One of the curious situations that took place in the urban circuit of the British capital was the injury of Sam Bird, who finished the race practically driving with only one hand due to injury.

Finally, it was learned that the driver suffered a fracture after an incident on the first lap, which did not prevent him from crossing the checkered flag in eighth place.

Read also: Dennis on his Few Title Options: “We were not Fast Enough”

However, after several medical studies, the driver will be disqualified for the race in Seoul, South Korea, the last stop of Formula E season 8.

Total Frustration

Although Bird has no clear chances of winning the title, he said he was totally devastated by the news, especially since he was going to reach a round number within his participation in the electric single-seater series.

“I’m devastated not to be driving in the last two rounds of the season in Seoul, particularly as it would have been my 100th race in Formula E,” he said in statements broadcast by Motorsport.

He detailed that he needs to spend the next few weeks recovering from surgery on his left hand to be fully fit for testing and season nine.

The Replacement

Norman Nato, a former Venturi driver, will take Bird’s place for the final two races of the year. Nato scored 54 points in Formula E last year, finishing 18th in the drivers’ championship, but won the final contest of the campaign in Berlin before being replaced by 2016-17 category champion Lucas di Grassi.

“I have confidence in Norman, he’s a race winner and I’m sure he’ll bring some big points home for Jaguar,” Bird said.

For his part, Nato noted that despite having more than a year since he last drove a Formula E car, when he climbs into the Jaguar I-TYPE 5 next weekend, he will be fighting for as many points as possible. “I want to make the most of this opportunity”.

“I want to wish Sam the quickest of recoveries. As a reserve driver, I’ve been with the team every step of the way this season,” he added.

Bird’s Jaguar teammate Mitch Evans does have scepter aspirations, although his retirement in London took him away from the dream.

The post Sam Bird Waves Goodbye to Formula E Season appeared first on Green Racing News.

This new stage of the category will bring with it a new and powerful vehicle defined as “The Beast” by the promoters of the circuit. Several teams have already tested the car and the reactions have not been long in coming.

“I drove it for the first time a few weeks ago and it came out of the pitlane where we were testing and my first thought was Holy sh…, this is some power now! I went from turn one to turn three very fast, much faster than we’ve done in the Gen 2 cars which put a smile on my face. The braking technology is much more advanced and complex, we don’t really have brakes, it’s all done by regenerative braking, which is great,” said Jaguar Racing driver Sam Bird.

A Mind-Blowing future

In a meeting with the media ahead of this weekend’s London E-Prix, the racer praised Formula E’s work with this model, which he sees as a major technological breakthrough for the future of racing.

“I said to the team, ‘Guys, if we had to do a full race, I’d be doing a 90-lap race, this is crazy.’ So it’s a big leap into the future for us as a series and there’s a long way to go for us as a team to get the balance. We need to work on how we can get the best out of the car,” Bird added.

He detailed that after being in front of the wheel he noted that it is much lighter and with attributes such as 100kw more power, 48kw battery in its total value and the race format will be quite similar.

“We’re still figuring out exact figures, what I’ve done a day in the car, but for sure it’s much faster in a straight line. I’m not sure of the official top speed figure, but it will be significantly higher in terms of acceleration and deceleration. Obviously, we’re now working with a new tire manufacturer, so we have to determine how we’re going to handle the car in the corners,” Bird explained.

He stressed that the new car was designed to be narrower and smaller, an aspect that will favor overtaking and add more excitement to Formula E.

The post Sam Bird is Thrilled with the New Gen3 Formula E Car appeared first on Green Racing News.

In just his first official experience with the team, Bird showed great comfort behind the wheel, crossing first place at Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, which served as the season 7 opener. He also maintained a steady pace to finish sixth overall at the drivers’ standings.

He also managed to win again in New York City, along with a podium finish in Rome. Along with his teammate, Mitch Evans, he joined forces for Jaguar TCS Racing and finished second on the team championship, showing that the car has the potential to fight at the top of the table.

Related Content: Porsche Taycan Turbo S: Formula E’s New Safety Car

“My first season with the team told me everything I needed to know: I wanted to remain part of this family. The whole team is determined, focused and ready to deliver results, and that’s exactly who I want to work with. Now it’s time to get the season eight underway…,” said the Briton after renewing his contract.

“It’s a really positive start to season 8 as we confirm that Sam Bird will continue his electric racing journey with Jaguar TCS Racing after a great first season with the team. His results last year show that he is a great fit here, shares our goals and is a big part of the family,” said James Barclay, Team Principal.

Written by | Ronald Ortega

The post Sam Bird Extends His Contract with Jaguar TCS Racing appeared first on Green Racing News.

Although most of them are built within city centers and are not permanent, building a street circuit requires special and complex skills.

From the design, homologation, diplomacy with local governments, safety and sustainability aspects, these are just a few examples that must be considered and carried out when building an E-Prix.

Starting Point

The first step is a feasibility study. As they are usually located at the heart of metropolises, the layout should not interfere with the existing structure.

Once the location has been determined, it must be calculated if the width of the road to be used is sufficient or not. The length of the track itself is usually 2 to 3 km, because Formula E races mostly cover a distance of 80 to 90 km.

Read also: Head of eMotorsport at Enel X on Partnership with Extreme E: “We Want to Develop Effective Technologies and Solutions”

Oli McCrudden, Director of City Development for Formula E explained that according to FIA regulations, the width of the tournament track is a 12-meter maximum. However, some have several areas with a width of only 8 meters or less.

For the design, the Circuit Safety Commission of the highest governing body has to be involved to ensure that they complete the standards, especially from the racing safety side, both for racers and spectators.

Team Zone

The development of the pit lane must also be considered when making up the layout. The minimum length of the pit lane is 200 meters for a minimum of 15 spaces, which is approximately 15 meters wide. The reason is that there are 12 templates and the paddock for the FIA and other race managers.

Besides the pit lane, the location of the battery charging area, catering, medical centers, among others must be considered because everything must be efficient.

The Formula E authority has developed a system of modular blocks approved by FIA. With this system, the creation of circuits can be faster without interrupting public activities.

With the structure, the installation of safety walls and fences can be done in a day and night with the vehicles still in transit. The new road will be closed on Friday or the first day of race weekend.

The Drivers’ Position

Lucas di Grassi, one of the stars of Formula E stresses that the circuit must be wide enough and the straight line long enough so that it can provide plenty of overtaking to entertain the public. 

For his part, Sebastien Buemi, 2015-2016 Season Champion considers that the track must be smooth to ensure overtaking and good braking.

Written by I Jhonattan González

The post How Formula E Transforms Urban Roads into Circuits? appeared first on Green Racing News.

Bird regretted not being able to score at the London E-Prix, as he was leading before the start: “We had the pace. It just didn’t happen for us”.

The Briton, however, remains with high hopes, because a good run in this weekend’s double-header in Berlin, closing E-Prix season seven, would allow him to get his first Formula E title, a symbolic fact because Sam has been with the electric single-seater series since its debut in 2014.

“Winning the title would be super. It’s something I’ve been working on for seven years. I’d be really excited if I do it,” said the 34-year-old driver.

Read also: Envision Virgin Racing confirms Robin Frijns for Next Season

Setting his Sights on Berlin

Sam has promised himself to do all his best in Berlin, freeing from any pressure, as he added that, regardless the result, he will keep his head up for doing a good job.

“I had some positive results there in the past. I have never won in Berlin, but I had one or two podiums. So, there’s no reason why I couldn’t add one more to that count,” he said.

He continued, “If I I can leave Berlin knowing that I’ve done everything in my power to try to win the Championship and it’s not happening for some reason, I will be at ease.”

“We can leave Berlin with something really special,” the driver noted, while referring at the same time to the current campaign as his “best season” so far.

Written by | Osward Rubio

The post Bird on the Berlin final: “I’ ve been Working for 7 Years to Win the Title” appeared first on Green Racing News.

Besides all the achievements earned by the team, the drivers’ performance stands out. In this sense, the team has confirmed that New Zealand pilot Mitch Evans will continue to drive the Gen 2 Jaguar I-Type 5 for the next season of the 100% electric single-seater competition.

Specifically, Evans, who has been with the team since 2016, will ride with Jaguar for two more seasons so far, which means he will be on board when the series’ third generation of cars, dubbed Gen 3, kicks in.

Read also: Collisions Announced: Vandoorne complained about bodywork pieces at London E-Prix

“I have been approached by other teams, but my home is and will be Jaguar. We are currently experiencing good results on track; Jaguar I-TYPE 5 has excellent performance and we are ready to compete with anyone on the grid”, were Evans’ words.

Meanwhile, Jaguar Racing team principal, James Barclay, said that Mitch is one of the best talents in Formula E, and a key asset to the team.

“Mitch’s speed and track results in Formula E speak for themselves, and we have continued building a formidable partnership year after year,” he said.

Evans in Season Seven

After the 13th race held in London, Evans holds the eighth position with 75 points, 20 points behind Nyck de Vries at the top of the standings.

So far, he has taken 4 podiums at the lowest level, enough not only to be confirmed by Jaguar Racing, but also to keep his (minimal) hopes of winning the championship.

His teammate Sam Bird, meanwhile, keeps more chances of winning the season, since he is in third place, only six units away from the lead.

The actions will be defined next weekend in Berlin, on August 14 and 15, where the 14th and 15th rounds will take place and define the ABB FIA Formula E Champion, on its first edition as a World Championship.

Written by | Osward Rubio

The post Jaguar Racing confirms Mitch Evans for the Next 2 Seasons appeared first on Green Racing News.

With the victory obtained in race number 11, held in New York, Jaguar Racing’s British driver Sam Bird is the only driver who has been able to repeat a victory, leaving 16 drivers with possibilities to be crowned before the second to last ePrix to be celebrated in London.

Read also: Difference between F1’s DRS and Formula E’s Attack Mode

Current position at the top

With 81 points, Bird leads the standings, followed by title holder Da Costa (76), who has been improving to reach the finale with great chances. The Portuguese driver got his only win of the season in Monaco, but it was Brooklyn’s third place, achieved on July 11, that put him near the top.

Dutchman Robin Frijns (76) placed 2nd at New York’s first race and 8th in the second one, enough to take third place in the championship and to have a good chance of success in 2021.

Mortara, to raise his head

Edoardo Mortara arrived in the United States as leader after having an incredible Puebla weekend (3rd and 1st respectively). Even without scoring points in New York’s first ePrix, he was still leading.

But the Swiss driver had a weekend to forget after failing to score at the U.S. Now, he will have to raise up and try to reverse his sudden relegation in order to reach the final round alive.

Formula E scoring system

Unlike some other aspects that are distinctive, the ABB FIA Formula E points system is standard, i.e., it is used by other competitions endorsed by FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), such as Formula 1.

The first ten drivers score points and the pole winner gets three units.

Below, we share the scoring table so you can make your conclusions and see if your favorite driver still has a shot at glory.

1st = 25pts, 2nd = 18pts, 3rd = 15pts, 4th = 12pts, 5th = 10pts, 6th = 8pts, 7th = 6pts, 8th = 4pts, 9th = 2pts, 10th = 1 pt.

It is worth noting that this year’ s edition of ABB FIA Formula E is the first to be run as a FIA World Championship.

Written by | Osward Rubio

The post Formula E standings heading to the final stop in London appeared first on Green Racing News.

The British born in 1987, was the winner of the LMP2 class of the World Endurance Championship in 2015 with the G-Drive team and victories on the tracks of Silverstone, Austin, Fuji and Bahrain, and second place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nürburgring and Shanghai.

Bird first appeared on the karting scene in 2002, at the age of 15. His first single-seater starts started in Formula BMW in the UK in 2004, the year in which he was fourteenth in his first season and second in the rookie cup.

The following year he was runner-up in British Formula BMW, finishing fourth in the Formula BMW world championships.

It may also interest you: Mercedes celebrates its great moment in Formula E and will strengthen technology

In 2006, Bird participated in British Formula Renault where he won four races that placed him fourth in the drivers table. Later between 2007 and 2009, he raced in Formula 3 competitions such as the British Championship and the Euroseries until he reached the GP2 Series.

In the 2011 season, he got off to a good start with three podiums in his first three races that earned him sixth place in the championship. The pilot would return for revenge in 2013 with the Russian Time team, obtaining better results with the runner-up behind Fabio Leimer, with five victories.

To the electricians

Bird signed with Virgin Racing and joined the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in its inaugural year in 2014. With the English team he was third in 2017-18, his best result to date, competing for the title against drivers of the likes of Jean. -Eric Vergne, from DS Techeetah and Lucas di Grassi, from Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler.

Likewise, the Briton finished fourth in 2015-16 and 2016-17, fifth in 2014-15, obtaining 11 victories and 22 podiums counting his first place in Diriyah’s EPrix and second place in round 3 in Rome.

Now Bird, after a great start, faces his seventh season with Jaguar Racing and a British duo that promises to win the drivers and team titles something that has happened three times (Sebastien Buemi – Renault e.dams in 2015-16, Jean -Éric Vergne – DS Techeetah in 2018-19 and António Félix da Costa – DS Techeetah in 2019-2020).

Written by | Gabriel Sayago

The post Sam Bird: a tireless heart seeking his first Formula E title appeared first on Green Racing News.

Bird, 24, who has been in the Electric Car World Championship for seven seasons, won Diriyah’s second, ahead of Dutchman Robin Firjns (Envision Virgin Racing), second at 2,194 seconds; and Frenchman Jean Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah), third at 4,846.

The fourth place was the Portuguese Antonio Félix da Costa (DS Techeetah), while the winner of Friday’s race, the Dutch Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team), had to settle this time with the fourteenth place.

De Vries leads, however, the overall drivers with 29 points, four more than Bird, who had two wins in a row at Diriyah.

Dangerous accident

The race was interrupted by a horrifying accident. There were only a few laps to go to the end of the day when a touch between two of the drivers at the back of the pack caused the safety car to leave.

Everything was quiet, until the red flag began to wave on the street circuit. Alex Lynn, the Mahindra team driver, flipped over and suffered a tremendous blow. A video posted on social media showed that the crash was frightening.

The rivals were scared to see that the car did several turns at high speed. In the images you can see that Mitch Evans, one of those involved, went to help the pilot who was between the barriers.

The Mahindra team confirmed after the accident that Lynn is in good condition. Lynn is conscious and talks to the doctors. However, he was hospitalized after the race to carry out more controls and check that he is all right in his general physical condition. Fortunately, no pilot was seriously injured.

The championship will come back on April 10 with the Roma e-Prix.

Written by: Jhonattan González

The post Sam Bird takes the win in an ostentatious race appeared first on Green Racing News.