VIDEO: Formula E takes to Red Hook for second edition of action packed racing

July 16, 2018 By Liliana Bernal Special to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Electric cars at the Brooklyn circuit, which covers 1.47 miles and 14 turns. Eagle photos by Liliana Bernal

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With French Jean-Eric Vergne, from Chinese team Techeetah as the champion, the New York City e-Prix culminated, drawing thousands of people to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook on Saturday and Sunday.

For the second year in a row, the north side of Red Hook became a village with a 1.47-mile, 14-turn racetrack, garages, control centers and grandstands where the public witnessed the ABB FIA Formula E fourth season championship finale.

The championship is the world’s first fully electric international single-seat street racing series, boasting cars zipping by at a maximum 140 mph.

Vergne, who won Chile, Uruguay and Paris races previously, ended fifth in this year’s first U.S. electric race on Saturday, but won by adding 173 points to his score, an unreachable mark for the rest of the competitors.

Vergne may have taken the drivers’ championship, but Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler was crowned as the teams’ champion with its racers finishing in second and third.

Alejandro Agag, Formula E CEO, said in a conference call that they found Red Hook the ideal space to carry out Formula E, not only because of the course’s flat streets backdropped by the iconic Manhattan skyline, but also because its location didn’t create disruption around the city.

Formula E signed a 10-year agreement with the city to host the race in Red Hook, but the contract must be renewed annually, which according to Agag, has helped make the relationship with the local community a priority.

With this goal in mind, the organization provided free tickets to local residents that included access to interactive exhibits like race simulations, meeting the drivers and viewing new electric cars on display.

“For us, integrating the local community is very important because we want to stay here for the long term,” Agag said. “But that can only happen if we are welcome in the local community.”