Former teammates are fighting for the fourth Formula E crown

  • Formula E, Jean-Eric Vergne, Sam Bird
  • Formula E, Jean-Eric Vergne, Sam Bird

The fourth season of the FIA Formula E Championship, the world’s premier competition with electric-powered cars, will end this weekend in New York with a double-header event at the Brooklyn street circuit.

After ten races between December 2017 and June 2018, only two drivers are still in the championship fight – Jean-Eric Vergne (Techeetah) and Sam Bird (DS Virgin Racing). Vergne recorded three wins and two more podiums over the season, collecting 163 points, while Bird added two wins and four more podiums on his account, having 140 points on his tally. With a maximum of 50 points in the game at two New York’s races, the championship fight is wide open.

Jean-Eric Vergne and Sam Bird

Jean-Eric Vergne and Sam Bird

Veterans of Formula E with eleven wins

Both Vergne and Bird are the ‘veterans’ of Formula E, participating in the championship since the inaugural season, although Vergne entered the Season 1 from the third event and he has 41 starts so far while Bird participated in all 43 races since the first ever ePrix at Beijing in September 2014.

Bird scored victories in every season, collecting seven wins so far, all seven with Virgin Racing. Vergne had two winless years with Andretti (season 1) and DS Virgin Racing (season 2), then winning four races in two seasons Techeetah.

There will eighteen more drivers in New York’s season finale, with six of them having mathematical chances to take the third spot in the championship. Two former champions, Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler) and Sebastien Buemi (Renault e-dams), currently third-placed and fourth-placed drivers, even have a chance to take P2 from Bird if British driver would not score at the streets of Brooklyn.

Techeetah Formula E

Techeetah is leading in Teams’ classification

Teams’ title for Techeetah or Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler

In the Team’s Championship, it’s certain that Renault e.dams would not defend their title which they won three times in a row. The French team currently lies in the sixth place. Techeetah is defending the leading position with a 33-points gap (219:186) over Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler. Mathematically, DS Virgin Racing also can catch the title.

Twenty-five drivers participated so far in the 2017-2018 Formula E season. Five of them were winning the races: Jean-Eric Vergne (3), Sam Bird (2), Felix Rosenqvist (2), Daniel Abt (2) and Lucas di Grassi (1). Is there be some new race winner in New York, we will know in a couple of days.

Last year, Sam Bird won both races of the New York ePrix, Jean-Eric Vergne finished second and eight. In a case of repeating those results, and without extra points for pole position or fastest lap, Bird will take the championship title for just one point. Even an idea about such a scenario is a guarantee of an exciting finale on Saturday and Sunday in New York.

New York ePrix is the season-closing event of the 2017-2018 Formula E Championship

New York ePrix is the season-closing event of the 2017-2018 Formula E Championship

Photos: Formula E, Mark Suttton/LAT,

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