---
title: "Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne Takes First Place at the Formula E Paris E-Prix"
description: "Vergne’s win in Paris, France marks only the second time a Formula E driver has won on home soil."
date: "2018-05-01"
modified: "2018-05-01"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/20543/frenchman-jean-eric-vergne-takes-first-place-at-the-formula-e-paris-e-prix"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "FIA"
  - "France"
  - "News"
  - "paris"
  - "racing"
  - "Racing News"
---

# Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne Takes First Place at the Formula E Paris E-Prix

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/04/4-malc3640.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Techeeta's Jean-Eric Vergne emerged victorious at the [2018 Formula E Paris E-Prix](<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwi5jZ3ssePaAhUBk1kKHY6MCZ0QFgg2MAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Faccelerator%2F20218%2Fformula-e-drivers-to-host-charity-kart-race-in-honor-of-billy-monger&usg=AOvVaw0iwnhewVj6cd_bb-zsDFgW>), which was disputed on the same Parisian streets the French racing driver once roamed as a child. The nail-biting round saw plenty of action and several late-race collisions that promoted Audi's Luca di Grassi and Virgin Racing's Sam Bird to second and third place.

[Vergne's master plan](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19362/jean-eric-vergne-emerges-victorious-in-formula-e-punta-del-este-eprix>) for the Paris E-Prix was conceived during the qualifying session the day before the race, when he put together a well-balanced lap that saw him attack several sectors with outright ferocity while others he simply waltzed through the corners, securing him the first place on Sunday's grid. From that moment on, it was all about managing the battery's energy level as well as his Michelin tires.

![message-editor%2F1525138788488-1-malk3500.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1525138788488-1-malk3500.jpg>)
*Formula E*

![message-editor%2F1525138798916-3-\_j6i0498.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1525138798916-3-_j6i0498.jpg>)
*Formula E*

It was a very different story behind the Frenchman, as his teammate, three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans champion Andre Lotterer, was involved in a dramatic crash with Sam Bird in the closing stages of the race. The German driver was pushing hard to make it a one-two finish for Techeetah alongside Vergne, but ran out of energy with just four corners left in the E-Prix. The sudden drop in speed caused Bird to smash into the rear of Lotterer's car, mangling both, but allowing Bird to creep to the finish line in third place while Lotterer dropped all the way to sixth.

As a result of the collision, [di Grassi jumped up to second place](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19364/formula-e-driver-fined-10000-for-unauthorized-underwear>) and was able to score his third podium in a row and edge out his teammate Daniel Abt for the fifth place in the drivers' championship standings.

![message-editor%2F1525138812484-2-\_als6185.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1525138812484-2-_als6185.jpg>)
*Formula E*

![message-editor%2F1525138817839-5-\_j6i0647.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1525138817839-5-_j6i0647.jpg>)
*Formula E*

“It was the race I wanted to win this year and to have done it in such a good way today from pole position was absolutely amazing—I couldn’t be happier, especially with my birthday this week," said Vergne. "We’re racing in the most beautiful city in the world, we have the best location on the Formula E calendar. Paris has done a great job in creating an event seeing how many fans there were here today."

The electric racing circus [heads to Berlin](<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwi5jZ3ssePaAhUBk1kKHY6MCZ0QFgg2MAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedrive.com%2Faccelerator%2F20218%2Fformula-e-drivers-to-host-charity-kart-race-in-honor-of-billy-monger&usg=AOvVaw0iwnhewVj6cd_bb-zsDFgW>) next, where Formula E will contest its ninth of 12 rounds on May 19, ahead of Zurich in Switerzland and the American double-header in New York City.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)