J.Vergne
When Jean-Eric Vergne's dad first took him karting at age four, it started a lifelong love of the sport that has ended up taking the young Frenchman all the way to F1. In karting, he was French Rotax Max runner-up, second in the European ICA championship and seventh in the world championship, which brought him to the attention of the FFSA (France's motor sport governing body). With their backing he moved into single-seaters winning the French Formula Campus championship in 2007.
Coming under Red Bull's wing, Jean-Eric Vergne won rookie honours in both the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and the West European Cup (WEC) in 2008, finishing on the podium four times. He was back for more in both Formulae in 2009 finishing on the top step in Eurocup four times and winning five in the WEC, to finish runner-up overall. For 2010, he moved into the British Formula 3 championship and just like his 2012 teammate, he took the title. In 2011, he followed up taking the silver medal position in the Renault 3.5 championship by running in Friday's first free practice at three of the last four Grands Prix of the Formula 1 season.