For the Franco-American DS Penske team, represented by Jean-Eric Vergne and Maximilian Gunther, the opening day at one of motorsport's most famous venues was rich in emotion, packed with learning — and full of promise for what’s to come.
Monaco: double the ambition
Since joining the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar in 2015, Monaco has stood out as the most prestigious round of the season. In 2025, for the first time, the event has taken the form of a double-header — a rare format that has divided opinion. A winner here in 2019, Vergne is among those with reservations:
“I don’t mind double-headers — except in Monaco,” says the only two-time Formula E champion. “This race is special. It’s the one everyone dreams of winning. There should be only one winner here.”
His sentiment is understandable. DS Automobiles, alongside Renault, is one of just two manufacturers to have won the Monaco E-Prix twice. More impressively, the French premium brand is the only constructor to have triumphed on both versions of the track — the shorter layout used until 2019 with Vergne, and the full Formula 1 circuit since 2021 with Antonio Felix da Costa.
Flying starts and close calls
From the very first free practice session, the DS E-TENSE FE25 machines showcased their potential. Thanks to the debut of Gen3 EVO, the most advanced electric single-seaters ever seen in Formula E, lap times tumbled dramatically — the drivers were circulating nearly three seconds faster than the 2024 pole time. An unprecedented leap forward at this level of international competition.
But qualifying proved more challenging. Placed in the same group, both DS Penske drivers encountered setbacks: Vergne was impeded during his fast lap attempt, while Gunther missed out on a duel stage spot by just seven hundredths of a second. As a result, the starting positions were below expectations — 10th for Gunther, 16th for Vergne.
Strategy at the heart of the race
Overtaking may be rare in Formula 1 at Monaco, but Formula E is a different story. After a clean start, both DS E-TENSE FE25 cars settled into the strategic rhythm of energy management. The race then entered a neutralised phase under Full Course Yellow, before resuming with a flurry of tactical decisions, shaped by Attack Mode activations and the now-iconic Pitboost — a mandatory stop of at least 34 seconds to recharge 3.85 kWh of energy.
In this strategic shuffle, Gunther salvaged a valuable point in 10th place, while Vergne, despite strong pace, crossed the line 12th.
“We weren’t able to fully exploit our set-up today,” admitted Nicolas Mauduit, DS Penske executive director. “We went for a safe, consistent approach to avoid risks, but margins were incredibly tight. We’ll adjust the car tonight to give ourselves better qualifying prospects tomorrow. That’s our key to running at the front.”
A chance for redemption
As teams now turn their attention to overnight set-up changes and a revised race format for Sunday (no Pitboost, adjusted lap count), the playing field remains wide open. With a new free practice session scheduled early in the morning, DS Penske aims to flip the script. The lessons learned on Saturday need to be the foundation for a comeback performance.
On a circuit where every centimetre matters and every kilowatt counts, even the smallest gain can be decisive. And in Monaco, perhaps more than anywhere else, tomorrow’s glory often feels like today’s revenge.
