Formula e-C1: Sam Bird returns to success in New York

From Argentina in 2015-2016, Sam Bird and DS Virgin Racing had no longer tasted the joys of success in Formula e. The long drought ended this Saturday in the streets of Brooklyn in New York for the first appearance of the discipline in the American city.

When the lights went out, however, it was Daniel Abt (ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport) who made the best start, winning under braking at the first hairpin against pole sitter Alex Lynn (DS Virgin Racing).

The German maintained the advantage over the Briton in the first laps of the race, while the latter finally had to lose to his teammate Sam Bird, who for a time complained about Lynn's over-defense. The former GP2 Series driver stepped aside immediately following instructions not to defend excessively. Behind this trio, Jean-Eric Vergne (Techeetah) lost his fourth place to Nick Heidfeld (Mahindra Racing).

Bird takes off in the lead

From the 16th round, events accelerate. After a few minutes spent taking care of car, Abt had to give in to Bird, while in the process, Heidfeld got rid of Lynn for third place. The latter could not contain Vergne a few moments later, before the Frenchman overtook Heidfeld for third position, then Abt for second place.

In the lead, Bird widened the gap to enter the pits with a certain margin, following Alex Lynn, the first to stop in his box on the 21st lap. After the car changes, Bird is ahead of Vergne, Abt, Stéphane Sarrazin (Techeetah), Lynn, Felix Rosenqvist (Mahindra Racing), Lucas di Grassi (ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport), Heidfeld, Loïc duval (Faraday Future Dragon Racing) and Oliver Turvey (NEXTEV). But DS Virgin Racing quickly lost Lynn, stopped by a transmission problem on the 24th lap.

If Bird remains firmly anchored in first position ahead of Vergne, the Mahindra Racing clan will quickly see its hopes of points being reduced to nothing. Rosenqvist first spun and made contact with the barriers in the face of pressure from di Grassi and had to stop in the pits to replace his damaged rear wing.

It was then Nick Heidfeld who had to stop on the track, following a problem with the right rear suspension. An incident which caused the safety car to come into action on the 38th lap.

The French monopolize the top 10

On the restart on the 42nd lap, Bird retained the advantage over Vergne, while Abt had to let the peloton slip away, slowed down in the final moments by his battery management system. Enough to give the podium to Stéphane Sarrazin, third ahead of Lucas di Grassi.

Loïc Duval (Faraday Future Dragon Racing) finished 5th ahead of Oliver Turvey (NEXTEV), while Pierre Gasly (Renault e.dams) concludes his first race in the discipline in seventh place ahead of his teammate Nicolas Cheers, despite a complicated start to the event for the two residents of the French structure, a good last time.

Robin Frijns (Amlin Andretti) and Adam Carroll (Panasonic Jaguar Racing) complete the top 10. Long in the points, Tom Dillmann (Venturi) only takes 13th place behind Nelson Piquet Jr (NEXTEV) and António Félix da Costa (Amlin Andretti ).

Overall, Lucas di Grassi is twenty points behind Sébastien Buemi before tomorrow's second race on the Brooklyn track.

This is how the Round 9 of the 2017 FIA #FormulaE Championship finished #NYThisPrix pic.twitter.com/zts4TYWSGA

— FIA Formula E (@FIAformulaE) July 15, 2017