314 replies to this topic

[Ben1445]

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

So here we are, entering the final furlong of Gen2’s swan-song season. It all comes down to the next four weeks and three double headers in New York, London and Seoul to find our champion. 

This year we’re seeing the championship battle really focus to a point. Some have been saying that it’s Formula E’s best season yet, and there’s good grounds to say that. If you have been watching everything so far, you’ll know that the new qualifying format has been producing much more consistent front runners, which has in turn led to cleaner and more calculated racing. We’re down to four favourites for the title now across four teams, and if the last few races are anything to go by… these four are going to have to be absolutely on top of their game to take the title.
 
If you haven’t been watching….where have you been?! Ah well, you are here now!

The Title Contenders

Eduardo Mortara, Venturi (139 points, 3 wins, 2 podiums) 
Ice-cool, Eduardo is once again looking strong for a title with some exceedingly well managed races. Last year, a start-grid collision with a stationary Mitch Evans cost him his chance…

Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Techeetah (128 points, 0 wins, 5 podiums)
Winless so far this season, double-champ JEV is proving that consistency is essential. A points scorer in every race, he’s a real candidate.

Stoffel Vandoorne, Mercedes EQ (125 points, 1 win, 4 podiums)
Slated to be JEV’s teammate for DS next year, Vandoorne will surely want to go into that pairing with a title under his belt. A disastrous qualifying session at the last race dropped him to third in the title race but be under no illusions over his chances.
 

Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS (124 points, 3 wins, 2 podiums)
Evans has been loyal to Jaguar since day one, during which the team has developed from occasional points scorers to genuine title contenders. This team will not be holding back on celebrations if they end up tasting ultimate victory.

 
The Venue 
The Brooklyn Street Circuit around the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will be the venue for this weekend’s double header. First used in 2017, it was the site of Jean-Era Vergne’s two title victories in 2018 and 2019. It’s future may be in doubt beyond this season, but whatever happens it’s made some motorsport history.
 


 

[Some updates to this OP may follow]

Edited by Ben1445, 14 July 2022 - 13:31.

[Ben1445]

For the first time, the New York ePrix will have an American driver taking part in Oliver Askew for his former IndyLights employers Andretti. 

 

Not the first American driver to compete an ePrix on US soil, since Scott Speed did four races in FE's inaugural season including races at both Miami and Long Beach. 

 

Askew is the fourth American-licensed driver to take part overall, with the other two not yet mentioned being Mathew Brabham (via duel nationality) and a one-off appearance for Marco Andretti. Though I routinely forget that the latter one ever happened. 

[thegamer23]

Great OP mate!

Friday practice rules, should become a standard in FE.

Having all the sessions in one day it's cool from one side, but on the other side it's more difficult to follow all the action.

Rooting for Askew & Andretti this weekend .
Askew in particular had a really good race in Marrakesh, can the local hero take a podium spot?

The battle for the championship should get really intense this weekend, should be a good one

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 14 July 2022 - 12:00.

[Ben1445]

Yeah I’m warming to multi-day formats. I’m still lukewarm on double headers specifically (prefer one headline winner per weekend), but I wonder what innovation could yet come in Gen3 and beyond.

Sprint races at 350kW power and a longer ePrix at 300kW? Dunno, might appeal to some. Support events? Would be good, but always hard to make financially viable for a World Championship.

[Ben1445]

[eab]

Agree with thegamer23, great OP. But

 

So here we are, entering the final furlong of Gen2’s swan-song season. It all comes down to the next six weeks and three double headers in New York, London and Seoul to find our champion.

Stoffel Vandoorne, Mercedes EQ (125 points, 1 win, 3 podiums)

Shouldn't that be four weeks instead, if I'm correct, as the last race will be on August 14th?

And VDO has in addition to his 1 win, 4 podiums, if I'm not mistaken.

[Ben1445]

Shouldn't that be four weeks instead, if I'm correct, as the last race will be on August 14th?

Errrr yeah! My head was still in immediate post-Marrakesh timeframe for some reason. 

 

And VDO has in addition to his 1 win, 4 podiums, if I'm not mistaken.

Also correct. I'm not sure which one I missed when I read the results table. 

 

Thank you 

[Ben1445]

"[Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle] told SBJ that the cruise terminal in Brooklyn where FE holds its event at is about to go through development plans that would make it harder to race there in the upcoming years, so he is looking at other sites in N.Y. to possibly fill the hole. He also is interested in possibly adding a race in L.A., Dallas or Miami, saying that he has been talking with owners of pro sports teams about possibly competing around their venues, much like F1 did with the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium." 

 

https://www.sportsbu.../Formula-E.aspx

[thegamer23]

Techeetah boys casually roaming in NYC streets

 

Practice 1 at 21.00 UK TIME tonight!
 

Edited by thegamer23, 15 July 2022 - 08:28.

[Ben1445]

I was thinking that it's sort of interesting that the main title contenders are all from different teams. We haven't really seen two drivers from the same team able to stay in the points leading group, and it's not like the leading group's team-mates are drivers of questionable ability. We're talking Da Costa, Di Grassi, De Vries and Bird... there's plenty of championships and wins between those drivers to warrant championship expectations. 

Edited by Ben1445, 15 July 2022 - 08:00.

[thegamer23]

The usual awesome 20 min long Pit-Lane preview! 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 15 July 2022 - 11:17.

[BRG]

"[Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle] told SBJ that the cruise terminal in Brooklyn where FE holds its event at is about to go through development plans that would make it harder to race there in the upcoming years, so he is looking at other sites in N.Y. to possibly fill the hole. He also is interested in possibly adding a race in L.A., Dallas or Miami, saying that he has been talking with owners of pro sports teams about possibly competing around their venues, much like F1 did with the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium." 

 

https://www.sportsbu.../Formula-E.aspx

Good.  Poor excuse for a 'New York City' venue and if they are forced out and have to look for somewhere else (better) than great.

 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

 

Governor's Island?  Is this a hint?

 

But this shot shows what a poor venue the race is currently using.

[thegamer23]

"[Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle] told SBJ that the cruise terminal in Brooklyn where FE holds its event at is about to go through development plans that would make it harder to race there in the upcoming years, so he is looking at other sites in N.Y. to possibly fill the hole. He also is interested in possibly adding a race in L.A., Dallas or Miami, saying that he has been talking with owners of pro sports teams about possibly competing around their venues, much like F1 did with the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium." 

 

https://www.sportsbu.../Formula-E.aspx

Would be great to see them coming back to downtown Miami or Long Beach.

 

They could easely do the Indycar layout with the Gen 3 cars and look pretty good on it.

[Ben1445]

FP1 coming up in around 80 minutes 

 

[Ben1445]

Currently live

[thegamer23]

Trak was soo dirty for FP1

Fun tho, watching the cars slide into the last corner.

Looking forward to today's action

[thegamer23]

Formula E to St.Pete next season?   

 

https://the-race.com...s-2023-us-race/

 

The legendary Indycar track is now the prime option for a New York replacement in 2023.

 

[Ben1445]

I would very much like to see that

[Ben1445]

Free Practice 2 coming up at the top of the hour 

 

[thegamer23]

Yeah!

Dragon Penske looked very fast in FP1.
Hope to see Sette Camara or even Giovinazzi in the quali duels later on, let's see how they do in FP2

[thegamer23]

NYC's sector 3 is underrated.

One of the most spectacular sections in the calendar, with the fast chicane & the very fast long left hander before the S/F line. 

[Ben1445]

Mortara is getting so, so close to those walls

[thegamer23]

GIO looking goood 

[Ben1445]

Interesting indeed, one hour (more or less) until qualifying

[thegamer23]

NYC e-Prix (Race 1)

 

Quali in 20 minutes

 

[Ben1445]

UK viewers, here's the Channel 4 stream - now live 

 

Edited by Ben1445, 16 July 2022 - 12:34.

[thegamer23]

Green light for quali!

Rain threat!

Edited by thegamer23, 16 July 2022 - 12:41.

[Disgrace]

Sette Camara has made a big ol' mess there.

[Ben1445]

Sette-Camara in the wall

[thegamer23]

Drama!

Camara hard in the wall in the fast final corner!

Red Flag

 

Edited by thegamer23, 16 July 2022 - 12:46.

[FLB]

Sigh...

[Ben1445]

Was a bit of an odd mistake

[Ben1445]

What’s with the police/security men with dogs?

[Ben1445]

The Mercs are backing that up way too much

[thegamer23]

Askew & Lotterer poor timing, takes the chequered!

Buemi crashes in the last corner but still pushes Mortara out of the Duels!!   

Rain incoming, look at those dark clouds!

 

Drama!

Edited by thegamer23, 16 July 2022 - 13:05.

[Ben1445]

Ooh dear, Edo is going to have an interesting afternoon

[thegamer23]

Rain in the pitlane!

[Ben1445]

Is there some collective madness in the pit lane today?

[Ben1445]

Oh crikey heck

[thegamer23]

This is turning into the most dramatic FE quali EVER!

[Ben1445]

Vandoorne the big winner of all this

[thegamer23]

Wet slippery track + full power in the duels.

This is going to be an hectic final phase of quali. 

 

Evans & Vergne OUT of the duels along with Mortara.

Vandoorne the only title contender in the Duels

[Ben1445]

Vergne and Evans both made mistakes on their critical laps

Very surprised they didn’t get their laps in early

[Disgrace]

You couldn't script a better-timed downpour, at least without the studio tossing it in the bin complaining it wasn't realistic enough.

[Ben1445]

Sette-Caaaat really set of a mad chain of events here

Edit: I have no idea what that autocorrect is but I’m keeping it.

Edited by Ben1445, 16 July 2022 - 13:21.

[Ben1445]

What’s Sébastien Ogier doing there?

[thegamer23]

Wet duels!

Green flag

[Ben1445]

I have no idea what’s happening

Bird made a huge mess of that

[thegamer23]

Jeez Sims was so close to beat Vandoorne there

[Ben1445]

This is looking more and more like Stoffels day