DS Techeetah’s Jean Eric Vergne won his second FIA Formula E CHampionship in the New York ePrix as Envision Virgin’s Robin Frijns scored the win with BMW Andretti’s Alexander Sims and Nissan e.Dams’ Sebastian Buemi completing the podium.
Pole-sitter and BMW Andretti’s Sims led the Formula E New York finale from Envision Virgin’s Frijns and Nissan e.Dams’ Buemi, while DS Techeetah’s Vergne rose up to 11th. There was drama behind with GEOX Dragon’s Jose Maria Lopez spinning.
He then crashed with DS Techeetah’s Andre Lotterer as both retired with the latter handed a penalty for causing a collision. Lopez stop required a Safety Car appearance. It was Sims, Buemi, Frijns, HWA Racelab’s Vandoorne and Envision Virgin’s Sam Bird in the Top 5.
Many drivers used could have Attack Mode quite early in the race as for this round, the organisers allowed drivers to use three Attack Modes. The race re-started with Sims retaining lead as he along with Vandoorne, Audi’s Daniel Abt, Jaguar’s Mitch Evans, HWA Racelab’s Paffet and Audi’s Lucas di Grassi used the Attack Mode.
The next lap had Frijns and Bird using it as the Dutchman passed the Swiss driver, who used the Attack Mode straightaway with Vergne then taking it as the Frenchman ran his own race without any dramas. Bird overtook Vandoorne before his Attack Mode ended.
Not long it was for di Grassi, Evans and Sims to use their second Attack Mode. The Brazilian driver passed Paffet, who lost his position to Vergne too as Abt used his third Attack Mode to defend his position from Evans but passed Vandoorne in the process.
Nissan e.Dams’ Oliver Rowland used his third Attack Mode from fifth as Frijns took the lead after passing Sims as Vergne used his second Attack Mode when Buemi used his third – the former made it into the Top 10 after passing da Costa.
Sims used his last Attack Mode to catch Frijns, who used his third one to defend his lead. Abt and Evans did the same and both eventually passed Rowland as di Grassi used his last Attack Mode to pass Vandoorne and then Rowland.
Vergne used his final Attack Mode and passed Vandoorne too as Sims was left to defend his second position in the last five minutes from Buemi, Bird, Abt, Evans and di Grassi. In the end, Frijns eased into to register his second Formula E win of the 2018/19 season.
Sims and Buemi completed the New York EPrix podium as di Grassi crashed with Evans on the last last lap, for which the Kiwi was handed a penalty to be 17th. The Brazilian dropped to third in Formula E standings with Buemi taking second.
Vergne crossed the chequered flag in seventh behind Bird, Abt and Rowland to become the first ever two-time Formula E champion as DS Techeetah took their first-ever teams’ title. The Top 10 was rounded out by Vandoorne, da Costa and Paffett.
Mahindra Racing’s Jerome D’Ambrosio just missed on the Top 10 to be 11th with Jaguar’s Alex Lynn in 12th from the other Mahindra of Pascal Wehrlein and the NIO duo of Oliver Turvey and Tom Dillmann. Venturi’s Felipe Massa was 16th with Evans in 17th.
DNF: di Grassi, Maximilian Gunther, Edoardo Mortara, Lotterer, Lopez.