After a troublesome race in Japan, the DS Penske staff was again on monitor for the primary spherical of the 2024 season in Europe. Misano is a everlasting circuit and, for as soon as, the monitor isn’t lined with partitions. Nonetheless, the electrical single-seaters should not make an excessive amount of of a niche, as a result of on the opposite facet of the vibrators there may be grass or gravel, which will be simply as damaging for the vehicles. This uncommon configuration for the championship isn’t more likely to impress the drivers, and the 2 DS Penske starters quickly felt relaxed.
On Friday afternoon, below barely overcast skies, the 2 DS E-TENSE FE23s rapidly obtained into the rhythm, earlier than topping the timesheets with Vergne within the lead. Then, on this Saturday morning, it was JEV once more who set the quickest time within the second session, with Vandoorne simply behind in fifth place.
“The previous few races have proven us that season 10 shall be contested on the highest degree”, commented Vandoorne earlier than this primary race. “After Tokyo, we continued to work very exhausting, conscious of our strengths and our potential to attain our targets. This potential was additionally demonstrated by Robert Shwartzman throughout the rookie check, the Russian-Israeli driver putting the DS Penske single-seater second in each the 300 kW and 350 kW lessons.
Stoffel Vandoorne, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23
Photograph by: DPPI
Affirmation because the race day progressed
In qualifying, JEV set one other quickest time to complete first in Group A. Vandoorne was unlucky in his flying lap and did not qualify for the quarter-finals. Within the duels, Vergne nonetheless appeared untouchable and simply removed Max Guenther’s Maserati. Within the semi-final, Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche was no match for the DS Cars single-seater. Within the ultimate, JEV met up with Mitch Evans, whose Jaguar was additionally one of many quickest vehicles this season. It was Evans who took pole place, only one tenth of a second forward of the Frenchman’s DS Penske.
With such a powerful entrance row and Wehrlein’s Porsche simply behind, the race promised to be a spicy one. On this everlasting circuit, the place the longest straight ends in a chicane, the vitality technique is essential. Everybody is aware of this and has predicted it throughout the simulator classes, and it is a sport of cat and mouse. The goal is to remain forward of the pack however to not put an excessive amount of pressure on the batteries, on the threat of not with the ability to sustain the tempo to the end.
Vergne was very convincing on this respect, steering his automotive with an lively dexterity that enabled him to manage his positions. As the ultimate laps approached, the French driver was nonetheless in competition for victory. He crossed the end line in third place, however was finally labeled sixth, following a five-second penalty (for involvement in a collision, the topic of a lot dialogue afterwards). Vandoorne completed eighth, giving DS Penske an additional 4 factors.
Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23
Photograph by: DPPI