In a significant leadership change, Cyril Blais has been named Team Principal of Maserati MSG Racing just ahead of the FIA Formula E World Championship’s Season 11. Blais, who previously served as Deputy Team Principal, now steps into the top role after steadying the team alongside co-Managing Partner Jose Aznar, following the unexpected departure of James Rossiter before the start of Season 10.
Blais’ journey with the team began during its previous incarnation as Venturi Racing, where he served as race engineer for Formula E veteran Lucas di Grassi. When the team rebranded under the Maserati name, Blais continued in his engineering role, this time guiding Maximilian Günther to major victories, including wins in Jakarta during Season 9 and Tokyo in Season 10.
Maserati, in an official statement, described Blais as a “natural choice” to lead the team, emphasizing his successful track record and leadership capabilities. Blais himself expressed gratitude for the faith placed in him by the team stakeholders, highlighting his shift from engineering to leadership responsibilities.
“This new role represents the next stage of my career, and I’m grateful for the belief in me that the team stakeholders have shown,” Blais stated. “I’m looking forward to focusing more on my leadership skills than pure engineering.”
Blais acknowledged the challenges that come with managing a race team, stressing the importance of teamwork and collaboration. He praised the strong leadership group within Maserati MSG Racing, noting that the true strength of a team is revealed during challenging times, not just in moments of success.
“The strength of character and spirit that the team has demonstrated over the past two seasons has been really enlightening for me,” Blais added. “I have a really good understanding of what needs to be done to maintain and build on this.”
With the upcoming pre-season testing in Valencia in mind, Blais’ immediate priority is ensuring that all team members have the necessary resources and working environment to perform at their best.
Season 11 will also mark a new era for Maserati MSG Racing’s driver lineup, as Jake Hughes and Stoffel Vandoorne step in to replace Maximilian Günther and Jehan Daruvala. Under Blais’ leadership, the team aims to build on its recent successes and push forward in what promises to be an exciting season for the Maserati brand.
Photo from Maserati MSG Racing Instagram
