Formula E, the DS-Penske of Vandoorne and Vergne is born

Mario Salvini

@
cheballeblog

01 December

The world champion. Stoffel Vandoorne says today he was sitting where he was sitting because “It’s about the best out there. It was the best possible choice.” And he certainly had the ability to decide where to go. Because his team from last year, Mercedes, no longer exists, after two titles in a row, that of Season 7 with Nyck DeVries and that of Season 8 with him, he has decided to leave the electric category. And he ended up in the bizarre situation of being champion without a car. Obviously there was the queue to offer it to him, the single-seater for next year. In other words, a Gen3, the new, faster, open-wheel cars that will enter the scene from January in Mexico City.

NEW PARTNERSHIP

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So much depends on where to start in naming his new team. We are talking about Penske, the historic team of US motorsport, an authority. However, he has always struggled in Formula E, both at the time of the pairing with the Italian Geox and last year with Antonio Giovinazzi who never got the hang of it (as did Sergio Sette Camara). But the other name is DS, and therefore everything changes. The French house in Formula E is a colossus, it has won three titles, always with the support of an external Chinese team, the Techeetah. Well, this year the partnership has changed: it will be DS-Penske, a French-American team.

Milestone

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“This is an important milestone for our team and something we’ve been waiting for for years. Together we will push the technological boundaries in our pursuit of performance and wins,” said team owner Jay Penske. Jean-Eric Vergne is on the team, so practically a confirmation, given that the Frenchman, the only driver in the short history of the category to have won two titles, has been with DS for 6 years. 1.

V.&V.

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“The goal is to reconfirm myself – said Vandoorne today during the presentation – to win again. A very difficult task, a great challenge. Since the only one who has done it up to now is sitting here next to me”. Who, Vergne, signed: “What we are aiming at is what Stoffel said. Even if there are many things to understand, because the cars and much more will change (the tyres, no longer Michelin but Hankook, ed) and therefore where we will be we will only understand at the tests (in the middle of the month in Valencia, ed) and at the first E -prix (Mexico City, January 14, ed). If we are not in front, then it will become improving, growing as riders and as a team”.

Black and Gold

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The livery of the new DS E-TENSE FE23 will be in the sign of DS continuity, i.e. black and gold like that of the Techeetah. “I’m a huge fan of the new livery – said Vandoorne – and I couldn’t be more excited to share the final product. We have an extremely exciting year of racing ahead of us and I am delighted to be able to put pressure on the other teams from the start of the season in Mexico!” It is possible that both, V. & V., Vergne and Vandoorne have the distinct sensation of having the toughest rival in their team. “I really hope that’s the case – confirmed the Frenchman – because if we really have the best car, Stoffel and I will fight for the title. It’s the nightmare of all the team principals and we are counting on having it for ours”. “I agree,” Vandoorne continued. “For us instead it would be a dream”.