The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV takes bite out of the Big Apple

The traction performance delivered by the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV Formula E tire helped Germany’s Maximilian Günther (BMW I Andretti Motorsport) and Sam Bird (Jaguar Racing) to claim the weekend’s two New York E-Prix at Brooklyn’s riverside circuit.

The twisty, narrow, soiled circuit that hosted the USA’s round of the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship called for flawless traction performance from the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV to efficiently transmit the torque and power generated by the Spark STR-05e all-electric single-seaters to the ground, especially when they strayed into the dust off the racing line to overtake and when their Attack Mode was activated.

Saturday afternoon’s action saw Günther benefit from a brief tangle involving Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah) and Nick Cassidy (Envision Virgin Racing) to take the lead and win Race 1. The Frenchman survived to clinch second place, ahead of Brazil’s Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler) who claimed his 34th Formula E podium finish.

Vergne was eliminated from the second e-prix battle by a mechanical problem on the grid, leaving Jaguar Racing’s Bird and Mitch Evans to dominate Race 2, under constant pressure from Cassidy and Antonio Felix da Costa (DS Techeetah). Bird survived to clinch the win and move to the top of the provisional Drivers’ standings. The Briton was joined on the rostrum by Cassidy and da Costa.

After the two North American clashes in Mexico and the USA, the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will now travel back to Europe for the season’s closing races in London, Great Britain, on July 24-25, and Berlin, Germany, on August 14-15.

Race 1 – Final positions:

1. Maximilian Günther (BMW I Andretti Motorsport), 38 laps

2. Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah), +2.072s

3. Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler), +2.832s

4. Nick Cassidy (Envision Virgin Racing), +4.623s

5. Robin Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing), +5.239s

Etc.

Race 2 – Final positions:

1. Sam Bird (Jaguar Racing), 37 laps

2. Nick Cassidy (Envision Virgin Racing), +4.167s

3. Antonio Felix da Costa (DS Techeetah), +4.840s

4. Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche FE Team), +7.154s

5. André Lotterer (TAG Heuer Porsche FE Team), +7.762s

Etc.