The one memory that Mahindra Racing’s Formula E driver Felix Rosenqvist has of last year’s inaugural New York City ePrix isn’t of a turn or seeing a blur of the city’s skyline. It’s of the weather.
“It was hot,” Rosenqvist told amNewYork on Monday. “It was this big thing because it was the first time we’ve raced in New York City. It’s a very special thing.”
The FIA Formula E series returns to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook to close out its season this weekend and crown a champion on Sunday. Top contenders so far are last year’s New York City ePrix winner Sam Bird of DS Virgin Racing, and current leader Jean-Eric Vergne of Techeetah. Bird swept last year’s two-day NYC ePrix.
While Sweden’s Rosenqvist is out of the running for the season title, he and Mahindra Racing are looking forward to a strong finish entering the offseason.
“It’s quite important to end the season on a high,” Rosenqvist said. “People in motor sport tend to have a short memory, and it’s always quite nice going into the offseason with a good result on your back.
“If you end the year with a big crash or something like that, it’s a bad omen going into the hardworking offseason. That’s the point: to bring a good, positive vibe and spray some Champagne, hopefully.”
Rosenqvist, 26, and Mahindra finished third in the Formula E standings last year and took second in the second race of last year’s NYC race. This year, he enters the Brooklyn race in fifth, with a chance to propel himself into third if he can post two strong results this weekend.
This year’s contest features a longer, but still narrow track at 1.52 miles. It features two longer straightaways for drivers to overtake one another, something Rosenqvist hopes to utilize.
“In Formula E, you get a lot of weird track characteristics,” Rosenqvist said. “[Last year’s track] was very technical, which was quite challenging.
“I think, for New York, [we’re] saying, ‘Let’s just go here and have fun. Be aggressive. Just go for it, have fun and try to score a win.’ ”
