DS TECHEETAH third in the FIA Formula E Season 8 Teams’ Championship 14.08.2022: • Jean-Éric Vergne and Antonio Felix Da Costa respectively 6th and 10th of the second Seoul E-Prix race • The Portuguese driver scored his third pole position of the season • The Seoul E-Prix marks the end of the ABB FIA Formula E World Champio

•    Jean-Éric Vergne and Antonio Felix Da Costa respectively 6th and 10th of the second Seoul E-Prix race


•    The Portuguese driver scored his third pole position of the season


•    The Seoul E-Prix marks the end of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Season 8
 



Seoul saw today its second race of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship which marked the Season 8 finale and also the final race of the Gen2.
 


A third free practice session kicked off the day and the DS TECHEETAH drivers had the pace. During qualifying, the track stayed dry and the DS E-TENSE FE21 show great performances with Antonio Felix Da Costa clinching the pole position, his 8th pole with the team. Jean-Eric Vergne after going to the duels qualified 8th on the grid.
 


It’s under warm conditions that the race started. Antonio Felix Da Costa took a good start staying leader of the 22 cars pack and Jean-Eric Vergne, at the wheel of the #25 DS E-TENSE FE21 kept his position. After 23 minutes of racing a car stopped on track and the safety car was deployed. Due to this long Safety Car procedure the racing time was extended of 6min45s.
 


At the restart, Antonio Felix Da Costa was 3rd but a contact caused by another driver while trying to overtake pushed the Portuguese driver on the wall and down the order. Followed then a perfect drive from Antonio who showed a great pace and ended the race in 10th position overtaking 6 cars during the last minutes of the race. Jean-Eric Vergne was standing 7th at the restart and had an eventless race until the end to finish 6th and scored precious points for the team.
 


The season 8 of the FIA Formula E World Championship was an eventful and competitive season for DS TECHEETAH that ends on the podium of the Teams’ Championship, in third place. On the drivers’ side, Jean-Éric Vergne is 4th of the drivers’ Championship followed by Antonio Felix Da Costa on 8th. The Seoul E-Prix was also the last race of Antonio with the team and we wish him all the best for the future.
 


During this Season 8, DS TECHEETAH scored 5 pole positions, one win and 7 podiums. We cannot wait to see what Season 9 will bring with the new Gen3 which the team is already focus on with new goals of titles and victories.




 

Jean-Eric Vergne, #25 DS E-TENSE FE21:  


“Today’s race was quite bad at the start because there was a crash between Di Grassi and Gunther and I lost some positions so I had to make them back. I started 8th, finished 6th.  


I did not have the pace to come back much more than this. Obviously, we wanted more this year, I missed a couple of opportunities with 4 bad races but it’s motorsport, it’s unpredictable.


Now we have a lot of work to do for the next generation of cars to be the best next year and come back stronger to win the championship.”


 

Antonio Felix Da Costa, #13 DS E-TENSE FE21:  


“What a day for my last day in black and gold! I got pole position, showing everyone how we could race, showing our ambitions. It lasted for a bit of the race, but I did not have the pace to keep up with some of the guys.


I was running third, then went to attack mode, trying to make a move for P2 and I got hit by another car which compromised our race. I went down to last position but still came back to 10th to score points. But that’s not my story of the 3 years with DS TECHEETAH.


Our story is that we were champions, we accomplished a lot and I will never forget these guys.”


 

Thomas Chevaucher, DS Performance Director and DS TECHEETAH Team Principal: “As promised, we gave it all until the last race but this season in Formula E was once again really tight.


Thanks to the huge work of all the team and to our performing DS E-TENSE FE21 we end after all on the Teams’ Championship podium. After 7 podiums this season, we are keeping DS Automobiles among the leader of the championship and I’m proud of it.


Now it’s already time to focus on season 9 with new goals of wins and victory.”


 

Mark Preston DS TECHEETAH CEO:  


“Glad to have taken part in all 100 races in Formula E, being on pole with Antonio, who I started this journey with in Season 1 is quite special.


An unfortunate coming together with Dennis put paid to Antonio's podium chances.  JEV had a solid race and coming home 6th with Antonio 10th.  The team takes home 3rd in the Championship in an incredibly competitive season.”





DS TECHEETAH - photos Formula E