Vergne: “We had some bad luck with the safety car” in Monaco

Jean-Éric Vergne impressed with early aggression in Race 2 of the Monaco E-Prix. Using Attack Mode, he passed Nyck de Vries and grabbed the lead. Holding off Rowland through tight corners, he defended with determination.

As the race progressed, Sébastien Buemi and De Vries found a way past. Later, Cassidy slipped by in the closing laps. Vergne ultimately crossed the line in fourth after a strong but challenging race.

Vergne had “a very good first part” of the Monaco E-Prix

He got off to “a strong start” in the Monaco E-Prix and immediately looked at ease in the slippery conditions. The DS Penske handled well on the wet surface, allowing him to push with confidence. Although he later slipped out of podium contention, his opening laps stood out as a highlight of the race.

“It was a very good first part of the race. I got off to a strong start, and even though the track was wet, we were very strong.”

Vergne couldn’t regain lost track positions

Then came a turning point: “We had some bad luck with the safety car,” Vergne explained, as his strategy was disrupted when the race was neutralised.

The timing allowed rivals to gain an advantage, and Vergne lost track positions he couldn’t recover in the closing stages of the Monaco E-Prix.

“Then we had some bad luck with the safety car, especially as the Full Course Yellow had been preferred throughout the weekend.”

Vergne felt that team did “the best [they] could have hoped for’ in conditions”

As the track started to dry, Vergne began to lose ground. “When the track started to dry out, we weren’t performing as well,” he explained, pointing to the fact that his car was set up for wet conditions. With the surface drying, the car’s handling and balance shifted, making it harder for him to keep up with the frontrunners.

Despite the setback, Vergne stayed positive, acknowledging that “this was the best we could have hoped for in these conditions.” Given the challenging circumstances, he felt his team had maximized their potential for the Monaco E-Prix.

“When the track started to dry out, we weren’t performing as well as the car was clearly set up for a race on a wet track. This was the best we could have hoped for in these conditions.”