DS PENSKE found themselves in “dreamland” after securing a stunning one-two finish, courtesy of Maximilian Günther’s dominant victory and Jean-Éric Vergne snatching second place with a breathtaking move on the final corner.
For Günther, the weekend began in perfect fashion as he stormed to pole position following a flawless run through the Qualifying duels. He then converted that pole into a commanding win, using a clever strategy of activating Attack Mode late in the race to surge ahead and build a decisive gap, marking his second win of the season for the French premium constructor.
“What a day!” said an elated Günther. “Qualifying couldn’t have gone any better and starting from pole obviously gave us a good advantage. But of course, we knew it would then be a long race. All the planets finally aligned, and we were able to win in style! I’m very grateful to the whole team. This one-two means so much for all of us, as it’s the result of a lot of previous hard work, as well as all the different processes we have put in place.”
While Günther controlled the closing stages, his teammate Vergne demonstrated masterful racecraft and patience. Starting 10th on the grid, the two-time Formula E champion steadily climbed the order before making a dramatic final-lap move that secured DS PENSKE’s dream result.
Heading into the final corners, Vergne found himself in fourth behind McLaren’s Taylor Barnard and CUPRA KIRO’s Dan Ticktum, who were battling side by side. As Ticktum attempted to go around the outside of Barnard, Vergne saw his opportunity and launched a daring dive down the inside. The bold move paid off perfectly — he passed both drivers in a single corner to snatch second place and lock in the team’s one-two finish.
“We’ve just experienced an absolutely amazing race!” said Vergne. “This is an incredible result for the team. I’m very happy with the way that I was able to come back up through the field and finish second. I’m also very proud of the team for all the work they have done. It’s a really immense privilege to achieve what we did. We are in a dreamland today.”
The result sees both DS Automobiles drivers make significant gains in the Drivers’ Championship. Günther now holds fifth place, just ahead of Vergne, while DS PENSKE has moved into third in the Teams’ standings — now only 55 points off the lead.
With another race still to come this weekend in Shanghai, DS PENSKE will aim to carry their momentum into Sunday and continue their charge toward both titles.
