Rome, Italy, April 12th 2022 - After kick-starting DS TECHEETAH’s season in Mexico last time out with a fine third place, Jean-Eric Vergne confirmed his return to the championship’s top table in Rome.
At the third meeting of the year, the eternal city hosted rounds four and five of the FIA Formula E world championship on what is regarded as one of the series’ most spectacular tracks. 3,385 kilometres of tarmac roads, uneven in places, with a spate of uphill and downhill sections providing plenty of racing action and overtaking opportunities. And there were plenty of both in the races, starting in round four, with the DS E-TENSE FE21 drivers among the main protagonists: Jean-Eric Vergne and Antonio Felix Da Costa finished fourth and sixth in the weekend’s opening contest. However, the Franco-Chinese team raised its game again for Sunday’s race. Vergne claimed a superb pole position, winning the final duel in an exciting qualifying session. The Frenchman thus claimed his fourteenth career pole in the championship and DS Automobiles’ eighteenth since it first started competing in the series. The former two-time world champion produced a superb performance in the race and although he was unable to hold off Mitch Evans, who was in a class of his own in Rome, he nonetheless finished as runner-up, securing his second podium of the season. Ninth on the starting grid, Antonio Felix Da Costa had to settle for thirteenth place after a more difficult race.
“We confirmed the performance of our package today on this magnificent Rome track with the pole position and second place of Jean-Eric Vergne, who scored more crucial points for the team, which is a very good thing,” commented a delighted Thomas Chevaucher, Director of DS Performance and DS TECHEETAH Team Principal. “Starting on the front row, he confirmed what a great competitor he is with this very solid second position, which puts him top of the drivers’ championship and propels the team into third place in the teams’ standings. I think it is safe to say that we are definitely right back in the mix!” A view that was shared by Jean-Eric Vergne: “It was a good day in Rome. Obviously, when you start on pole, you hope to win the race. Mitch Evans’ Jaguar was nevertheless the fastest car today, so I’m pleased with the points that we picked up. We’ll now head home and work even harder so that we have a better car in Monaco and can aim for the win there.” The next meeting is indeed scheduled for 30 April in the streets of the famous Principality, where DS TECHEETAH and Antonio Felix Da Costa won last year’s race after a superb last lap overtaking move…
DS TECHEETAH’s drivers enjoyed a decidedly strong weekend in terms of points, as Jean-Eric Vergne moved to the top of the drivers’ championship whilst his team moved up to third in the teams’ standings, just five points behind the second-placed team.
