April 19, 2016

PARIS EPRIX: THE DS BRAND AND DS VIRGIN RACING SET THEIR SIGHTS ON VICTORY.

The DS brand and DS VIRGIN RACING team are gearing up for the Paris ePrix on Saturday 23 April.

As part of this exceptional event, the team is keen to share its enthusiasm and will to win. The Paris ePrix is a milestone in the championship for the entire team, starting with French driver, Jean-Éric Vergne who is more motivated than ever to score points and claim a place on the podium.

The race starts at 4:00 pm for the DSV-01 full-electric single-seaters but visitors will have the opportunity to attend the non-qualifying practices and qualifying sessions. The eVillage will open in the morning, with a wide range of activities for the public, particularly at the DS stand. Visitors will also be able to watch a unique event at 1:35 pm, when DS E-TENSE enters the track. The brand’s latest creation, this unique vehicle allies refinement with advanced technology to express the future of DS.

With the DS brand, it promises to be a superb, electrifying celebratory experience!

“With the DS brand celebrating its second anniversary in a few weeks time, the Paris ePrix on 23 April is a major highlight. For us, it’s particularly exciting to be part of this race in the heart of Paris, since this is where our brand was born. Our involvement in the FIA Formula E championship is coherent with DS Spirit of avant-garde, which we share with the public. Let’s enjoy this historic event together!” said DS CEO Yves Bonnefont.

THE PARIS EPRIX, AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT
After Asia, Latin America and the US, Europe is welcoming the next rounds in the FIA Formula E Championship. The first stage, marking a first for Paris, is on Saturday 23 April next. Taking place in the heart of the French capital, this unique event is a first in this category with its exceptional urban layout. The 1.93km route comprising 14 turns is located in the heart of the seventh district in the roads around the Hôtel des Invalides, a monument housing the military museum and the tomb of Napoleon 1.

THE DS VIRGIN RACING TEAM IS OUT TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AND PARIS PROUD
As a result, the DS brand and DS VIRGIN RACING team are more motivated than ever to battle it out and win. Under the spotlight, team drivers Sam Bird and Jean-Éric Vergne are looking to score precious points in this first European round.

“The championship is reaching a crucial phase,” explains British driver Sam Bird, currently third in the overall driver’s standings.

For France’s Jean-Éric Vergne, the Paris ePrix holds special meaning. “I started racing in Paris as a child so competing here with DS Virgin Racing will be an important moment for me. It doesn’t surprise me that the event has sold out and knowing the city and its people, I’m sure it will be a fantastic show. Achieving a podium here is my goal, it’s ambitious but the team as a whole have been working so hard to get us to where we are now, I’m aware it’s time for me to give something back.”

In Paris, the entire DS team, and particularly the DS PERFORMANCE motorsport division, will be more than ever present alongside their colleagues. The engineers of DS PERFORMANCE were involved in the design and technology of DSV-01, and are closely watching the vehicle’s performance. For them too, Paris is a race unlike any other.

Team Principal Alex Tai knows the team is still in a strong position to challenge for the leading positions in the Championship and wants to achieve the results in Paris that his team are capable of.

To support the DS VIRGIN RACING team, fans are encouraged to vote for Jean-Éric Vergne et Sam Bird in the Fanboost vote via the official app or website at www.fiaformulae.com/fanboost or via Twitter and Instagram by posting the #Fanboost hashtag alongside either #SamBird or #JeanEricVergne.

A DAY OF CELEBRATION TO PRESENT THE DS BRAND AND ITS FUTURE TO THE PUBLIC
Although the race starts at 4:00 pm, the site will be open from 8:00 am. The public will be able to watch the practice and qualifying sessions, along with the Super Pole shoot-out at 12:45 pm. As part of this day of celebration, a wide range of activities will be organised on-site with the involvement of the DS brand!

The public will be able to discover the DS showcase in the heart of the eVillage and immerse themselves in the brand experience. They will be able to get close to and admire a DSV-01, identical to those taking part in the race!

Exceptional photos for an exceptional day! The DS brand is inviting the public to strike a film-star pose in the Studio Harcourt booth installed on the DS stand for the occasion. Visitors will receive a black and white portrait stamped with the celebrated H logo.

At 1:35 pm, the DS brand is inviting visitors trackside to see the brand’s future in motion with DS E-TENSE. Revealed last March at the Geneva Motor Show, DS E-TENSE is a unique, electrifying, high-performance vehicle, combining craftsmanship worthy of France’s leading luxury brands with the use of digital tools.

It is in Paris, the brand’s home, that DS E-TENSE will be making its debut, first on 20 April on the streets of Paris and then on 23 April around the Hôtel des Invalides on the ePrix circuit.

Following this exceptional event, the public will be able to return to the DS stand in the eVillage where Jean-Éric Vergne and Sam Bird will be hosting an autograph session between 1:50 pm and 2:30 pm. An opportunity for a memorable meeting!