For DS Automobiles, the 2024-2025 season is a milestone as its motorsport division, DS Performance, begins its 10th campaign in Formula E. It’s also the third season with their American partner, Penske Autosport, with whom the French manufacturer has just launched the Gen 3 EVO electric car, the most powerful and fastest in the history of this world championship (1.8s from 0 to 100 km/h).
Moreover, this was the second time this year that Formula E drivers raced on the Sao Paulo circuit, after a round in the previous season in March. However, with different weather conditions and cars, it felt like a fresh start. For DS Penske, it was also the debut race for Max Guenther, the German driver who joined the team during the off-season.
An eventful race day, with limited reward
During practice, caution was the order of the day. Finding the right set-up, performance optimisation, and concerns about the degradation of the new tyres were issues that would continue to be important for several races. Additionally, the various track surfaces and the high temperatures in Sao Paulo posed further challenges.
During the Group 1 session in qualifying, the temperature soared well above 30C. Vergne waited until the middle of the session to set the fastest lap for his DS E-TENSE FE25. The Porsches and Nissans also put in strong performances, but Vergne made it through, finishing fourth and advancing to the quarter-finals.
For Guenther's first race with DS Penske, his group was no easier. He was up against reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein, as well as Stoffel Vandoorne in the Maserati, a car he drove last year. Like Vergne, the German driver quickly demonstrated the potential of his car, posting the third-best time in his group. He secured a spot in the top eight and advanced to the knockout stages. In the quarter-finals, Vergne faced Jake Dennis (Andretti, Porsche powertrain). They had met four times before at this stage of qualifying, with Vergne winning three of those encounters. However, this time, Dennis came out on top.
Meanwhile, Guenther defeated Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra) with ease. Guenther advanced to the semi-finals, where he would face Pascal Wehrlein, who was untouchable and secured pole position. For DS Penske, the qualifying session, although tough, was still an encouraging start to the season, given the tough competition from Porsche and Jaguar.
A complex race
Starting from fourth and eighth positions, the two DS E-TENSE FE25s of Guenther and Vergne made strong starts. The Franco-American team aimed to capitalise on their grid positions and use teamwork, which was essential in such a configuration. However, the race was marked by several stoppages, including an electrical issue on Dennis' Andretti car that halted the race for long periods. These interruptions forced the drivers to revise their strategies, and at one point, all the leaders found themselves in the midfield. Energy management was critical, and adapting to the brief moments of increased power with all-wheel drive was a challenge to master.
Amid a disjointed race, Guenther managed to steal second place from Da Costa (Porsche) during the first restart, eight laps from the end. Vergne, meanwhile, found himself stuck in traffic, just outside the points, but managed to work his way through the pack. The final laps were run at a high pace, with available energy allowing drivers to increase their speed.
However, a second red flag interrupted the race again, this time due to a crash that would prove very costly for Guenther, who was pushed into the wall by Nick Cassidy (Jaguar). This incident dropped Guenther by 10 positions after the restart, and he was forced to pit to replace the front of his car. What had seemed like a guaranteed top-five finish for Guenther after a strong qualifying performance turned into an 11th-place finish. Consistent throughout, Vergne managed to score points for himself and DS Penske by finishing ninth.
The next race will take place on 11 January, 2025, in Mexico City.
