Jean-Eric Vergne F1 driver biography

Jean-Eric Vergne

Jean-Eric Vergne joins Toro Rosso for 2012

Born: 25th April 1990
Birthplace: Pontoise, France
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Jean-Eric Vergne followed the path of his predecessors on the Red Bull Driver Development programme. After winning the British F3 championship in 2010 he progressed to Formula Renault 3.5, which he spent in a year-long battle for the title with Carlin team mate Robert Wickens.

Vergne tended to qualify behind his team mate but they were much more closely matched in the races, taking five wins apiece. Vergne came off the back of a strong weekend on home ground at Paul Ricard poised to snatch the championship in Barcelona.

But Wickens won the first of the two races and when the pair retired in separate incidents in the second race it confirmed Wickens as the champion, nine points ahead of Vergne.

Vergne’s Red Bull connection had already secured him a run in the world championship-winning RB7 in the Abu Dhabi young drivers’ test, and he went quickest on all three days. He also drove for Toro Rosso in practice sessions towards the end of the year.

Toro Rosso

Vergne’s predecessors Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari were dropped from Toro Rosso at the end of the year to make way for him and fellow development driver Daniel Ricciardo.

2012

Vergne out-scored his slightly more experienced team mate in 2012, thanks in part to a bold drive in Malaysia where he remained on intermediate tyres on an increasingly sodden track until the safety car came out.

His eventual reward was eighth place, a position he repeated three further times during the season. However qualifying remained a persistent weakness relative to his team mate and in Valencia he was severely punished after causing a completely unnecessary collision with Heikki Kovalainen.

However he was retained for 2013.