DS Performance
DS Performance Customer Racing is the motorsport division of DS Automobiles within Formula Virtual and FVA competition. Following three years in the sport with Mathershaw Technology acting as the factory-backed team, the new division was formed late in 2018 as the French manufacturer increased it's involvement in Formula Virtual.
History
Main Article: DS Mathershaw
In late 2015, DS Automobiles entered Formula Virtual with the Mathershaw Technology team, working alongside the Anglo-French team as DS Automobiles Team Mathershaw, also entering into a technical development partnership with Downton High Performance Engines. The partnership yielded early success, winning the driver's and constructor's titles in the first year, with further success in the constructor's championship in 2018. It was announced late in 2018 that DS Automobiles would be increasing their involvement in FV, with a change in approach for the brand. As a result, DS Performance Customer Racing was formed, with current Mathershaw Technology team principal Arthur Lapierre also taking on the role of DS Performance Head of Motorsport, with much of the Mathershaw Technology team involved in the development of the powertrain seconded to the new division.
Central to this move was a new approach for DS: rather than having specific manufacturer teams, they would designate teams using the DS Automobiles power unit as "DS Performance-affiliated" teams, working alongside centrally-employed DS Performance Customer Racing engineers.
2019 season
For the 2019 season, DS Automobiles Team Mathershaw continue to enjoy works backing, while Phoenix Motorsport have become the second team to be given official factory status, competing as DS Automobiles Team Phoenix.
DS Performance factory drivers
Within the DS Performance Customer Racing operation, there are a number of centrally contracted drivers, with the manufacturer placing drivers into their works-backed teams alongside drivers contracted to the specific team to maximise team performance. Should a driver perform to a high-level with a manufacturer-affiliated team, they can be signed to the driver programme.
Driver Current Team Series Adrien Simon DS Mathershaw Formula Virtual Allar Kangur DS Mathershaw Formula Virtual Thierry Xylander DS Phoenix Formula Virtual
DS Performance Driver Academy
In addition to the centrally-contracted drivers, there is also the DS Performance Driver Academy, headed by DS Phoenix team principal Alex Easton, which works alongside the factory-affiliated teams to develop future talent for the brand. At present there are ___ drivers.
Driver Current Team Series Jules Barclay Daniel Zientek Sebastien Vocquelin Ethan Matthews
Other operations
Alongside the Formula Virtual efforts, DS Performance Customer Racing also operate in sportscar racing, with French outfit Lapierre Formule and Canadian team Signature Performance acting as works-backed teams either side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Formula Virtual customer engine results
Summary
Constructor | Season(s) | Wins | Poles | Fastest Laps | Podiums | Points | WCC | First win | Last win |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mathershaw | 2019 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – |
Phoenix | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Total | 2019 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – |
Complete Formula Virtual results as engine supplier
(results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Tyre | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Red Bull DS Automobiles Team Mathershaw |
RJM-007 | G | AUS | JPN | CHN | MAL | GBR | FRA | ESP | CAN | USA | AUT | GER | BHR | TUR | ITA | BEL | MEX | BRA | 6* | 5th* | |
Allar Kangur | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Adrien Simon | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecotricity DS Automobiles Team Phoenix |
PX2 | Sergio Álvarez | Ret | 0* | 13th* | ||||||||||||||||||
Thierry Xylander | 19 |
* Season in progress.