The 100th race for DS Automobiles

The story began in London on 27 June 2015, during the first two Formula E races.

Yves Bonnefont, the first managing director of DS Automobiles - a brand created in 2014 - launched the DS Virgin Racing team alongside Sir Richard Branson, becoming the first premium manufacturer to enter the discipline.

A few months earlier, Xavier Mestelan Pinon, then technical director at Citroën in the WRC, had been spotted in the paddocks in Buenos Aires. He was entrusted with the management of DS Performance, the competition branch of DS Automobiles.

Buenos Aires is also where the French manufacturer took its first victory, in the fourth E-Prix of the season, with British driver Sam Bird.

Since then, DS Automobiles has recorded 15 other successes and 47 podium finishes. With this level of performance, the team claimed championship titles in 2019 with Jean-Éric Vergne and in 2020 with Antonio Felix Da Costa. On both occasions, DS also claimed the constructors' title. 

Under the leadership of Béatrice Foucher, the brand's managing director since January 2020, the French manufacturer is now committed to the series until at least 2026.

The 100th E-Prix modestly celebrated

In Jakarta, although Saturday's results were satisfactory for DS Penske with Stoffel Vandoorne fourth and Vergne fifth, Sunday's 100th race was a little less positive.

Helmet of Jean-Eric-Vergne, DS Penske

Photo by: DPPI

For most of the race, Vandoorne was fighting for a place on the podium. But a breakdown in radio communication and contact with an opponent caused a suspension problem, meaning he dropped back to ninth.

Vergne, who was forced to pit to change his front wing due to a race incident, had to make do with 16th.

"It's true that our 100th race didn't turn out the way we'd dreamed," said Eugenio Franzetti, director of DS Performance. "You could even say that it was a difficult round and that the result does not reflect the performance of our cars. Our attention is now focused on the next race."

The next round of the Formula E World Championship will take place for the first time in Portland (USA) on 24 June.

Statistically, DS Penske is the team that has scored the most points this season on tracks that have never been used before, with 75 points collected between Hyderabad (India), Cape Town (South Africa) and Sao Paulo (Brazil).

Will the 101st race be the opportunity to continue the story with a podium or a victory?