The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has had a sillier-than-usual silly season, with manufacturers and teams joining the drivers in the traditional high-stakes game of contractual musical chairs as everyone prepares for the Gen3 era. Mercedes-EQ is withdrawing from Formula E after winning its second consecutive championship. DS and Techeetah have parted ways, and now the French luxury brand is allying with Dragon Penske Autosport.”
Stoffel Vandoorne, the reigning FIA Formula E World Champion, has now been announced as a driver of the new DS Penske team. He will be competing alongside two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne, who is also moving from Techeetah to Dragon Penske. The driver pairing is the most decorated in the championship heading into Formula E’s 9th season and headlines the new factory team of the series’ marquee brand.
Jay Penske, founder and owner of Penske Autosport:
“We’re thrilled to partner with DS Automobiles, an iconic automotive brand who shares our ambitions in striving for excellence. This is a major milestone for our team, and something we have been looking forward to for years. Together we will push the technological boundaries in our hunt for performance and wins. With world champion driver Stoffel and two-time champion Jean-Eric, I am confident that we have one of the strongest line-ups on the grid!”
While these moves have been long rumored, there still are a lot of questions yet to be answered. How much of the DS engineering staff will also move from Techeetah to Penske? Also, why did DS choose to partner with Penske Autosport? Other than the familial relation between Jay Penske and his legendary father Roger Penske, there is no connection between Penske Autosport and Team Penske. Dragon Penske has been the second-worst team in the Formula E standing for the past three seasons. While the DS Penske cars will wear the gold and black of DS Techeetah, will the team see similar success?