Jean-Eric Vergne has become the fourth different driver to win the Formula E championship after rising from last on the grid to finish fifth in the opening round of this weekend’s double-header in New York.
Vergne passed championship rival Sam Bird as he moved his way through the field having started at the back due to a technical infringement in qualifying. Bird, who started four places ahead of his rival in 14th, could only manage ninth place in a race where his DS Virgin car was off the pace.
Former Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver Vergne follows Nelson Piquet Jnr, Sebastien Buemi and Lucas di Grassi – all ex-F1 drivers – as the fourth winner of the all-electric championship. He dedicated his success to Jules Bianchi, his countryman and rival who died following a crash in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.“I need more time to process it,” said Vergne after wrapping up the title with one race to go. “All I know is that it’s a good feeling.
“I guess still having the race tomorrow – I cannot completely relax. I can’t go crazy tonight, so on the Sunday night when everything will be over I will be able to enjoy it to the full extent. I have waited the whole season for this.”
Vergne’s path to the top five was aided by team mate Andre Lotterer, who waved Vergne by after he passed Bird.
“When I crossed the line I honestly didn’t know I had won. My engineer told me, ‘I guess we’ve done it,’, so I said, ‘what do you mean?’ Then Lotterer went past me and clapped, so I knew something was up.
“When I found out I was speechless. I enjoyed the race, but obviously, it was very tough. Some drivers were quite hard and over-consumed energy to try and not let me by. It was actually really complicated, a real fight unlike in Zurich – today, the drivers were tougher.”
Outgoing champion di Grassi, who failed to score in the first four races of his title defence, claimed his second victory in a row on Saturday.
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Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
15th July 2018, 10:22
Good to see vergne doing well. At the time Kvyat got chosen to go to Red Bull instead of him, i was really surprised. At leased he is in a sport when he can still show he’s very good. But I still think he’s good enough for F1. Unless he really wants to continue here, I could easily see him doing a better job than Hartly and possibly Gasly too. Though if he was still in F1, he may not be at his strongest any more. Hard to tell.
Garns (@)
15th July 2018, 16:29
I am very happy to see him win this championship, JEV should certainly still racing F1. Enjoy this win JEV!
Jere (@jerejj)
15th July 2018, 17:36
I wish he still were in F1.
Strontium (@strontium)
15th July 2018, 19:32
Get him back in an F1 car! I hear there might be an opening at Haas very soon…
Miane
15th July 2018, 21:33
DiGrassi is better than him.
Champagne
15th July 2018, 21:02
Great job from an underrated driver. F1s loss is FEs gain – A championship with a bright future that rewards talent!