Jean-Eric Vergne loses his podium in Diriyah

Zero points. Jean-Eric Vergne, double champion of Formula E and third in 2020, leaves the opening weekend in Diriyah with the lead on bad days. The week had started badly even before he got into the seat of his DS Techeetah.

Indeed, his position in the championship in 2020 automatically designated him as one of the members of the first qualifying group on Friday.

On a track where the sand was very present at the start of the session, he could only sweep for the other groups and qualify beyond the top 15. Result, an anonymous race. But it was only a postponement.

The next day, the Frenchman, who qualified in an honorable seventh place, had an excellent race to cross the line in third position and thus save his weekend. Alas! The exit of the safety car at the end of the race prevented him from engaging his second attack mode, like other drivers.

After the race, he received a 24-second penalty which relegated him to 12th position. His teammate Antonio Felix Da Costa inherited the podium.

This time, the cup was full, a weekend to forget. “We will come back stronger, the season is long” assures JEV. But he has already burned two jokers.