Jean Eric Vergne joins Ferrari

Maranello, 19 December 2014 – Ferrari announces that, as from next season, Jean-Eric Vergne will join the Scuderia in the role of test driver to work on car development in the simulator.

The rest of the driver line-up consists of the race pairing of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, along with test and third driver Esteban Gutiérrez, while Marc Genè and Davide Rigon are confirmed in the role of test drivers.

Pedro de la Rosa leaves the Scuderia at the end of this year. Everyone in the team thanks him for the work he has done over the past two years.

“On behalf of the entire team, I welcome Jean-Eric, who I’m sure will make an important contribution to our development work in the simulator,” commented Scuderia Ferrari Director General and Team Principal, Maurizio Arrivabene. “He will fit in to a programme aimed at improving important areas, invigorating and strengthening an already strong and capable group of professionals.”

“I feel very honored to be joining the Ferrari family and becoming a part of the most prestigious team in the history of Formula One,” commented Jean-Eric Vergne. “The objective is a unanimous one and that is to help the Scuderia get back to the top step of the podium. Having had two years working in the simulator for a top F1 team and three years racing with Toro Rosso, my experience will add to the great efforts that are currently being made in order to get the team back to its winning ways. I look forward to fulfilling my dream in becoming a member of the Ferrari Formula One team and having the Tifosi behind me every step of the way.”



Source - www.formula1.ferrari.com

JEV nearly wins on Formula E debut

Formula 1 refugee Jean-Eric Vergne said losing a potential win on his Formula E debut in Punta del Este did not take the shine off his weekend with Andretti Autosport.

The Former Toro Rosso F1 driver Vergne, who had taken pole in Uruguay on his first day in a Formula E car, was challenging Sebastian Buemi for victory with just two laps remaining when the front-right suspension of his Spark-Renault broke, forcing him to a halt.

Sebastian Buemi won his first Formula E race in the all-electric single-seater series' third round. 

After the third round of the Formula E, this is what JEV had to say on his experience behind a Formula E car.

"I had no expectations coming into this weekend,".

"I came here to have fun and that's what I did.

"The weekend would have been perfect if I had won, but somehow the suspension broke and that was that, so it's a bit of a shame. But that's racing.

"I didn't hit any kerbs, I didn't touch the wall or anything. I believe the suspension of these cars is fragile and I heard they're going to be changed for the next race."

"I think we lost a lot of time because of the safety car that came out exactly as the same time as I came out, I couldn't push, so that's why I gave Buemi the position."

"But I think we've shown a fantastic performance, especially with pole position."

"That was a proper pole, and it's nice to be at the front again."

Vergne also suffered an issue with his fanboost.