Formula E: Everything you need to know about the New York E-Prix
Season 8 of the Formula E World Championship returns this weekend with the 2022 New York City E-Prix on the streets of Brooklyn.
The series returns to the iconic Brooklyn Street Circuit as Season 8 reaches boiling point, with this double-header weekend marking the closing stages of the season.
ROKiT Venturi’s Edoardo Mortara heads into the weekend at the top of the drivers standings and on red hot form, with four podiums in four races.
Victory last time out in Marrakesh has propelled the 35-year-old to top of the Drivers’ Championship, with the Swiss-Italian driver leapfrogging fellow title challengers Jean-Eric Vergne of DS Techeetah and Stoffel Vandoorne of Mercedes-EQ to take top spot.
If Mortara can secure a fifth consecutive podium in New York he will join his ROKiT Venturi teammate Lucas di Grassi and DS TECHEETAH’s Antonio Felix da Costa as the only other drivers to have achieved this feat in Formula E. Brazilian veteran Di Grassi is the record holder for the greatest number of consecutive podiums with seven.
The circuit
The Brooklyn Street Circuit is a highlight of the Formula E calendar, with this 2.320km, 14-turn Red Hook racetrack weaving through the Manhattan and past the Statue of Liberty in the backdrop.
The layout of the track remains unchanged from its familiar layout, which will be music to the ears of Jaguar’s Sam Bird, who claimed his third win on this circuit last year, making him he most successful racer around the Brooklyn Street Circuit.
Unfortunately, repeating his magic in New York won’t be enough to lift Bird up into the reach of the Drivers’ Championship, as the battle for top spot is split between four drivers, with only 15 points separating them.
Mortara leads the four-horse race with 138 points, just ahead of Jean Éric-Vergne of DS Techeetah on 128 points, just five in front of Stoffel Vandoorne, who has slipped down the table after a tough run of form. In fourth place is Jaguar’s Mitch Evans, who has made it to the top step of the podium on as many occasions as any driver this season.
As things stand, there are just 15 points splitting the top four drivers with six rounds of the season – each worth a maximum of 29 points – to come.
Hear from the drivers
Edoardo Mortara, ROKiT Venturi Racing: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for Formula E to come to race in New York. It’s a very prestigious city and to have the chance to race there, it is truly amazing.
“Formula E is the most challenging Championship I’ve ever done. But this year, what is pretty incredible is that the four of us in front in the Championship have got a pretty good points scoring average. If you think about the rules that we have in Formula E, it shows that we’re really doing a very good job.”
Stoffel Vandoorne, Mercedes EQ: “I’m looking forward to being back in New York. It’s a fantastic city and it’s great to race there. New York might not have been the best hunting ground for us in the past, but hopefully we can change that this year and come home with a good result. We have a very intense month ahead of us with the last six races of the season. It’s important now to put in a very good final run and just give everything, leave nothing on the table, make no mistakes and then we’ll see how it goes. But I’m traveling to New York with confidence and looking forward to being back on track.”
