{"id":881203,"date":"2018-08-19T11:54:41","date_gmt":"2018-08-19T08:54:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=881203"},"modified":"2018-08-19T11:54:41","modified_gmt":"2018-08-19T08:54:41","slug":"exclusive-jean-eric-vergne-interview-i-feel-like-im-flying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=881203","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE Jean-Eric Vergne interview: &#8220;I feel like I&#8217;m flying&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<header id=\"lbs-article\" class=\"article header article-header section layout layout--article-header\">\n<div class=\"col headline\">\n<div>\n<h1> EXCLUSIVE Jean-Eric Vergne interview: &#8220;I feel like I&#8217;m flying&#8221;<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p><em>One month on from his Formula E championship win, Jean-Eric Vergne talks to Crash.net about his stunning 2018 to date, the evolution of Techeetah, his own progression &#8211; and the possibility of a shock F1 return&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV, 2018 has been a sensational year for you so far, winning the Formula E title, and winning Le Mans in reality. Are you able to sum it up?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section two-column\">\n<div class=\"col article-info\">\n<div>\n<address> Luke Smith_1 <\/address>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><time datetime=\"2022-03-31T04:09:41+00:00\">Updated: 31 Mar 2022<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col article-actions\">\n<div class=\"block block-better-social-sharing-buttons block-social-sharing-buttons-block\">\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div id=\"lbs-content\" class=\"content wide-two-column-sticky section layout layout--wide-two-column-sticky\">\n<div class=\"col first-column\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1920w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1500w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1200w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 900w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/3-_W6I7103.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p><em>One month on from his Formula E championship win, Jean-Eric Vergne talks to Crash.net about his stunning 2018 to date, the evolution of Techeetah, his own progression &#8211; and the possibility of a shock F1 return&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV, 2018 has been a sensational year for you so far, winning the Formula E title, and winning Le Mans in reality. Are you able to sum it up?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jean-Eric Vergne<\/strong>: I would sum it up as definitely the best year of my career, by far. I could not have expected any better. When I went into this season, I was like: \u2018OK, I really want to win everything I touch this year\u2019 &#8211; obviously you never win everything, but we can try to get close to it. And I think I came close to perfection in what I had. In LMP2, it\u2019s 100 percent wins so far. The first one, the team did not win, but I was in Rome, so I didn\u2019t do the race. Le Mans, at the moment, there\u2019s nothing done. We\u2019ve been disqualified but then not anymore, and then it\u2019s waiting to get judged for the appeal at the end of September, and hopefully we can get our win back.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embedded video\">\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"field field--name-field-media-oembed-video\">\n<div class=\"field__label visually-hidden\">Remote video URL<\/div>\n<div class=\"field__item\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>You said that you wanted perfection, but did you have some rough, perhaps more realistic targets in mind? Or is all you think about winning, being P1, being number one?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: No, I didn\u2019t think about being P3, or even winning the championship actually. Really what I wanted was not perfection over the year, but perfection over the weekend. Sometimes that meant perfection for me was not winning, but it was fifth or third or anything like this when I didn\u2019t have the car to win. This was more the state of mind I was in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>They\u2019re two quite modest projects, Techeetah in Formula E and G-Drive in sports cars. Neither have had major manufacturer backing. Does it make you more proud to have such success with them, given their relative size?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah, obviously I\u2019m very proud. G-Drive, I haven\u2019t been involved too much in the creation of this team and what they have done. I was lucky to come in the team that was really good with very good people. I really enjoyed this year with G-Drive, from the French side TDS, and the engineers that we have in G-Drive have been fantastic, always giving us a reliable and very fast car. Also I have my teammates who are very good. In endurance, it\u2019s very important. In Techeetah, I\u2019m very, very proud of what we\u2019ve achieved considering the little budget that we have, that we\u2019re not a manufacturer, that we\u2019re a private team, and to have had the chance to work with the best minds I\u2019ve ever seen in motorsport. They&#8217;re the best creative, engineering minds that I know.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Was it cool to build that team around you? We spoke at pre-season testing in Season 3 and there was hardly anything on the car, there was hardly anyone around &#8211; and yet you\u2019ve been able to create this team and build it to win a championship.<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah. It was a very long journey, a difficult journey obviously. We needed to prioritise what we needed first. Last year, we probably had the worst marketing team ever. We didn\u2019t have any sponsors on the car. But that was a risk. For me, I was able to push the risk in that direction, and put all the focus and all the resources we had in the engineering department and the simulator department, and to have a fast car and win races. In my mind, I was thinking: \u2018OK, when we win races, we can have a strong marketing department and have more sponsors on-board\u2019, and that\u2019s what happened this year. We started with nothing and finished the season with a lot of sponsors and quite a lot of success from this part of the team that is very important in motorsport. So the rise of this team has been absolutely amazing. I think in the history of motorsport, in the big championships, I don\u2019t think anybody has done it before. I\u2019m proud of what everybody has done in the team and also, I don\u2019t know if proud is the right word, but very happy to have been part of this project, starting from scratch and already in two years winning a championship.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Has it made you see motorsport in a different way as opposed to just being a driver?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: What really helped me was to understand what a team needed from a driver, and also to understand a little bit better what the driver needed from the team. It helped me, it completely changed me. I think that\u2019s also a part of my success, having changed for I think a better person, a better driver. It was part of this, definitely.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2-dsc_5657.jpg&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2-DSC_5657.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>Has it made you mature, what\u2019s happened over the last few years?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah, absolutely. Well when you go from a kid dreaming of being in Formula 1 to not having anything, no more drive, no more future, and you find something back and that you see there is a big potential in Formula E and actually you\u2019ve got something to do in here, I put absolutely all my energy into it and trying to make it successful. I think if I would have had the same mentality when I arrived in F1, I would have had a completely different career in F1.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you think that\u2019s the risk of F1 teams rushing kids up at such a young age, not giving them enough time to mature?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: It\u2019s only [Lewis] Hamilton and [Sebastian] Vettel who came in winning. It\u2019s quite rare. It\u2019s possible. But the problem of when you are a young kid\u2026 look at [Stoffel] Vandoorne, for example. He\u2019s the best example. He\u2019s the driver that had probably the most successful junior career before Formula 1, and I read today in the press that maybe he\u2019s not even going to be in Spa. I\u2019m sorry, but you don\u2019t become bad in six months. He\u2019s in this situation because he was unlucky to arrive in the time of his life where McLaren was at the lowest. If he comes in a season when McLaren was what it was in 2007 and 2008, he would be in a completely different position. He would be fighting for the world title like Lewis was when he arrived in F1 with McLaren. Obviously, not having the experience or the maturity, this is when it\u2019s very hard to handle. I\u2019ve handled disappointment. I\u2019ve handled pressure. I\u2019ve handled I think a bit of everything, especially from the negative side of handling the big things. I guess it made me a lot more cooler and relaxed about how I approach racing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You seem the happiest you\u2019ve been in racing too. I remember talking to you in F1 and the early times in Formula E when you were with your former teams. Now you\u2019ve got two great projects with Techeetah and G-Drive. You seem so happy. Has that translated to on-track as well and been part of why you\u2019ve been so successful?<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Absolutely. I don\u2019t know what I changed in my mentality or my way of working, but the result, it\u2019s like you removed the ballast from your feet and you started running. That\u2019s exactly how I feel. I feel like I\u2019m flying. It\u2019s super-good for the confidence, and in the same time, having had very low moments, I\u2019m able to not go too crazy about it and say \u2018OK, that\u2019s good, but I can still do more and I can still work more\u2019. I\u2019m still motivated to do it again and to continue being successful.<\/p>\n<p><strong>We spoke off the record a couple of days ago and I asked if you\u2019d had any time off in the summer, and you said: \u2018No, no, I\u2019ve just been testing and racing!\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah! I went straight to testing. Last week I was also testing in Formula E, and I\u2019m here racing. I do something that I love. It\u2019s not like I\u2019m waking up in the morning, going to the office and like \u2018oh God I don\u2019t want to go\u2019. I enjoy what I do. And I enjoy what I do more because it\u2019s more than driving that I do. It\u2019s creating something for when you\u2019re gone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>And that\u2019s something so many drivers in motorsport will never do, they\u2019ll just drive, that\u2019s it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: But maybe they\u2019re right, everybody works differently. I think if I would have done this a few years before, it would probably have not worked because I would not have had the experience. But today, this year, the experience I took is massive. I cannot calculate the experience I gained from the driving side, but also management and engineering side and so on. We\u2019re all different, I\u2019m not an engineer, so I\u2019m never going to tell the engineer what they have to do. I\u2019m not the team principal, so I\u2019m never going to tell the team principal what they have to do. But I\u2019ve got a very good understanding of everything, and I can handle different situations I guess.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>Looking at Season 5 of Formula E and the new partnership between Techeetah and DS, how are things shaping up? How is testing going so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: That\u2019s always a very hard question. I think that testing is going very, very well. This doesn\u2019t matter if you are fast or not. The brains we have at Techeetah and the brains DS have, now that we\u2019re working together, it took one test to make it work together, but at the last test I was extremely impressed with the way our two teams became one, and what we\u2019ve been able to achieve is so little time. I\u2019m very pleased. The ambiance, the atmosphere, it\u2019s so cool. It\u2019s very professional, but we\u2019re doing something that we love. We don\u2019t take ourselves too seriously. We have fun at the same time as working very hard, and I\u2019m absolutely loving it. To tell you we have the best car and we\u2019re going to win, I can\u2019t do that. I think we have a good car, but once again, until we compete against the other teams in the first race, we\u2019re never going to find out. All we can do is work to our maximum and do the best we can, and then see where we end up.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1-_1st4978.jpg&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/1-_1ST4978.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/figure>\n<p><strong>That camaraderie has been seen with your Formula E teammate, Andre Lotterer. You guys have come together so well, and there\u2019s the fan-named \u2018Jeandre\u2019 partnership you guys have forged &#8211; that must have been cool for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: It\u2019s cool. I\u2019m in a team that I love. I built something from scratch, and now we\u2019ve got something quite big. To be able to share this with another driver that you have a very good relationship with helps the team, helps everything, and just makes it more lively and more fun.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Looking into the future, what other goals have you got in your motorsport career? You\u2019ve ticked off the Formula E title and a class win at Le Mans. Are you looking to LMP1? Is that something you\u2019d like to reach?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: It\u2019s an interesting time ahead. I\u2019ve got one more year next year with the team, then I don\u2019t know. There are a lot of opportunities. Obviously in Formula E, it\u2019s a championship that is growing massively. You want to be staying in here unless you get a chance in a top team in F1. And then Le Mans, it is something I would love to do but in LMP1. I won in LMP2, but you really want to win the overall. With this new calendar, I cannot do it next year. I\u2019m not going to go to Toyota, because they are full, and they have to finish their super season. So next year I cannot win the overall Le Mans, it\u2019s impossible. In the future, it\u2019s still a little bit uncertain how the championship is working. I saw the new season will start from September. I don\u2019t know, I\u2019m a bit lost and a bit confused with how everything works. I don\u2019t know who\u2019s going to be there, which manufacturer. I heard there are possibly great manufacturers coming with the new regulations. That\u2019s something I will be looking in to.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Have your phone going off with more people getting in touch after your Formula E title win <\/strong><strong>about<\/strong><strong> drives in the future?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah, even a Formula 1 team.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>Really?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For a race seat?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah. It\u2019s a possibility. It\u2019s funny how the world of motorsport changes. When you change your state of mind, when you change a little bit how you work, you see the results straight away. You see it in the results, and you see it in how people look at you and how they speak to you. When you start representing a brand what you are, it changes a lot of things. Three years ago, I don\u2019t think anybody would have called me from F1 and say: \u2018Hey, do you have a contract for next season?\u2019 So it\u2019s great.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is a return to F1 something that would be of interest to you? Or do you think you\u2019re done with F1?<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: I&#8217;m happy where I am. I\u2019m not bitter. I see my ex-teammate Daniel winning races. I was in Monaco and I was so happy for him when he won. I could be bitter, saying: \u2018Fuck, I was beating this guy, I was close to him, and now he\u2019s winning and he\u2019s got this contract and this future\u2019. I\u2019m not bitter at all. I\u2019m very happy with what I have. I think things happen for a reason. Who knows where he\u2019s going to be in 10 years and where I\u2019m going to be in 10 years? So no. I\u2019m not disappointed any more. I learned from my mistake, I learned from the bad things that happened, and I\u2019m actually thankful for what happened to me. But now, if a good opportunity comes in Formula 1, I would consider it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But if you\u2019re looking to win, that\u2019s only three teams, the way F1 is now.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: Yeah. But because it is like this, maybe Formula 1 wants to change that a little bit. That\u2019s the good thing about Formula E. With our team, it\u2019s like if Marussia would have won in Formula 1. It would be impossible in F1. But maybe that can change. Maybe some teams can raise their games and start fighting for wins again. It\u2019s something that would interest me, to have another new, big challenge. This time, I think I have all the tools at my disposal to do a good job in F1.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/photo4_s-r-l-_605879.jpg&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/Photo4_s.r.l._605879.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><strong>What was your reaction when you got that call through? Did you laugh to yourself, thinking it\u2019s crazy I\u2019ve had this approach?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: A little bit. But it was like\u2026 I don\u2019t know, it was nice. I don\u2019t know how to put it in any other terms. It\u2019s more like\u2026 When you work, it pays off. I don\u2019t need it for my ego. With what happened to me, I don\u2019t have a big ego. I don\u2019t think I ever will have any more. It\u2019s nice. But it doesn\u2019t change my objectives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fernando Alonso announced this week that he would be stepping away from F1 for 2019. Can you relate to that a bit, finding more joy in other championships like Formula E, like sports car racing?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>JEV<\/strong>: In a way. He\u2019s definitely one of the best drivers, he\u2019s proved it for many years in a car that didn\u2019t make him win championships. As a racing driver, you want to win. You\u2019re not here to make money. Some drivers want to make money and they take it easier than others when they lose and they don\u2019t win. But at the end of the day, all of the top drivers in this world, it doesn\u2019t matter where they are, in rally, in Formula 1, in Formula E, in sports cars, in DTM, the number one objective is to win races. When you see you can\u2019t win, I understand it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2>In this article<\/h2>\n<div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">g-drive racing<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Techeetah<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Le Mans<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Jean-\u00c9ric Vergne<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Racing Bulls<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Red Bull Racing<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-next-prev\">\n<div class=\"next-prev-pager contextual-region\">\n<div class=\"items\">\n<div class=\"item prev\">\n<h3>  Previous<\/h3>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\"> Black Book Motorsport Q&amp;A: Formula E\u2019s S\u00e9bastien de Chaunac<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1523960870.jpg&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/image_importer\/FE\/1523960870.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item next\">\n<h3> Next <\/h3>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\"> FIA confirms 11-team Formula E entry list<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/a183474_medium.jpg&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/field\/image\/A183474_medium.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col second-column\">\n<div class=\"sticky\">\n<div class=\"component-card-default block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<h2>Latest News<\/h2>\n<div class=\"component-blocks-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-c22047074ff8619c9ef3e784e82005727de68ca741f5cc7b9ca813937c17fd7c\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> WSBK  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>BMW makes defiant World Superbike claim after Toprak Razgatlioglu&#8217;s departure<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764951211\"> 3h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/gng_1287524_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/gng_1287524_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/gng_1287524_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Lewis Hamilton makes surprising \u201cpotential\u201d claim after tricky Friday in Abu Dhabi<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764950628\"> 3h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390788_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390788_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390788_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  Feature <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Who has the advantage after day one at F1&#8217;s Abu Dhabi title-decider?<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764949766\"> 3h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390778_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390778_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390778_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Max Verstappen pinpoints biggest concern after Friday practice<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764946390\"> 4h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390502_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390502_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390502_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Lando Norris delivers blunt reply to having FP1 head start over Oscar Piastri<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764946286\"> 4h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390442_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390442_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390442_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"component-card-default block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<h2>More News<\/h2>\n<div class=\"component-blocks-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-73cd37801461f2bfffbfe3288db19930b6d8839a36c16e4bc9d0b36ed608100c\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Charles Leclerc relying less on \u201cgut feeling\u201d after crucial Lewis Hamilton lesson<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764944904\"> 5h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390445_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390445_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390445_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  Feature <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Why Yamaha must consider the unthinkable for the sake of its MotoGP future<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764943640\"> 5h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/gng_1282966_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/gng_1282966_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/gng_1282966_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  Results <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>2025 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix &#8211; Friday Practice Results<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764943308\"> 5h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390504_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390504_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390504_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018What\u2019s this guy doing?\u2019 &#8211; Max Verstappen irks Lando Norris in FP2<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764941956\"> 5h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390416_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390416_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390416_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> F1  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>McLaren hit out at \u2018uninformed and uneducated\u2019 politician&#8217;s claims<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1764940588\"> 6h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390037_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390037_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/cdn.crash.net\/2025-12\/xpb_1390037_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p> Source URL: http:\/\/crash.net\/fe\/interview\/903510\/1\/exclusive-jeaneric-vergne-qa-i-feel-im-flying<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EXCLUSIVE Jean-Eric Vergne interview: &#8220;I feel like I&#8217;m flying&#8221; One month on from his Formula E championship win, Jean-Eric Vergne talks to Crash.net about his stunning 2018 to date, the evolution of Techeetah, his own progression &#8211; and the possibility of a shock F1 return&#8230; JEV, 2018 has been a sensational year for you so [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":881205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-881203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-crash-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/881203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=881203"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/881203\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/881205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=881203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=881203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=881203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}