"Rivalry greater than in any other racing series" - Max Günther explains friction in the Formula E paddock

Formula E could become even more of a talking point in the public eye - everyone involved agrees on that. Could this possibly be achieved through more personal rivalry stories between the drivers, as Formula 1 has done with the Netflix series "Drive to Survive"? DS Penske driver Max Günther counters the theory that Formula E is too harmonious with an insight behind the scenes.

"To be honest, it can be pretty heated here, at least among us drivers," he explains in an interview with e-Formula.news. The reason is obvious to him: "Because the level of competitiveness among us is quite similar. There are many drivers and teams capable of making it to the podium or winning every weekend."

Indeed, this high average level, which is rarely seen in other racing series, has been a feature of Formula E from day one. It inevitably leads to heated duels on and off the track, some of which are captured by the cameras in the paddock, for example in this video from the "Drivers' Room" in Berlin.

There is no question that the Formula E grid is very high-calibre. But in the end, only one can win. "That's why the rivalry - and the friction on the track - is greater than in any other racing series," says Günther. "We often have face-to-face discussions internally among drivers, which are very direct."

Not necessarily "pretty best friends"

Formula E only looks like "pretty best friends" from the outside, says Günther. "You only see what is presented in the media. But I think what happens here in the paddock is very comparable to other racing series (such as F1)," says the German.

Would a more open approach to such escalations between drivers and teams be good for the growth of Formula E? Probably yes. For this reason, Formula E has also been very transparent about personal disputes in its YouTube series "Unplugged". However, this also led to occasional criticism from drivers and teams, such as Dan Ticktum.

Competition stimulates business - that's nothing new. And if Günther's words are to be believed, there is enough rivalry in Formula E to potentially make the racing series more interesting for the masses. We are curious to see which duels will characterise the upcoming eleventh season - perhaps the one between Günther and his new DS team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne?