Exclusive – Cross Interview: Buemi, d’Ambrosio, and Vandoorne, Life After F1!

Sébastien Buemi, Jérôme d’Ambrosio, Lucas di Grassi, André Lotterer, Felipe Massa, Stoffel Vandoorne, Jean-Eric Vergne, Pascal Wehrlein. A fine list of eight drivers, all with one thing in common: having swapped a Formula 1 for a 100% electric single-seater. While Massa stands out above the others due to his pedigree, with his honorary title of 2008 World Vice-Champion and his 11 victories in the premier discipline, the other drivers have nothing to be ashamed of: four of them scored points in F1, namely Buemi, Vandoorne, Vergne, and Wehrlein.

Drivers for Nissan e.dams and HWA Racelab in Formula E, Buemi (51 ePrix races, 12 victories, 1 drivers’ championship title in 2015-2016) and Vandoorne (8 ePrix races, 1 podium… with 5 retirements) reacted to our microphone in the pit lane of the Paris ePrix, along with Jérôme d’Ambrosio (53 ePrix races, 3 victories), who races for Mahindra Racing.

**Jérôme, you are one of the four drivers who have participated in all the races of the discipline… this is now your fifth season. Is there more motivation than before?**

Jérôme d’Ambrosio, JDA: « Clearly! The championship is still quite young, it continues to evolve. And for the first time in four years, I’m fighting for the top of the standings, so yes, the motivation is there! »

Sébastien, apart from the two ePrix in New York in July 2017, you’ve also participated in all the races of the discipline…

Sébastien Buemi, SB: « I love what I do here! I consider myself lucky to participate in this championship. It’s been a long time since I last won, so I’m even more motivated! When you see the names of the drivers here, there are some big names, some have won a Formula 1 Grand Prix or the 24 Hours of Le Mans…. So I consider it a good thing to be here. »

Sébastien Buemi: « I think it’s the only championship where drivers are chosen based on their sporting qualities, and not on other aspects, like the budget they bring. »

Stoffel, your arrival in Formula E is very recent… Compared to Formula 1, is there always the same motivation before a race weekend?

Stoffel Vandoorne, SV: « Up until now, it’s going very well for me, I’m having fun, the championship is very nice and “challenging”. When you look at the track record of all these drivers, you can say that everyone would deserve their place in F1, or at least have a chance! »

Jérôme and Sébastien, as “veterans” in this discipline… how do you see the evolution of piloting through the seasons?

JDA: « Even though it is heavier, there is much less downforce on a Formula E than on an F1… It’s not an easy car to drive on a lap in qualifying mode: the risk is maximum, mistakes are costly, and you cannot drive at 100%. For me, Formula E is the hardest car to master in my career! »

SB: « Cars are getting more powerful and faster every year. But the more they improve, the harder they are to drive! Sometimes it’s scary, especially with the lack of grip. 250 kilowatts is already powerful! We’re reaching a point where adding more grip rather than power is necessary. »

Stoffel, compared to a current F1, is it easy to adapt to this Gen 2 single-seater?

SV: « The way of driving is different, especially concerning braking. There are more electrical systems to manage. In F1, you have more time to focus on strategy and pure performance. »

And when do you really enjoy driving a Formula E car?

SB: « I would say it’s identical between qualifying and the race. But the problem with qualifying is that it’s very stressful since everything is decided in a single lap. »

JDA: « For me, there’s more enjoyment in the race! For the sensations in qualifying, there’s F1 with circuits like Suzuka. However, FE is the most fun car when it comes to racing, you can really overtake, even on these tightly packed urban circuits. »

SV: « I really like qualifying: it’s rewarding to finish a lap without making any mistakes, especially with these 250 kilowatts on board the car! But I also love the race!

Stoffel Vandoorne: « The race is nice, with energy management and all these cars driving very close. There are many things to manage at the same time! »

Is there something that makes Formula E more difficult than F1?

JDA: « Formula E is much more intense in terms of competitiveness: there are so many drivers who can win that if you have a bad day, you pay dearly for it! You really have to make the right choices at the right time »

The fact that everything happens in one day: all the preparation is crucial. A day of Formula E is often more exhausting than a day of testing in Formula 1: on Saturday in FE, we wake up at 5:30 AM to come to the circuit! When you’re not well-prepared, you lose a lot of time and can’t make up for lost time afterwards… The day is very long. When it ends, you usually have only one desire: to go to sleep!

SB: « Formula E is draining: everything happens on the same day and the stress level is very high. As soon as you make a mistake, you lose a lot of places. Take qualifying: in F1, there are more laps, so you can easily recover. »

Sébastien Buemi: « If you lose two tenths of a second with a Mercedes on a qualifying lap, you will be fourth in the worst-case scenario. Here in Formula E, if you lose two tenths, you can be fifteenth! »

Sam Bird says Formula E is more fun than Formula 1: do you share his sentiment? Is Formula E really becoming more and more attractive for a driver?

JDA: « I have always taken great pleasure in Formula E. It’s cool because we’re in the heart of cities: there’s an enthusiasm, especially since we reach people with values of our time, including sustainable development. »

SV: « Yes, it’s much more relaxed: the drivers talk to each other a lot more! In F1, everything is more separated. Here, we really go to the fans in the cities: everyone can get close to the cars! »

SB: « What is fun for me is that everyone can win a race, or almost! »

Do you continue to watch Formula 1 races?

SB: « Of course, I still do simulator work for Red Bull, so I’m quite up to speed! I do it 20 to 30 days a year. »

SV: « Yes, I still have a role with Mercedes as a simulator driver. So I spend time at the factory in Brackley. So of course, I follow the races! »

Evidently! Above all, I am a fan of motorsport: I watch Formula 1 but also Indycar races, DTM, and Moto GP! Each category has its charm, but Formula 1 will always remain an incredible championship with the greatest history in motorsport.

What message would you give to Lewis Hamilton, who recently stated “he might end his career in Formula E”?

SB: « Let him try! If he came, it would definitely be a big plus for the discipline! But I don’t see him leaving F1 anytime soon to come to FE…. »

SV: « You have to keep an open mind! We know that the technology is still in its early stages, there is a huge margin for progress: Formula E will continue to evolve well in the future. »

JDA: « He needs to know that opinions in FE are evolving very quickly in the right direction: maybe it will also be the case for Lewis if he comes to Formula E! »

Jérôme d’Ambrosio: « I think back to André (ed: Lotterer) who came into Formula E a bit cautiously… and then he did the tests, the first race, and it went well. Ultimately, he’s been enjoying it a lot since! »

Comments collected on Thursday, April 25th, on the occasion of the Paris ePrix. For the presentation of the Monaco ePrix, taking place this Saturday, check out this article!