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.

Jean-Eric Vergne to race for Andretti in Uruguay

Jean-Eric Vergne will take part in the next Formula E race in Uruguay as he starts to carve a career outside Formula One.

Vergne was ditched by Toro Rosso at the end of this year to make way for rookies Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz in 2015. This weekend he will drive for the Andretti Formula E team at the Punta del Este ePrix and he is already setting his sights high.

"It's not often that you get to race at this time of the year," Vergne said. "I am really looking forward to this opportunity, especially given its location in a place like Punta del Este. Although I have no experience in this new series, I am excited about the prospect of racing in Formula E, and racing for such a prestigious team as Andretti. As always, the main objective of the weekend is to stay out front and finish the year on a high note. The weekend will be a little like a journey into the unknown, but it is a journey that I am thoroughly looking forward to!"

Vergne is one of 11 ex-F1 drivers in the Formula E field this weekend and team boss Michael Andretti believes it shows the high status the series has reached in its inaugural year.

"We're really happy to put JEV in the car for Punta del Este," said Andretti. "He has great talent and we think he'll pair well with our team for competitive results. I also think having interest and participation from respected F1 drivers shows great strength and the true potential for Formula E as a series and world championship."