Jean-Eric Vergne

Lore & Background

Vergne became the 2017–18 ABB Formula E Champion, after clinching fifth in the New York ePrix in 2018, and he became the first Formula E driver to win two consecutive championships after his repeat success in the 2018–19 season. He competed in Formula One for Scuderia Toro Rosso from 2012 to 2014, and was a Ferrari test and development driver from 2015 to 2016. He won the British Formula 3 Championship in 2010 and then finished runner up to teammate Robert Wickens in the 2011 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season.

Reader's Guide

Vergne started competing in karting at the age of four at his dad's kart circuit near Paris. He entered his first competition in 2000 and became French champion in the 'kids' ('Minimes') category in 2001. Three years later, he became runner–up in the French Rotax Max championship. In 2005, he finished as runner-up in the ICA class of the European Championship, behind James Calado, with the highlight of his karting career coming the following year when he finished seventh in the premier KF1 World Championship, held at Angerville, another track near Paris.

In 2007, Vergne moved up to single-seater racing, joining the French Formula Renault Campus series which he won comfortably at the first attempt, taking ten podium places from thirteen races in the process. Vergne became a member of both the renowned Red Bull Junior Team and the French Automobile Sport Federation (FFSA), at the conclusion of the 2007 season. The following season, Vergne competed in both the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 West European Cup championships for SG Formula.

He finished sixth in the Eurocup standings, taking nine points scoring positions in fourteen races, including a podium in the final race of the season at Barcelona. In the West European Cup, he took fourth place in the championship, scoring three podium places. In both series, Vergne finished as the highest placed rookie driver, and in addition, he also won the French Formula Renault 2.0 title, which was awarded to the best French driver in the West European Cup standings.

For 2009, Vergne remained in both championships with SG Formula. He finished second behind Spain's Albert Costa in both the Eurocup, and the WEC. 2010 saw Vergne move to the British Formula 3 Championship, competing for multiple champions Carlin. He took twelve victories from the first 24 races, including a clean sweep of three victories at the Spa-Francorchamps round. This was enough to give him the title with six races remaining in the season.

It was the third consecutive year that a driver from the Red Bull Junior Team had won the title with Carlin, following on from Jaime Alguersuari in 2008 and Daniel Ricciardo in 2009.