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"I mean, at some point, you start to question yourself," Buemi detailed after re-taking the record for most Formula E front row starts, 22, and equalling DS PENSKE's Jean-Eric Vergne for most career pole positions at 15.
"We've been through a lot of success with my previous team. Obviously, it was tough at the end, and then when you lose the trust, and, you know, you get questioned, and it's, it's tough."
Buemi left the Nissan team last year, having raced with the outfit since his and Formula E's very first race back in 2014. Nissan, who were previously Renault and run by the e.dams team - which Nissan acquired over the off-season - brought Buemi much success over four seasons, including a championship crown back in Season 2. However, the last few campaigns haven't brought much in the way of silverware for the Swiss, and some have questioned if he'd ever find himself at the front of the grid again.
"I feel this year I'm out there just to prove something. I'm not here for anything else. I'm sad about how things ended last year. But in the end, I'm happy."
For the Swiss driver, his last pole in New York City, back in Season 5, also ended up translating into his most recent victory when he led from start to finish - could he do the same in the Diriyah desert?
"I'm kind of emotional even though it's just qualifying. Just because of the last two seasons, they've been so hard, you know, so it's difficult not to start to doubt. I still got it somehow.
"We'll see what happens in the race. I think we've been there the whole weekend so far."
Despite having never won a duel before in qualifying with this current format, Buemi is most certainly back and ready to convert his three bonus points for pole into another 25 points for a race win.