Jean-Paul Driot: Building on Electric Success With Renault

This article is part of the e-Generation series, produced in partnership with Renault

Winning on debut can be a double-edged sword, as it boosts confidence but equally raises expectations. e.dams, the electric branch of Jean-Paul Driot's DAMS racing operation, proved to be a dominant force in the maiden season of the pioneering Formula E championship. We speak to him ahead of last weekend's season kick-off and asked how last year's victors approach the defence of their title.

"We're slightly more self-assured because we're now familiar with the format," said Driot. "Last year was a major step into the unknown. We had to get on top of the new technology, explore new avenues in terms of race management, monitor energy consumption, deal with heavier cars…

"Everything was new, and you had to find solutions through trial and error and without knowing, nor controlling all the parameters. This is quite contradictory to what running a racing team is usually about!

"That said, claiming the first-ever Teams' title means we're facing increasing pressure to deliver, even more so at a time when Renault is stepping up their involvement in Formula E."

The biggest difference in year two comes from the arrival of eight manufacturers, including Renault. While the inaugural season saw the 10 teams field identical Spark-Renault SRT_01Es, the incoming constructors have been allowed to build their own electric powertrain.

Already a title-sponsor to the team, Renault exclusively provides the Le Mans-based outfit, now known as Renault e.dams, with its bespoke Z.E.15 powertrain.

"They've developed it directly within Renault Sport F1's facilities at their Viry-Châtillon operation base, using a specifically adapted engine dynamometer," explained Driot.

"There are already many electric systems in Formula One, so we're working with highly qualified people, which is a tremendous asset. Our engineers work closely with Renault's technical support team to ensure a seamless collaboration, as if we formed one single entity."

Among the obvious perks that come with partnering a manufacturer, Driot says that Renault's sporting achievements and culture are significant.

"It's great to have the support of a major constructor, especially when it has a genuine racing spirit like Renault," he added. "Collaborating with Renault Sport F1 means you are working with experts that know motorsports inside out.

"This can be seen in how they understand and react to any situation on the spot. If you're dealing with people that are used to proceeding in a conventional manner, it becomes very hard to get things done quickly."

"Racing is a fast-paced environment, so you need to have partners that are cast in the same mould as yours. And this is exactly the situation we're in with Renault."

Having led DAMS to an impressive series of international championships since the team's formation in 1988, Driot has always been looking for new challenges. The Frenchman recalls a conversation with Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag that brought him on board.

"Alejandro is a very close friend of mine. I've known him for a long time, since we were together in GP2. One night we were chatting in Bahrain when he told me: 'I'm about to launch a fully electric racing championship. Will you join me?' To which I replied: 'How could I let you do this without getting involved? If you're promoting a new series, I'll come.'

"Then I mentioned Eric Barbaroux's name. Eric had already built a full-scale electric single-seater [through his Formulec company], but Agag did not know him. So I called Barbaroux and put Alejandro on the phone.

"This was a Friday and the following Monday, Agag flew to Paris in order to meet Eric. In the end, Alejandro bought out Barbaroux's business, and transformed it into what is now Formula E."

With Agag and the FIA taking further strides towards launching a green and sustainable racing series, Driot started seriously considering his options to keep the promise he had made to his friend.

"The key thing was to find the right partner," he said. "We knew that we would need the support of a constructor because there'd be technological development. We needed to work with people who had both the expertise and financial clout.

"As a world leader in the field of electric vehicles, it's crucial for Renault to show that they're embracing current social development trends, catering for younger audiences, bringing racing to city centres, using social networks, which is basically everything Formula E stands for.

"I was aware of Alain [Prost] following the project very closely, as he is as keen as I am on new technologies. We complement each other very well. I'm quite strict and to the point in my management style, but I'm not great for PR. That's just not my thing.

"As a four-time F1 world champion and Renault ambassador, Alain has an incredible aura and he's perfect in terms of marketing and communication. Renault knows him very well, they're also aware of what I've achieved at DAMS. In the end, we were the best possible combination in order to run the most efficient operation.

"Things have been working out really well for the past two years between us. Everything is going smoothly with Renault as well, so fingers crossed this stays the same for a long time and we can remain very competitive."

The team's maiden Formula E campaign was not all plain sailing, however.

Winning four races, securing five pole positions, and posting two fastest laps in the opening season, they were tantalisingly close to securing both titles, with Sébastien Buemi missing out on the Drivers' crown by a single point.

Driot thinks the blame rests equally with the team and driver.

"Seb had a tough start to his campaign – all the drivers did, actually – but perhaps the most confident ones ended up struggling the most. Having raced in F1, they thought they'd only have to turn up and would easily drive the wheels off the car.

"Formula E is a different ball game with many factors to consider. You need to get stuck into it and adapt accordingly, which is not as simple as it seems.

"But the team also made mistakes and I have no trouble raising my hand to flag these up."

"The biggest one came at Moscow where we held our two drivers nine seconds longer after failing to take notice of the new minimum pit-stop time, which had been changed on site. This cost Sébastien dearly, as he was en route to win the race.

"Such blunder is unacceptable! You go over every little detail to make sure you're on top of everything and you get caught out by one of the most important aspects in the series.

"The bottom line is, we lost the title because we did not do what we needed across the season. I am never looking for excuses."

e.dams' success in Formula E means that Driot has won in every single-seater category he has entered. The list could have included motor racing's pinnacle but for an aborted attempt in 1995.

"We did not go to Formula One because we had the car [the DAMS GD-01] but only half the budget. Had I insisted, DAMS would have closed its doors by the end of our first campaign – and with a lot of debts on top of that! I've seen so many examples of this happening."

Since then, DAMS has been a formidable proving ground for rising stars, nurturing the likes of Romain Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen, and Carlos Sainz on their climb to the top of the sport.

Riding on the back of an unchanged line-up – with Nicolas Prost still partnering Buemi – and drawing upon the increasing support of a major constructor, Renault e.dams showed great promise during the official pre-season tests held at Donington Park in August. During six days of running, the French squad saw one of its drivers at the top of the timesheets on three occasions.

"We were looking quite good compared to the competition. Naturally, these results need to be taken with a pinch of salt and the true picture will only emerge in Beijing. That's when everybody has to resolve the same problems at the same time in the same place."

While Driot's experience tells him when not to get carried away, it's also useful in identifying what it takes to stay at the front.

"No matter how much technology or money you have, racing is all about human relations, and having the required objectivity and humility.

"This is actually what I like the most in my job: handling different characters, managing people from different backgrounds – drivers, engineers, mechanics, and sponsors.

"And, when you succeed in putting all these pieces together, that's usually how you win."