Vergne recalls heartbreak of losing F1 drive and dire straits

40

Former Red Bull junior Jean-Eric Vergne has revealed that his exit from F1 at the end of 2014 left him with shattered dreams and in financial ruin.

As a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, Vergne raced through motorsport's junior ranks to graduate to F1 with Toro Rosso in 2012, spending three seasons with the Faenza-based squad.

Good results were few and far between however for JEV who watched teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat step up to Red Bull Racing while he was dropped from the energy drink's programme at the end of 2014.

Marko: Vergne success in Formula E won't reopen door to F1

The 29-year-old Frenchman, now a happy double champion in Formula E, remembers the personal crisis he endured after being told that he was no longer part of Red Bull's plans in F1.

"I was told during the summer break when I was with my family," Vergne recalled, speaking to L'Equipe. "It was like a bomb. All my dreams were shattered.

"When I left Formula 1, I ran out of money. I was stupid and didn’t make a lot of money at Red Bull.

"People think that Formula 1 is full of money, and I also considered myself a millionaire, so I quickly spent everything. It took me two years to recover."

Vergne admits that figuring at the time among the twenty best drivers in the world brought a certain prestige but also an ill-inspired sense of importance.

"I felt my status, I thought that I was the king, that I could handle everyone," he said.

"But people thought that I was too full of negativity, because I never smiled. And that was true. It took me a while to realise that you need to smile."

While Red Bull allowed Vergne to gain access to the pinnacle of motorsport, Helmut Marko's ever-present control and oversight weighed on his mindset.

"They constantly told me ‘Eat this, sleep at this time, play sports this much, say this, smile there, don’t joke’," he said.

"It reminded me of being a robot. So when you get into the car, you are no longer happy about it, you don’t feel like yourself.

"And I like to have fun. I like what I do. Why should I behave differently if I don’t want to? But I am of course proud that I got to Formula 1."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.