Closed Circuit: TECHEETAH in Paris

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What initially looked like becoming the highest point-finish for the young Techeetah outfit so far ended – after just scoring two points in Monaco – with another setback as Jean-Eric Vergne crashed after suffering from a technical issue while battling for the lead.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”THE TEAM” color=”green”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion style=”outline” color=”green” c_icon=”chevron” active_section=”1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”The team’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512664883-ac9eb41a-467a5043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_column_text]

It was an emotional day for the Chinese team. After both practice sessions, Jean-Eric Vergne looked like a proved recipe for a high point-finish. Qualifying went even better as both drivers made it to the Superpole shootout, putting their cars on P2 and P4 on the starting grid. Esteban Gutierrez qualified 5th, but gained one position thanks to a ten-place grid-penalty applied to NextEV NIO’s Oliver Turvey due to an engine component change.

While Vergne had a good start to the race and even tried to attack Buemi on the outside of the first corner, Gutierrez had already lost one position to Mahindra Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist right after the lights went out. Nevertheless, it looked like a solid point-finish for the team – helping them battle for P4 in championship. Unfortunately, Vergne crashed out on lap 33, losing his hitherto 2nd place due to a technical failure. Gutierrez never really found the right pace and was ultimately handed a 5-second penalty which threw him out of the points onto P11.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Team mate comparison: qualifying” tab_id=”1461512175704-af49c202-f1e45043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” style=”modern” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Monaco; Paris” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jean-Eric%20Vergne%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%229%3B%205%3B%202%3B%204%3B%204%3B%202%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23b97ebb%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Esteban%20Gutierrez%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%22%20%3B%20%3B%20%3B%2011%3B%2013%3B%204%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%235472d2%22%7D%5D” title=”Team mate comparison: qualifying”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Team mate comparison: race” tab_id=”1461512175763-831c2584-42cf5043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” style=”modern” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Monaco; Paris” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jean-Eric%20Vergne%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%22%20%3B%208%3B%202%3B%202%3B%20%3B%20%3B%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%230088cc%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Esteban%20Gutierrez%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%22%20%3B%20%3B%20%3B%2010%3B%208%3B%2011%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23ff9900%22%7D%5D” title=”Team mate comparison: race”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The team says: “…“” tab_id=”1461512258191-0360a250-a68c5043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_column_text]

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We’ll be investigating what happened to Jean-Eric over the coming days to understand exactly what happened, and will also be looking into why Esteban dropped in his race pace. He was still on course for points but fell foul of his first Full Course Yellow in a race and didn’t slow down enough during the countdown along with other drivers  – which many drivers have had problems with before.”[/perfectpullquote]

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”There are positives to take from this race though. We were the only team to have both drivers in Super Pole, which confirms our qualifying pace and Jean-Eric was only 0.006 seconds off Buemi’s time as it means we can match him, and that’ll be our challenge for the next race in Berlin.”[/perfectpullquote]

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Mark Preston, Team Principal[/perfectpullquote]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings (points)” tab_id=”1461512214611-352b21f1-c5375043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Monaco; Paris” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22TECHEETAH%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%220%3B%204%3B%2022%3B%2041%3B%2045%3B%2045%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”Championship standings”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”JEAN-ERIC VERGNE” color=”green”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion style=”outline” color=”green” c_icon=”chevron” active_section=”1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”Vergne’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512310664-cbeb96df-4af05043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_column_text]

After his previous crash following an attempt to overtake NextEV NIO’s Nelson Piquet JR at the Monegasque harbour, Jean-Eric Vergne was convinced he would fight back even stronger on home soil. With a strong performance in qualifying and Superpole, Vergne managed to put his car on P2, starting from the front row next to Sébastien Buemi. And the Frenchman delivered: he had a very good start and could even try to attack Buemi on the outside of the first corner, but had to cut back as he was not in the right position to overtake the pole-sitter.

Vergne showed a strong performance throughout the whole race, battling Buemi for the fastest lap. After their car change on lap 20, Vergne was just 3.5 seconds down on Buemi and was able to close that gap a bit more lap by lap. It looked like he was finally in the position to fight Buemi for the victory. But on lap 34 his chase came to a harsh end, when Vergne crashed into the wall right after turn 8 due to a broken steering. That brought his dreams of the first victory for his Techeetah outfit to a sudden end – again.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lap chart” tab_id=”1461512310716-c8bf2e2d-dbb95043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Starting position; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 49″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jean-Eric%20Vergne%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%222%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B4%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B0%3B%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%5D” title=”Vergne: lap chart”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The race in numbers” tab_id=”1461512375203-dc62694e-d0395043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP1: 1:03.039s (P3)

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Best time in FP2: 1:02.031s (P9)

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Best time in qualifying: 1:02.274s (P2, P2 in Superpole)

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Best time in the race: 1:03.610s (Lap 11)

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Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 71.191s (+1.191s)

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[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”It was a tough end to the race after running so well at the front. It’s never nice to have a failure on the car but we’ll investigate the issue and make sure it doesn’t happen again. We can take positives from the pace we showed here and we’ll focus on getting the most out of the next race in Berlin.”[/perfectpullquote]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings (points)” tab_id=”1461513704972-abbca216-e1a55043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Monaco; Paris” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jean-Eric%20Vergne%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%220%3B%204%3B%2022%3B%2040%3B%2040%3B%2040%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%5D” title=”Championship standings”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ” color=”green”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion style=”outline” color=”green” active_section=”1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”Gutierrez’ race in words” tab_id=”1461512547855-b3644413-70595043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_column_text]

Unlike his team-mate, Esteban Gutierrez drove a rather ordinary, yet solid race. After qualifying for Superpole, he had a lockup on his 200kw lap and thus had to start his race from 5th position. His start was not as good as that shown by Nick Heidfeld (Mahindra Racing), as they turned side-by-side into turn 1 fighting for P5. Gutierrez had no chance and had to hand over his position to the German. He has been able to go Heidfeld’s pace firstly, but began to slowly be struggling with his pace around lap seven, holding up many cars behind him.

After changing his car at the end of lap 21, the Mexican still could not catch up with cars in front and lost more ground. Since it was hard to overtake on the Circuit des Invalides, it looked like Gutierrez was able to secure some points anyway. But he was handed a 5-second time penalty for failing to slow down significantly during the FCY after the clash between Lucas di Grassi (ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport) and Antonio Felix da Costa (Andretti Formula E). This would not have been a problem, yet the Safety Car was deployed on the penultimate lap. Therefore, it was P11 for the Mexican after a rather difficult race.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lap chart” tab_id=”1461512548457-fc72c98b-1a615043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Starting position; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 49″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Esteban%20Gutierrez%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%224%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B8%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B7%3B8%3B9%3B9%3B9%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B11%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”Gutierrez: lap chart”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The race in numbers” tab_id=”1461512549057-0abe4d02-33bc5043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP1: 1:03.888s (P18)

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Best time in FP2: 1:02.328 (P12)

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Best time in qualifying: 1:02.597s (P5, P5 in Superpole)

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Best time in the race: 1:03.660s (Lap 42)

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Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 71.724s (+1.724s)

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[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“We put in our best effort in the race. Unfortunately the result isn’t what we expected after the last two races, as I was struggling with pace during the race. It is disappointing to get the penalty, which is related to the fact that the car behind me was coming very quickly – I slowed down during the Full Course Yellow countdown, but unfortunately not enough.”[/perfectpullquote]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings (points)” tab_id=”1461513723518-ee223709-f56c5043-b572f818-eaa56c99-2358a6af-4c96764d-dc16″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Monaco; Paris” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Esteban%20Gutierrez%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%220%3B%200%3B%200%3B%201%3B%205%3B5%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”Championship standings”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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Image courtesy of Rajan Jangda/ e-racing.net

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