FE leader Vergne will ‘attack’ NYC finale like any race

DS Techeetah driver Jean-Eric Vergne insists his approach will not change heading into the 2018-19 FIA Formula E Championship’s title-deciding New York finale. 

Vergne boasts a 32-point cushion over Audi’s Lucas di Grassi after taking his third win of the season at last month’s Swiss E-Prix in Bern, which marked his third straight podium appearance following a third place finish in Berlin and victory in Monaco.  

At this weekend's season-ending double header in New York, the Frenchman has the chance to create FE history by becoming the first driver to successfully defend a title, while he can also be crowned the series’ first multiple champion in the process. 

Asked if will have a more conservative approach with the title on the line, Vergne told Crash.net, “No, it doesn’t change anything. 

“Obviously last year I came and wanted to finish the championship on the Saturday, this year I have more points so that is the target. 

"You always need to have high targets if you want to win. That’s my target for the weekend and then Sunday we will see what happens. 

“I have one race to really do well on Saturday and then we will see. But the mentality is always the same - same approach, I’m not going to be extra cautious.

“I’m just going to do what I love doing, which is racing and when I have to overtake or defend, I will go for it.”

DS Techeetah could also claim its first FE teams’ championship crown and currently holds a 43-point buffer to reigning champions Audi.

“I’ll just attack this weekend like it was any other,” Vergne added.  

“You are preparing yourself no better than the other times, same preparation, it’s not because it is the finale that you are suddenly going to have much better preparation.

“But we did prepare for this race very well and we come with the same objective, to try and leave the weekend knowing that we maximised everything we had. 

“Sometimes maximising everything we have, with all the external factors, can be a seventh place, eighth position, can be a podium, we never know. 

“But we go into this weekend with confidence. I think the last race showed that all the work we’ve been doing within the team paid off. 

“It took also some time with Techeetah and DS, two big entities that were different, they became one and this kind of thing always takes some time. 

“We had some difficult moments at the beginning of the season but it is now all behind us, we are strong, and we have a good lead as well, which is always good.” 

Vergne remains calm in the knowledge that he was able to pull off the title in a similar circumstances last year and says he can end the season satisfied regardless of the result, as he believes he is in the form of his life.

“Every scenario and every situation is always different,” he explained.

“It is just good for my mind to know that I can do it, removing a bit of pressure off of my shoulders. I go into this weekend in a very calm way, knowing that I’ve done it before.

“Whether I win or don’t win, I think it’s fair to say that I am in the best form of my career, regardless of what happens this weekend.

“We could have a failure on Saturday and somebody crashing into me on Sunday and the other guy is having two very good races and winning the championship, so this is part of the sport.

“There is nothing you can do and anything can happen. You stay humble in this situation but I think it’s fair to say, regardless of my results, I am in the best form of my career, that’s for sure.”