Formula E only chooses city circuits to host its races, and it will finally hold a race in New York City next summer, something Formula One hasn’t yet been able to do. And it’s in the hip neighborhood full of all the good and beautiful young hoverboard people with social media jobs, Brooklyn!
In April, Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag spoke about securing a location in New York, reported Motorsport.com. Today, Formula E announced that the third season will indeed include a round in New York on July 29 and July 30, 2017. It will make the final two rounds and be the only race held in the United States for the season.
The 1.21-mile track will be located in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood, which is close enough to downtown Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty that you’ll probably be able to get both in your selfie. The track will have 13 turns and snake its way around Pier 11 and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
Agag said:
“To race in New York City is a historic moment - not only for Formula E, but for motorsport in general - and again highlights the philosophy of Formula E to bring fully-electric racing to the world’s greatest cities. When we originally started the project we could only dream of bringing Formula E to a place like New York, with arguably the most recognisable skyline of any city in the world. I’d like to thank everyone involved in helping bring Formula E to New York for many years to come.”
The New York area is known for its shitty road quality, so it’ll be interesting to see if that will be a factor in the race.
But think about all the delightful artisanal mayonnaise shops (which closed BECAUSE RENT WAS TOO HIGH LOL), farm-to-table restaurants, fixie bicycles and luxury thrift stores that drivers and spectators will be able to enjoy during their time in Brooklyn. Besides, everyone knows that Manhattan is so out. Brooklyn, on the other hand, so in. Currently, Formula E has been criticized as being “dull.” Will this hip and trendy setting work to change that and make people care about it?
Additionally, it seems like the FIA finally was able to pull off a race in the New York/New Jersey area through Formula E, after the failed Formula One experiment.