The 2021-22 season of Formula E enters its final stretch. Three appointments, three ePrix with double format, put the finishing touch to a fast-paced campaign which is serving as a fair farewell to the current ‘Gen2’. The two races of the New York ePrix seem key in the fight for the titlea battle in which four pilots are directly immersed. Edo Mortara lands in New York as leader of Formula E after winning in Marrakech, but he is very close to Jean-Eric Vergne, Stoffel Vandoorne and Mitch Evans.
The circuit located in Brooklyn maintains the silhouette that has been used since 2018 for Formula E’s visit to New York. Gone is the small track of 1,947 meters and ten curves that starred in the first ePrix in the city. However, the new track has an extra 400 meters, a space in which four new angles appear. The track is 2,373 meters long and has 14 curves, as well as a new pitlane parallel to the finish line. However, this does not change the views of the ‘skyline’ of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty from a route that maintains a certain symmetry and few overtaking points.
In the shadow of the ‘Big Apple’, Formula E begins to choose its champion. Edo Mortara is the rival to beat after winning his third victory of the season in Marrakech. The Venturi driver is the only one who doesn’t have a big manufacturer behind him, but he is getting a lot of ‘juice’ out of the Mercedes EQ Silver Arrow 02 used by the Monegasque team. Nine points behind is Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, spearhead of the DS Techeetah project. The Frenchman has just made his debut in the Peugeot 9X8 at Monza, a change of scenery that could suit him very well.
The third contender in question is Stoffel Vandoorne, also with a Mercedes EQ as a single-seater, but within the official line-up of the German manufacturer. The Belgian has not had much luck in the last two rounds and has lost a bit of steam. With everything, in this fight for the title, regularity is key and to show that Vandoorne only has one win so far this season, while Vergne himself has yet to climb to the top of the podium. With three wins, Mich Evans is the last contender and draws a different performance.
Although these are the four contenders to win the championship, Formula E is very capricious and there may be many actors who play for or against each one of them. For starters, Lucas Di Grassi, António Félix Da Costa, Nyck de Vries and Sam Bird can all be loyal squires to their teammates, playing their cards depending on the situation. To these names we must also add the options that Robin Frijns or the pilots of Porsche to curdle a good paper. Also, Oliver Askew competes at home.
Formula E New York ePrix schedules 2021-22
Saturday July 16, 2022
Sunday July 17, 2022
Photos: FIA Formula E