Sam Bird ruled out of Seoul E-Prix with Norman Nato stepping in for season finale

Jaguar TCS Racing have announced that Sam Bird won’t be racing at the Seoul E-Prix, which will host Round Fifteen and the season finale Round Sixteen of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Bird was sent to hospital after the London E-Prix last Sunday, where an X-Ray showed that he’d fractured his left hand following an impact on the opening lap of the race. The Brit had managed to battle through the pain the entire race; however, it’s been revealed that he will be undergoing surgery this week to repair the fracture.

It brings an abrupt end to the season for Bird, who has endured a somewhat disastrous season through no fault of his own. The Jaguar driver has faced a plethora of bad luck this campaign, which has seen him end the year outside the top ten in the Drivers’ Championship. Had Bird raced in South Korea, then he would’ve taken part in his one-hundredth Formula E race, this milestone will now have to wait until next season in the Gen3 cars.

It also means that Bird’s run of being the only driver to win a race in every season of Formula E will come to a disappointing end, with his run having spread from Season One to Season Seven.

Bird will be replaced by 2021 Berlin E-Prix winner and Jaguar reserve driver Norman Nato, with the Frenchman stepping in for both races in Seoul.

The Brit is “devastated” to be missing Seoul but is now focusing on getting “fully fit” for testing.

“I’m devastated not to be driving in the final two rounds of the season in Seoul, particularly as it would have been my 100th race in Formula E. I need to spend the next few weeks recovering from the operation on my left hand, so I am fully fit for testing and season nine. I have confidence in Norman, he is a race winner and I’m sure he’ll bring some great points home for Jaguar TCS Racing.”