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Formula E is a team sport, and on a race weekend, every decision represents a link in the chain we call strategy – a plan of attack that defines the difference between victory and defeat.
Every point and prize is underpinned by a combined effort, and from the engineering team in the garage to the driver on track, all work collectively with one goal in mind.
This teamwork, combined with a thirst for innovation, is the essence of the Modis Engineer of the Year Award which is awarded at the end of every season at Formula E’s annual Gala.
The award recognises engineering excellence and celebrates achievement, and in Berlin, our very own Chief Engineer, Jérémy Colançon, deservedly received top honours.
Jérémy has been a part of the ROKiT Venturi Racing family since November 2018, but his involvement in Formula E can be traced back to the beginning of the series, as he explains.
“I joined Venturi just before the start of Gen2 in Season 5 but previously, I worked with DAMS and Renault e.dams when Formula E’s inaugural season started.
“In 2014, I was Carlos Sainz Jr’s Data Engineer in Formula Renault 3.5 and then in Formula E, worked as Sebastien Buemi’s Performance Engineer and then his Race Engineer.
“I’ve been involved in the championship since the very beginning, and from the first-ever test to the most recent races in Berlin, I’ve only ever missed one session which was a private manufacturer test when I first joined the team.”
Having been present on the Formula E grid since its inception, Jérémy’s technical knowledge and expertise have evolved with the series, making him a leading light in the paddock.
With 18 victories, 34 podium finishes, and four championship titles in series to date, Jérémy is also one of our most prized engineers and has become an invaluable asset to us here in Monaco.
“In my position as the team’s Chief Engineer, I’m responsible for all of the crew and I’m also Norman’s Race Engineer on race weekends,” continued Jérémy, discussing his role.
“My job is very performance-related, and I provide the direction when we’re trying to improve our performance. On weekends, I coordinate all of the mechanics and engineers to ensure that everything is well organised and that the car is working well.
“A lot of my focus is on the set-up side and also on data, not only making sure that the driver feels comfortable and confident behind the wheel, but also optimising everything ahead of each race.”
Jérémy’s character is illustrated by his constant need to seek out new challenges, and the world of Formula E has created an environment that allows him to thrive.
Continually chasing performance, Jérémy has played a key role in optimising our simulator and has even been known to jump into it himself to calibrate new updates, allowing for a seamless start to race preparations.
His passion and strong work ethic have also created a cohesive and collaborative working environment which has proved to be crucial in our development as a team since Season 4.
“Away from the race track, I spend a lot of my time at the HQ on simulations so we can prepare for the next race in the season,” said Jérémy.
“Because there is very little track time, about 90% of Formula E is about preparation and at this stage, we work with the driver closely. This allows us to see what we need to work on and put in place to have a better performance at the weekend.
“The most important thing in this stage is to establish a process because when you know what you are doing, inside out, you are able to improve it step by step.
“This is something that we’ve worked hard on this year, and by continually improving, our preparations got better. This is also one of my main focuses before the start of Season 8 – if we can improve our tools at the HQ, we can improve our race prep and therefore, be in a better position.”
Since joining ROKiT Venturi Racing, Jérémy has become a true role model and leads by example to forge a better future.
Every day, he cycles to and from work, riding 50-kilometres on a daily basis all to be more environmentally friendly which has inspired nine other colleagues to do the same.
Jérémy also played a key role in volunteering for and helping to organise our beach clean in celebration of World Environment Day earlier this year, making him a champion at the track and away from it, and therefore, a deserving award winner.
“For me, receiving the Modis Engineer of the Year award at the Formula E Gala is more of a reward for the team than myself,” added Jérémy. “In Formula E, we’re able to blend our passion for motorsport with sustainability, meaning that together, we can race towards one shared goal.
“The entire team has done a good job this season, and we made a big step forward by working closely together. The progress we’ve made since Season 6 is good, but it’s only the first step and we want to achieve more.
“The difficulties we faced in Season 6 allowed us to move forward in a different direction and we built something stronger that brought performance as we saw in Season 7. We’re already looking forward to next season, and I know that we can better our opportunities and our results further.”
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