Maserati has announced that they will return to single-seater racing for the first time in over 60 years with an entry into Formula E. The Italian automaker will be joining the all-electric racing series for the onset of the Gen3 regulations in 2023.
This will mark the first Italian brand into Formula E, as well as the second brand to compete under the umbrella of parent company Stellantis, after DS Automobiles. While it is possible that Maserati could eventually make their way to full-blown manufacturer status, it’s likely that upon entry they will form a partnership with an existing team and use DS powertrains.
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While this move may seem somewhat out of left field for Maserati, it all comes as a part of their greater push towards electrification. They’re calling it Folgore, or “lightning” in Italian, and the brand’s range will include full-electric variants of the upcoming Grecale SUV, GranTurismo and GranCabrio sports cars, and MC20 supercar.
As the premier electric racing series, Formula E is supposed to be a testing bed for future EV technologies, and Maserati’s entry at least shows their interest in an electric future even if that tech in particular doesn’t trickle down to their road cars.
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“We are very proud to be back where we belong as protagonists in the world of racing,” said Maserati’s CEO Davide Grasso. “We are powered by passion and innovative by nature. We have a long history of world-class excellence in competition and we are ready to drive performance in the future.
“In the race for more performance, luxury, and innovation, Folgore is irresistible and it is the purest expression of Maserati. That’s why we decided to go back to racing in the FIA Formula E World Championship, meeting our customers in the city centers of the world, taking the Trident forward into the future”.