Vergne, Bird call on FIA to move Rome start-line after FE crash
Jean-Eric Vergne and Sam Bird have called on Formula E and the FIA to move the start line of the Rome E-Prix “karting track” to eliminate “unnecessary” and “inevitable” crashes.


Vergne and Jake Dennis emerged uninjured from a large shunt after the end of the opening free practice session caused when Oliver Turvey rounded Turn 6 and hit their stationary cars as they waited to make a practice start.
Turvey had six penalty points added to his race licence and missed the race due to a full car rebuild, but race winner Vergne and second-placed Bird have called for changes to the layout ahead of the Sunday round, with the two-time FE champion calling a crash “inevitable” due to the width of the track.
Vergne said: “Sometimes the start is not in the in the right position.
“We knew from the beginning that there was going to be a crash. I know that tomorrow there will be a crash as well if we don't start under the safety car, it's inevitable.
“You have 24 cars in the corner that is not even six metres or seven metres wide. It's the same as a karting track.
“You cannot ask us to be racing and to look clean for the fans because that's impossible in this corner.”
Bird reckoned the race start, which takes place halfway around the 15-corner circuit on the run to Turn 7, should be relocated to the end of the lap.
The points leader said: “We know at the end of free practice that there is always the possibility that people are going to want to do practice starts.
“That area is given to those people and normally everybody takes it up. I'm really unsure on what happened today.

Sam Bird, Jaguar Racing, Jaguar I-Type 5
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
“If I were to change anything, I'd actually change where the race start is held.
“I'd hold the race start between Turn 14 and Turn 15. That's my opinion. It gives us a much better opportunity of getting through a corner.
“The Turn 7 area for the race start, it's too easy for people to get together and have an unnecessary accident.
“It's on a blind, fast high-speed corner. It's a bit strange.”
Lucas di Grassi supported his fellow drivers, telling Autosport there “are probably two or three points which are much better to have startline”.
But reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa reckoned Bird and Vergne’s comments would pass without changes coming in.
“That'll never happen,” he said.
“They can comment on it however they want. It is decided. We are all professional.”
An FIA spokesperson told Autosport: “This morning was a driver’s mistake.
“Apart from waving yellow flags to remind them again [of the practice start procedure] there won’t be any change tomorrow.”

Rome E-Prix: Vergne capitalises on Di Grassi woe for victory
Manhole cover to blame for Vandoorne's Rome E-Prix crash

Latest news
Di Grassi hails 1000th Formula E point an "emotional" landmark
Lucas di Grassi says the difficulty of passing on a drying Seoul E-Prix circuit encouraged him to "settle" for third, and labelled reaching his 1000th Formula E point "emotional".
Evans needs Seoul "copy-paste" to snatch Formula E title from Vandoorne
Mitch Evans felt that his Seoul E-Prix win was "all under control", and knows he needs a "copy-paste" result to beat Stoffel Vandoorne to the 2022 Formula E title.
De Vries "would be even smaller" without halo after Seoul E-Prix crash
Nyck de Vries has praised Formula E's halo after submarining under Sebastien Buemi's Nissan in the Seoul E-Prix's opening lap pile-up, suggesting "I would be even smaller" without it.
Seoul E-Prix: Evans keeps Formula E title hopes alive into final race
Mitch Evans kept his Formula E title hopes alive with victory in the Seoul E-Prix, bookended with a multi-car pile-up at the start and finished under the safety car.
Can anyone beat Stoffel Vandoorne to the Formula E title?
Stoffel Vandoorne is on the brink of the Formula E title with a commanding lead ahead of the Seoul finale, but both rivals and unknowns still stand in his way. Here’s a run through of what Vandoorne must overcome to clinch the championship and how his competition will look to pull off the biggest of shocks
How Formula E's most underrated driver is taming his Dragon
It might not look like the most glittering of Formula E campaigns, but Dragon Penske’s youngster has caught the eye of those who count despite his future remaining unclear. Regardless of the distortion, Sergio Sette Camara has a clear vision of what he’s focused on and how to get there
How Formula E's title fight gave way to Dennis and Di Grassi in the dockyards
The penultimate stop on Formula E's world tour took in London's ExCeL, where the championship contenders were upstaged by two first-time winners in 2022. Andretti’s Jake Dennis kept the home fires burning in the first race as Venturi’s Lucas di Grassi claimed the second, but two consistent finishes mean its advantage Stoffel Vandoorne heading to the Seoul finale
The ex-F1 racer turned Venturi team boss adapting to a Formula E title fight
For the second year in a row, the Venturi team is in the thick of the fight for Formula E title glory with Edoardo Mortara. That's despite a change to a more meritocratic qualifying system, which was expected to give the works Mercedes team an edge, and ex-Formula 1 racer Jerome d'Ambrosio being new in the team principal hot seat. As he tells Autosport, it's a challenge he's revelling in
Why Sims is quitting Formula E to become the master of his own destiny
Alexander Sims’ call to give up a pukka Formula E spot after four seasons in the series may have surprised some, but after laying out his reasoning and what he hopes comes next, very few onlookers can argue against his plan
How Formula E's Big Apple crunch led to Cassidy joy and heartache
Nick Cassidy hadn't enjoyed too many joyful moments in the 2021-22 Formula E campaign, but the Envision Virgin driver was the class of the field in New York - even after a sudden downpour had caused him and several others to shunt heavily out of the first race. Red flags saved his bacon on that occasion, but a 30-place penalty that cost him pole for race two due to a new battery opened the door for Antonio Felix da Costa
Mortara turns up the heat on Formula E title rivals in Marrakech scorcher
Formula E’s unplanned return to Marrakech provided teams with a fresh challenge in old but familiar surroundings, as Edoardo Mortara kept his cool in melting conditions to triumph and retake the championship lead
How Formula E's double-duty drivers influenced their Le Mans teams' fortunes
Eight Formula E drivers made the 7,000-mile sprint from the streets of Jakarta to the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe and every one had a story to share at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a range of triumphs and disappointments, each driver doubling up on the day job played a key role in their teams' fortunes