After a difficult start to the season for the ABT Cupra Formula E Team, their form is now definitely on the up. The team made its first big statement with first and second place on the grid for race eight at the Berlin E-Prix.
The start of the season was a tough one – how is the situation now, and what does the team expect from the coming races?
Müller: “The start of the season was anything but easy for us. We had definitely done less testing than others. Despite this, you have to say that we are moving in the right direction. We are improving from race to race and so can see a positive trend. Our goal is to score a few more points at the remaining three race weekends.”
The Hankook iON Race is new to all the teams this season. How are you managing with the tyre and what are its characteristics?
Müller: “The Hankook iON Race is a very efficient car. You can immediately feel that the rolling resistance is very low, which is really important in Formula E, in order to save energy during the race. Furthermore, the tyre works very well in any conditions, which I find extremely impressive. In Formula E, there is just one tyre for all situations. Whether the track is dry, wet, damp or dirty, the Hankook iON Race always performs impressively. We do almost all the sessions on a weekend with the same set of tyres, and the wear is still very low. That is particularly good for the environment. I find the all-round capabilities of the tyre really pleasing. We cope very well with the tyre at every race weekend, as we showed with a one-two in the rainy qualifying in Berlin.”
How much does the tyre influence the set-up of the Gen3 car?
Müller: “When it comes down to it, the tyre is the only part of the car that really comes into contact with the track. As such, it also has a big influence on the set-up, as you basically base the whole car on the properties of the tyre, in order to generate as much grip as possible and allow good handling. On the one hand, the rigidity of the chassis is important, in order to ensure that the car is always in contact with the ground. On the other hand, you always want to have the tyre in the ideal temperature range. The tyre cannot be too hot or too cold on the front and rear axles. For this reason, the tyre influences the whole set-up of the car, as you adjust the camber, tracking, gauge, spring stiffness and so on, in order to get the tyre in the ideal working window for maximum performance.”