It’s been a quite incredible season for fans of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and now the whole circus is heading across the pond to New York City and Brooklyn for the final two rounds of the 2018/2019 season with DS TECHEETAH and Jean-Éric Vergne in the lead.
Formula E have confirmed to MotorMartin how the all-electric street racing series is returning to the heart of Brooklyn for a third year running. The 14-turn, 1.44-mile (2.32km) long track stretches around the ferry terminal with the magnificent Manhattan skyline as a backdrop.
Unbelievably, current championship leader and reigning Formula E champion, Jean-Éric Vergne, has the potential to become the first ever double-champion if the stars align in Brooklyn for the Frenchman. DS TECHEETAH could become the fourth team to claim the Teams’ title.
Mark Preston, DS TECHEETAH Team Principal explained to MotorMartin: “It’s a familiar scenario for the team as we came to New York under the same premises last year. Only this time around, we’re not going to let the team championship slip away. Losing out with only two points last year was really painful so let’s just say that we’ve done everything in our power to make sure that doesn’t happen again. We want that team win.”
Xavier Mestelan Pinon, DS Performance Director: “For the first time since our debut in Formula E, DS Automobiles is in a position to win both titles. It has been an objective of our electrification program since we entered the series so we will do everything in our power to make that happen. We go into New York with a points advance and we will do our best to make the most of that. However, we expect highly competitive races in New York where even the tiniest mistake could cost us the titles so it will be all about clever racing in the two final rounds to make it all the way. Nevertheless, the pressure is clearly on the shoulders of our competitors.”
Jean-Éric Vergne, #25: “The season has flown by and we’re already back in NYC to finish another season. It’s been a great year for the whole team with the backing of a manufacturer on board and we’ve taken another step forward. On my side, there’s obviously the potential of another championship and the opportunity for the team to clinch the title we so nearly got last year. I wouldn’t say that we do anything differently for a season finale, we do our normal preparations and treat it like any other round because in the end of the day, that is what it is, and the points matter just the same.”
André Lotterer, #36: “I’m really looking forward to New York and to have two good races. After two disappointing ones in Berlin and Bern, I’m ready to turn that around in the last to rounds of the season. The championship title is a little further away than I would have liked to, but it’s still up for grabs and until it’s mathematically impossible, I’ll be giving it all I got to clinch it and to finish the season on a high.”
Whatever happens over the coming weekend, the racing is certainly going to be exciting!
Where will you go?