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As the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship gets ready to enter its tenth season, there has still only been one double champ: Jean-Eric Vergne. Taking the title in Seasons 4 and 5, the DS PENSKE driver is one of the most decorated, respected and recognizable figures in the paddock.
In the first season of the GEN3 era, Vergne managed a trio of podium results and a victory at the inaugural Hyderabad E-Prix, finishing fifth in the final standings. But, like the champion he is, he always wants more. With pre-season testing in Valencia rapidly approaching, Vergne looks back at the first season of DS PENSKE and how the team are approaching the new campaign.
“Of course, I cannot say that I was happy with last season,” Vergne told the media, including Formula E. “Especially, winning two championships, victories and podiums to then be struggling like we were last year was not something pleasant. It's what it is.
“We have a huge amount of work, which we started already a long time ago, to try and improve the car. We know the areas to improve. Are we going to be able to fix all the issues that we found? I cannot tell you that. I think only the results will be able to answer that question. Motivation is higher than ever. I hate losing far more than I like winning, so I just don't want to lose anymore.”
DS PENSKE finished fifth in the Season 9 team standings, with Vergne and the reigning champion at the time, Stoffel Vandoorne, heading up the outfit. However, the team knows that their competitors will have used the summer break efficiently, too.
“We have to be realistic,” Vergne continues. “We have tough competition. They didn't go on holiday and do nothing, so we can expect that the top teams are going to be even stronger next season. We have to double the amount of work that we produce if we want to catch them and beat them. It's not going to be easy. It's clear that we are the underdog this year but it's not a bad situation, as long as you know we can improve and we can win. We're working very hard and we want to get a better result as a team, that's for sure.
“I don't know when we're going to be back on top of the podium, in terms of the World Championship, both drivers and the team. But I can tell you something; that we can get back there. We will win again. And Jay Penske would have had a huge role in making this team successful again.”
Vergne might not have been at Formula E since that first race in Beijing 2014, but he has competed in every season of the all-electric championship so far. Speaking out the desire from junior drivers to enter Formula E, the two-time champ had some wise advice:
“For any young driver, F1 is the ultimate goal. But I think the true target that the young drivers should set themself is to become a professional driver and represent the interests of a manufacturer of a product team. For that, there are not many championships where manufacturers are represented in great amounts. I think, for a young driver who wants to be a professional driver therefore representing the interest of a team, Formula E is the perfect place. We're seeing more and more young drivers wanting to join the championship.”
With 11 wins, 33 podiums and 15 Julius Baer Pole Positions to his name, Jean-Eric Vergne will hope that these impressive numbers only continue to rise as he embarks on Season 10 with DS PENSKE.