Regarding New York City, Frank Sinatra once observed that "if you can make it there you’ll make it anywhere". Rather awkwardly for The Chairman of the Board, at least in a Formula E context, this appears to be an incorrect assertion.
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Remarkably, four drivers have failed to make it anywhere since they made it in the Big Apple, with Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing), Maximilian Guenther (Nissan e.dams), Sebastien Buemi (Nissan e.dams) and Robin Frijns (Envision Racing) all recording their most recent with in New York City. For Bird and Guenther it was last season and for Buemi and Frijns, it was the end of Season 5.
If you will indulge me in one more attempt at making this weak conceit work; as far as most of our title protagonists are concerned; the line should read "if you can make it anywhere, you’ll not make it there" as only one driver of our own 'Rat Pack' has a good record in Brooklyn. That man is Jean-Eric Vergne (DS TECHEETAH), who wrapped up his two titles here, including a victory at the end of Season 4.
Championship leader Mortara, third-placed Vandoorne and fourth-placed Evans all failed to score any points in New York last season. In fact, Mortara has never scored any points here and Vandoorne’s best result is eighth in Season 5 for HWA.
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Evans does have a second place to his name at the end of Season 5, and equally was running second behind teammate Bird last season before touching the wall on the exit of Turn 3 and damaging the car in the closing stages.
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Mercedes-EQ had a nightmare in New York last season, neither car scored points, and although it was the old group qualifying format they never showed any pace all weekend. It’s vital that they find out whatever the issue was from last year, especially as Vandoorne is slipping away a little in the Drivers' World Championship.
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He is absolutely still in contention, there is no doubt about that but he has scored fewer than half the points of Mortara over the last four races. Qualifying seems to be the main issue, with an average grid position of 11th over the course of those races. Conversely, Mortara’s average grid position over the same period is second, Vergne’s is fourth, and Evans’ is seventh.
Speaking of grid positions, I did some maths. Only twice in the ten races this season has the driver on pole position won the race. Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) in Mexico and Mortara in the first race in Berlin are the only two men who have converted the front of the grid into victory. Interestingly, Evans’ victory from ninth on the grid in Rome is the only time that the winner has come from outside the top four on the grid.
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Statistically speaking, the best place to be starting a Formula E race from is third, as three times this season the driver starting there has won, and twice that has been Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-EQ). The Dutchman won in Diriyah and Berlin from third on the grid, and Evans did the same in Jakarta.
If it’s of interest, the Formula E record for the lowest grid position to victory is held by Lucas di Grassi, who stood on the top step in Mexico Season 3 after starting in 15th!
We are very much in to the season run-in now, with just three events left. There are still six races remaining, due to the fact that New York, London and Seoul are all double-headers, but it really feels like we are getting to the business end, and with 15 points separating the top four, we are in for another intense weekend, and one of these drivers could stamp their authority on this title fight.
We began with Sinatra, we end with Swift; "welcome to New York; it’s been waiting for you".