Vettel saw nothing in Formula E: "He laughed in my face"

Formula E has now become a full-fledged racing class, but when the championship started in the 2014-15 season, things were different. At the time, the electric car racing class was even ridiculed.

What kind of lawnmowers are they?

Jean-Eric Vergne was one of the drivers who participated in the first season of Formula E. The Frenchman lost his seat in Formula 1 in 2014 and moved to Formula E, scoring two podium finishes that season. Meanwhile, Vergne is a two-time Formula E champion, in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

In the first season of Formula E, Vergne was also a test driver at Ferrari, where Sebastian Vettel was new to the team that year. "I was often with Vettel. He laughed a bit in my face when I went to Formula E. He said, 'What are those lawnmowers'," Vergne told the French edition of Motorsport.com.

Formula E is the future

Meanwhile, Vettel has revised his opinion on Formula E, Vergne also acknowledges. Vettel has become much more environmentally conscious these days and is actively speaking out about it. "Then it didn't take long before he started saying that Formula E was also the future, that it was good, that F1 wasn't doing enough with electric mobility and that Formula 1 should do more," he says. His opinion has changed radically in a few years."

The current Formula E season is in full swing. The standings are led by two Dutchmen; Robin Frijns in first place and Nyck de Vries in second. Jean-Eric Vergne is still in the race and is seventh in the standings.