Jean-Eric Vergne converted pole position into victory at the Paris E-Prix to extend his FIA🌳 Formula E championship lead over clos💙est title rival Sam Bird.

The Frenchman controll⛎ed proceedings throughout to claim his third victory of the 2017/2018 campaign, leading home reigning champion Lucas di Grassi in second as Audi pulled off an alternative strategy.

Bird crossed the line in the final podium spot with only three wheels attached to hi𝓀s DS Virgin car following a dramatic conclusion to the race wh♔ich saw the Briton collide with the slowing Techeetah of Andre Lotterer, denying the Chinese squad what looked set to be its second one-two finish of the season. 

Vergne held first place on the run to Turn 1, whi๊le a fast-starting Lotterer tried to pass Bird, but the DS Vir🅷gin driver held his position with some robust defending. The trio were separated by just over a second during a tense opening stint, before diving into the pits at the same time on Lap 24. 

Vergne maintained his advantage over Bird following the pit stops and returned to the circuit ahead of his chief rival, while di Grassi closed up to the leaders having stayed out for an extr⛄a two laps before swapping cars. 

🐠Lotterer moved up to second place with a late lunge on Bird in the closing stages, as the pair rubbed bodywork but stayed out of the barriers, before Lotterer dramatically fell off the pace as his energy dipped to zero on the final lap. 

That allowed Di Grassi to sneak into second in the final few corners, with Bird capitalising to t🍷ake third, despite smashing into the back ofꩵ the Techeetah driver on the run to the line.

Maro Engel followed ⭕up his best ever Formula E qualifying result by finishing a strong fourth for Venturi and just four tenths shy of a maiden podium. Behind him came the leading Renault e.dams driver of Sebastien Buemi in fifth. 

Lotterer crawled across the line in sixth in his damaged Techeetah, with Daniel Abt rising fro🎀m 15th on the grid to seal a seventh-place fini﷽sh. 

Felix Rosenqvist ended a tough day for Mahindra by claiming p♏oints in eighth, as NIO’s O❀liver Turvey and Jose Maria Lopez rounded out the top 10. 

The result means Vergne has ෴extended his lead over Bird in the drivers' standings to 31 points with three rounds remaining.