Formula E back in the Big Apple on streets of Manhattan to open NY Auto Show (Update)

Original Brooklyn layout

UPDATE The circuit layout for the New York City ePrix has been lengthened in preparation for Formula E's season four finale in July.

The New York City ePrix made its debut in the all-electric championship last season with a double-header round where Sam Bird claimed back-to-back wins for DS Virgin Racing.

The circuit, which was originally 1.95km long has now been extended to 2.45km and now features 17 corners as opposed to the original layout which featured 13.

The addition of four new corners on the street circuit has seen the removal of the track's Turn 6 right-hand hairpin, with drivers now turning left into a short hairpin which is quickly followed by two 90 degree right-hand corners before returning the circuit's back-straight.

The New York City circuit, which is in the Brooklyn borough of the iconic cityscape, is the first circuit on the Formula E calendar to make changes to its layout in order to accommodate for Gen2 machinery that will replace the series' current Spark SRT 01E.

The Gen2 will mark a major leap forward in the electric championship, with Formula E's current mandatory car switch being removed courtesy of a new longer-lasting battery that has been developed by McLaren Applied Technologies for season five.

A power increase will also be seen during races, with power being increased to 200kW compared to the current 180kW power that drivers use currently in season four while qualifying power is set to be 250kW.

The season finale New York ePrix will be held on July 14 and 15.

Nelson Piquet Jr. exiting the fully-electric Formula E car on 11th Ave. in Manhattan in front of some reporters

04/01/18 Formula E hit the streets of the Big Apple to launch this year’s edition of the New York International Auto Show, marking the first time the official championship car has run on the roads of Manhattan ahead of the Qatar Airways New York City E-Prix on July 14 & 15 – the final two rounds of the 2017/18 ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

The fully-electric Formula E car led a fleet of electric vehicles along 11th Ave. to the Javits Center on the west side of New York with season one champion and Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Nelson Piquet Jr. behind the wheel.

Running parallel to the Hudson River and the backdrop of Midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building, the parade also featured the Jaguar brand’s first all-electric vehicle – the Jaguar I-PACE performance SUV.

The Jaguar I-PACE will arrive at retailers later this year. A modified race-ready version is set to make its debut in a new all-electric support series alongside races in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship next season – titled the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY.

The ABB FIA Formula E Championship is returning to Red Hook in Brooklyn for the second time after the inaugural event last summer, where Formula E made history with the first FIA-sanctioned single-seater race taking place within the five boroughs of New York City in modern history.

As part of a long-term vision to make the Brooklyn waterfront Formula E's home in New York, the cars will navigate a slightly different route this year – with an extension to the track in a bid to cater to the next generation of faster and more efficient cars next season, together with adding further overtaking opportunities.

Subject to new track homologation, instead of taking the sharp hairpin at Turn 6 the drivers will now tackle a left-right complex at the North end of the circuit – adding four extra corners and lengthening the track to 1.52-miles (2.45-km).

Tickets for the season finale of the 2017/18 ABB FIA Formula E Championship in New York go on sale next week on April 3. Grandstand tickets are priced at $85 per day or $150 for a combined weekend ticket. Children aged 12 and under can enter for free and students can watch all the action from $55 per day or $95 for both races.

Fans attending the New York Auto Show this weekend can purchase tickets early by using a promotion code available at the dedicated Formula E stand at booth 1522 on level 1.

Don’t miss the chance to witness the title-decider and the champion being crowned – as well as catching a last glimpse of history, with the swansong of the current iteration of Formula E cars in the heat of battle before the introduction of the Gen2 model for next season.

Nelson Piquet Jr, Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver, said: "To be the first to drive the Formula E car on the streets in Manhattan has been a lot of fun. I love this city and I've enjoyed the opportunity to promote electric vehicles like the new Jaguar I-PACE, our first all-electric performance SUV, and launch the race returning to Brooklyn. The new track layout will make the racing more competitive and New York is the perfect place for the finale of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in July. I'm looking forward to fighting for more points for Panasonic Jaguar Racing and racing to the flag in my all-electric Jaguar I-TYPE 2."