FORMULA E: VALUABLE POINTS FOR DS AUTOMOBILES IN MEXICO

• The second round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Season 11 took place in Mexico on Saturday

• Jean-Éric Vergne and Maximilian Günther finished fifth and sixth respectively, both securing important points for the DS PENSKE squad

• French premium constructor DS Automobiles and its drivers are now aiming for the podium at the next round in Saudi Arabia from 14-15 February

The second round of the 11th season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship took place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City on Saturday 11 January. This marked the ninth visit to the Mexican circuit for the all-electric series.

The two DS Automobiles drivers were already in top form during their qualifying sessions, with Maximilian Günther first and Jean-Éric Vergne fourth to both go through to the duels and face each other in the quarter finals. JEV made it through to the semi-finals, just missing out on a place in the final by 184 thousandths of a second and underlining once more the excellent performance of the DS E-TENSE FE25 cars developed in Versailles.

In front of packed grandstands, the French two-time champion lined up third on the grid, ahead of his German teammate Maximilian Günther in sixth. The first few laps were relatively calm, with not much to shake up the leaderboard, but everything changed when the first Attack Modes were activated, and the race took on an entirely different complexion. With several cars passing each other, the two DS PENSKE drivers chose to save six minutes of Attack Mode for the final part of the race. Unfortunately, two Safety Car periods hampered the chances of the French American team.

In fifth and sixth places, the two DS Automobiles drivers couldn’t take advantage of the extra power offered by the Attack Mode while they were in a position to fight for a podium place. Jean-Éric Vergne and Maximilian Günther held onto their positions until the chequered flag, and while they may have regretted a lost opportunity, the DS PENSKE team was still able to score 18 very important points.

After these first two rounds in Latin America, the next round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 14-15 February. On the shores of the Red Sea, the DS Automobiles crews will be targeting at least a podium finish at the first double-header of the season.

Eugenio Franzetti, DS Performance Director:

“Both in terms of our performance and the points we collected, it was a positive weekend. Nonetheless, it was a shame that the Safety Car came out just when our two drivers had activated their Attack Modes. Without that bit of bad luck, we could probably had done even better….but we need to focus on the positive. Our drivers were third and sixth at the end of qualifying and ended up with fifth and sixth places in the race, scoring plenty of points for the team. We’re not far off the podium but we’ve still got lots of work to do in the coming month to prepare for the races in Jeddah.”

Jean-Éric Vergne, 2018 and 2019 Formula E champion:

“On the whole it was a good weekend, for both me and the team. But I‘m still feeling a bit frustrated as it’s the second time in two races that the Safety Car has come out just when I’ve activated my Attack Mode. Without that, I really think we had the potential to finish on the podium. The positive side is clearly finishing in the points for the second consecutive occasion, having a competitive car, and that we’ve all worked well. We need to keep pushing to do even better next time.”

Maximilian Günther:

“Sixth place for me and two cars in the top six is a solid team result after a very positive weekend. We suffered a bit with tyre degradation, but we delivered a good all-round performance and scored some important points. I‘m happy with our speed in qualifying but also with the way that the relationship has developed between myself and the team. This was only my second race with DS PENSKE, but I have the feeling that things are going well, and everything is getting more natural. I’m feeling better and better in the car and the goal is now to continue on this trajectory to move further up the order. Now I can’t wait for Jeddah!”

Key figures since DS Automobiles entered Formula E:

• 123 races
• 4 championship titles
• 16 victories
• 51 podiums
• 24 pole positions

PRESS CONTACTS

Krystyna Perry – Head of PR DS Automobiles UK krystyna.perry@stellantis.com 07710 062 783

Manesh Taank – PR Manager DS Automobiles UK manesh.taank@stellantis.com 07841 569 038

ABOUT DS AUTOMOBILES

Founded in Paris in 2014, DS Automobiles is a premium brand aiming to embody the French art of travel. Thanks to an exceptional heritage, exemplified by the 1955 DS and enriched by the wealth of French culture, DS Automobiles offers a global and diverse range with DS 3, DS 4, DS 7 and DS 9.

Designed for a clientele seeking something different, who want to travel the world and enjoy every moment, DS creations stand out through their charismatic style, interior refinement, sophisticated technology and first-class comfort. Combined with a suite of bespoke services, they offer a unique brand experience before, during and after each journey.

With numerous records since its entry into Formula E in 2015, including two double Teams’ and Drivers’ titles, DS Automobiles is at the forefront of electrification and sells each of its models in an electrified version. The Brand offers 100% electric drivetrains as well as self-charging and plug-in hybrids with up to 360 horsepower and 4-wheel drive. In 2024, DS Automobiles is accelerating its transition to all-electric with the arrival of DS N°8, a new model offering up to 750km range.

With a presence in 40 countries, the DS brand has an exclusive distribution network of over 450 DS STORES around the world.

Follow news from DS internationally on www.DSautomobiles.com @DS_Automobiles

ABOUT PENSKE AUTOSPORT

PENSKE AUTOSPORT is an American racing team founded in 2007 by Jay Penske. The team is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the largest single metropolitan EV market in the world.

After many successful years competing in IndyCar (2007-2014), the team embraced the shift to electric mobility and became one of the founding teams of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

The team motto is the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” – meaning “out of many, there is one".