiency positions them as a force to be reckoned with on the Formula E circuit.
Dennis conceded; “I think the biggest shock for us is really McLaren and Nissan. Like Jake Hughes’ efficiency in [Diriyah], race two was seriously impressive, and that’s where they struggled last year.
“There was no question about how quickly that car was over-qualifying. Nissan and McLaren were one of the quickest, but to see the McLaren’s efficiency in race two was really, really impressive.
“I wouldn’t say worrying, but like they are seriously contenders for races where it’s going to be a little bit more energy limited, like Brazil.”
