Celebrating the moment. For every team, there is always a moment in the season when it is appropriate to do something special, something extra, especially when the championship takes place not far from the brand's headquarters.
For DS Automobiles, which has been running jointly with the American company Penske Autosport since last season, the Monaco race is geographically the closest to Stellantis Motorsport (located in the Paris region). As a car manufacturer, DS also finds the Principality a perfect setting for welcoming customers, prospective customers and friends of the brand.
All these factors provide a great opportunity for DS Penske to stand out from the crowd, with electric single-seaters specially decorated for this eagerly-awaited weekend. The two DS E-TENSE FE23s will be clad in deep black with gold logos, earning them the title of 'Grand Gala' for the weekend. For the Franco-American team, the aim is to pay tribute to the luxurious outfits worn at Monegasque parties, but also to one of the most legendary races in motorsport.
"For this special and unique round, we have designed cars that are just as unique," says Eugenio Franzetti, Director of DS Performance. "Inspired by the gala evenings typical of the Principality, our cars also wear their black tie and dinner jacket for this special occasion. We have not only created a special livery for our cars, but also overalls and helmets inspired by this concept.
"In addition, the DS 7 E-TENSE 4x4 360 in which our drivers will be travelling to Monaco will also feature this design. Finally, for collectors, a magnificent poster will be produced by the Automobilist.com website. It will be available just after the race, so that everyone can keep a souvenir of this unique moment."
Vergne set record for points before Monaco
Jean-Eric Vergne's situation is also unique. After the double-header at Misano a fortnight ago, he became the driver with the most points (1,047) in the championship (since his arrival in 2014). These points were collected over 121 races, during which he has collected 34 podiums, 11 wins, 15 pole positions and two drivers' titles.
"I'm obviously very happy with this record and all these points," said Vergne. "This figure shows just how far I've come since I started in Formula E, but what interests and motivates me more than anything today are the points I need to score in the future! I'd really like to score even more in the next few races."
More than any other, and whatever the championship, Monaco is a race that every driver dreams of adding to their list of achievements. The two incumbents at DS Penske have had the chance to experience this sensation, in 2019 for Vergne, and in 2022 for Stoffel Vandoorne. These victories correspond to the years in which they were also champions, for the second time in the case of JEV.
Looking at the performances of DS Penske's two electric single-seaters at Misano, which were always at the front of the field in practice but more unlucky in the race, it's clear that the potential is there.
Will the planets align on Saturday afternoon in Monaco? In any case, the dinner jackets that the drivers will wear to the gala dinner following the race will nicely echo the 'special Monaco' decoration on their cars.
