Sam Bird: “After yesterday, this is everything we needed and it feels so good”

Sam Bird became only the second driver to take multiple victories in the 2020-21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season, with the Briton jumping from thirteenth in the standings to the top after winning race two of the New York City E-Prix on Sunday.

The Jaguar Racing driver started from pole position on Sunday and led all thirty-seven laps around the Brooklyn Street Circuit to become a two-time winner this season, and an eleven-time winner in Formula E.

A day before, Bird recovered from a practice crash and a car rebuild to scrape into the points in ninth, but everything came right for him on Sunday as he moved to the very top of the Drivers’ Championship heading into his home E-Prix in London in two weeks time.

“What a day today! That’s 29 points out of a possibly 30 so I couldn’t be happier,” said Bird, who only missed out on a maximum thirty points thanks to António Félix da Costa claiming the bonus point for fastest lap.  “I’m so delighted and proud of my team right now.

“After yesterday, this is everything we needed and it feels so good. Thank you to everyone at Jaguar Racing and I can’t wait for London.”

“I’m really, really gutted and this one hurts a lot” – Mitch Evans

Team-mate Mitch Evans was on course to make it a Jaguar one-two in New York, but the New Zealander made a rare mistake with just a couple of laps remaining that left him struggling with a broken left-rear suspension.

Evans clipped the wall exiting turn six and immediately lost pace, with countryman Nick Cassidy quickly getting passed to run second and Félix da Costa into third.  The damage was so severe that his pace dropped off dramatically, and from being on course for scoring eighteen points for second, he ended up crawling across the line outside the points in thirteenth.

The twenty-seven-year-old admitted he was ‘gutted’ to miss out on the podium having had a strong day in Brooklyn, but he will be looking to put the disappointment behind him as he turns his attention to the London E-Prix in two weeks time.

“I’ve been waiting for a race like this for so long and I messed it up here in New York,” said Evans.  “I had a lot of front rotation and I couldn’t hang on to it in one particular lap and that’s enough to spoil your day.

“I’m really, really gutted and this one hurts a lot but I just want to say a huge congratulations to Sam. We’ll now look to London where I hope to score points again.”

Jaguar Racing locked out the front row but Mitch Evans (right) hit the wall late on an dropped out of the points – Credit: FIA Formula E