New York City is set to host its first sanctioned street racing event in July when electric car racing series Formula E makes its city debut this summer.
The New York City ePrix is scheduled for July 15 and 16 on a 1.21-mile track around the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook, with downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty providing an iconic backdrop.
“We want to take Formula E to the biggest cities in the world and that list would be incomplete always if New York were not on it,” Formula E founder and CEO Alejandro Agag told amNewYork on Thursday.
The event promises to be interactive for fans. An e-Village near the track will allow fans to meet the drivers for autographs before the race. Unlike other open-wheel racing series, fans will also be invited to the winners’ podium ceremony. Those at home can influence the race via FanBoost, a voting system that gives the most popular drivers an energy boost during the race.
“They can have a really close experience to the race, the cars and the drivers,” Agag said.
Agag and company have recruited some of the New York’s most well-known names to promote the event. Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz got behind the wheel of one of the series’ cars on Wednesday, and Leonardo DiCaprio, according to Agag, has been involved with the project since its inception.
Formula E’s cars are designed for the 21st century and beyond. With maximum power of 170 kW on race day, the cars can reach 60 mph in just three seconds with top speeds of 140 mph. Agag hopes the circuit’s growing popularity and interest in electric vehicles can act as a model for energy efficiency for cities and transportation.
“Our objective is that every car in the world one day is electric, and achieving that is really, really important,” Agag said.
Formula E, The first ever fully-electric racing series, has held events in cities across the world, including Beijing, Moscow and London.
Tickets start at $75, not including booking fees, for the Pier 11 main grandstand and can be found on Ticketmaster or www.fiaformulae.com/nyc.
