DS Automobiles to leave Formula E at the end of Season 12

DS Automobiles will officially depart Formula E at the end of Season 12, parting ways with American motorsport arm Penske after a four-year partnership, and a total of 11 seasons with three different manufacturers in the championship.

Credit: Simon Galloway/LAT Images

The decision comes in just ahead of the championship's upcoming round in Madrid, as the French manufacturer cited a change in its "sporting and technology strategy", shifting focus to its units in SailGP and golf for the future.

The DS name first made its way into Formula E in Season 2, joining forces with Virgin Racing and marking the start of a storied journey in the championship. Sam Bird and Jean-Éric Vergne piloted the Peugeot-powertrained cars in their debut season, with a victory in Buenos Aires and four pole positions catapulting the team to third in the standings.

DS Automobiles continued on with the team into Seasons 3 and 4, with Bird securing further victories in New York City and a run of podiums on his way to fourth in the standings. José María López replaced Vergne in the other seat, but a clash with his commitments in the World Endurance Championship meant he was replaced by Alex Lynn for the round in New York City.

Lynn stayed on with the team into the forthcoming campaign, while Bird had another stellar season, finishing third in the standings with victories in Hong Kong and Rome.

For the Gen2 era, DS Automobiles partnered up with the Techeetah outfit, marking the reunion of Season 4 champion Vergne with the French manufacturer. This would kick off one of Formula E's most decorated partnerships, with Vergne going on to make it back-to-back titles in Season 5 after another successful season.

António Félix da Costa moved from BMW to the team in black and gold, ticking off the landmarks on his way to a maiden Formula E title in Season 6, by a record 71-point margin that still stands today.

After two further third-position finishes in Season 7 and Season 8, DS Penske parted ways with Techeetah at the end of 2022, tying up with Penske and taking over the erstwhile Dragon Penske outfit ahead of the Gen3 era in 2023.

Vergne stayed on at the team, with Season 8 champion Stoffel Vandoorne joining the Frenchman in a formidable line-up. However, the team in black and gold finished fifth in Season 9, before climbing up to third in the subsequent year on the back of four podiums from Vergne and Vandoorne.

For 2025, Max Günther moved over from Maserati to replace Vandoorne at the team. Despite taking two victories in the season, DS Penske would lose out late in the season, finishing only two points behind Mahindra Racing, and fifth in the standings.

Vergne departed the team after seven seasons, with DS Penske signing budding youngster Taylor Barnard for the current campaign. The team currently sit eighth in the standings, with Barnard's fourth-position finish in Mexico City being the best result so far.

DS Penske's departure comes at a critical juncture in the lead-up to the Gen4 era, with Stellantis rejigging its entries, as Citroën took over the Maserati unit ahead of this season. German car manufacturer Opel are also rumoured to join Formula E in the upcoming season.

There is certainly more to come, as Formula E have touted at a major announcement in the coming days.

"We thank DS for their contribution to the championship and look forward to a successful second-half of the season.

"There will be an exciting championship announcement in the coming days," Formula E revealed in a statement ahead of the race weekend.