After a dramatic first race on Saturday in the rain, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship drivers gathered again on Sunday at the historic Berlin-Tempelhof airport circuit for the second race of the Berlin E-Prix. At the wheel of his DS E-TENSE FE25, Jean-Éric Vergne seized the opportunity to claim a superb podium.
Starting from 18th position on the grid, the challenge looked tough for the Frenchman. But thanks to an excellent strategy and a very strong performance, he managed a brilliant charge through the field. After 41 laps on a dry track, the DS Automobiles driver crossed the finish line in a fine third place.
Thanks to this result, JEV climbed to sixth place in the drivers’ standings, but more importantly, helped DS PENSKE retain its third position in the teams’ championship. With just two races remaining in Season 11, the team is well placed to aim for another trophy.
Meanwhile, Maximilian Günther did not enjoy the same success. As the race entered its final phases, the German driver was forced to retire due to technical issues with a standardised component, common to all the cars. He will be hungry to fight back at the next event.
On July 26 and 27, the Formula E paddock heads to London for the final E-Prix of the season. During this double header, DS Automobiles and PENSKE AUTOSPORT will be eager to conclude the current campaign on a high note.
Eugenio Franzetti, DS Performance Director:
“Race 2 in Berlin was spectacular, with plenty of action. We were unlucky during qualifying: two laps from the end, a red flag cut the session short, and we ended up far from the leaders on the starting grid. But the track dried out before the race, and the team devised a strategy perfectly suited to the new conditions. Starting 18th and 13th respectively, JEV and Max found themselves at the front halfway through the race, with more energy than their rivals. Everything was in place to fight for a podium. That came true for JEV, who then finished third after an unforgettable comeback. Unfortunately, Max couldn’t capitalise on his strategy due to a failure in the front powertrain system, which is a standard part. It’s a shame because he was also in contention for a podium. We leave Berlin satisfied with the result and still on the provisional podium of the teams’ championship. Now our focus turns to London and the final two races of the season.
Maximilian Günther:
“I’m disappointed with how Race 2 ended, but I’m taking away the positives. What we achieved as a team was high quality, and our performance level was strong: that's something I’m pleased about. Today, we had a clear strategy and we stuck to it. Everything was going well: we had a very good energy level, excellent pace, and two Attack Modes to use. I was just behind today’s winner, who had the same strategy. Unfortunately, a front transmission issue subsequently forced me to retire. Continuing would have been too dangerous, as everything was overheating and the brakes weren’t always responding properly. It’s a real pity, because as a driver, you always want to score as many points as possible. But I also think we learned a lot this weekend.”
Jean-Éric Vergne, 2018 and 2019 Formula E Champion:
“I’m really very happy with Sunday’s race. It’s been a very tough weekend in terms of results: the team has done a great job behind the scenes but just hasn’t always been rewarded for it. Yesterday, we were having a very good race, but we had suspension problems that compromised our podium fight. This morning, when the car was performing well, a red flag dashed our hopes of making it to the duels in qualifying. So we had to start from way back on the grid. To end up on the podium today is a great reward for the whole team. I think we all deserved it!
