• Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler in the teams’ title hunt
  • First race for Lucas di Grassi as a father
  • Nyck de Vries supports the team at the finale as the reserve driver
Formula E, New York E-Prix 2018
Lucas di Grassi, Daniel Abt

With two races at the season finale, the ABB Formula E Championship is electrifying New York City. This finale weekend marks the end of the first era of the innovative championship. Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler still has a big goal in sight: the teams’ title.

With a deficit of 33 points in the teams’ classification, Audi in its premiere season with the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team begins the season finale with a total of 94 points still up for grabs with one race each on Saturday and Sunday. With the momentum of six consecutive podium results, a new record in Formula E, the teams’ title in the fourth season could be won after the team previously clinched one third-placed and two runner-up results in the classification. The team approaches the end of the first era of Formula E with an unassailable total of 31 podium finishes in 45 races. Only a few weeks earlier in Berlin, the team became the first to score the maximum available 47 points during a race day. The new era of Formula E with the new stronger Generation 2 car will begin in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2018. 

For Lucas di Grassi, the New York City E-Prix marks his first race since becoming a father. Ten days ago, his wife, Bianca, gave birth to their first child, son Leonardo. “It has been a life changing experience and I am so excited to be a father. Both my wife and son are doing well and they will be supporting me from São Paulo this weekend,” says di Grassi. Leonardo is also joining his father in the cockpit of the Audi e-tron FE04 with the fact that di Grassi put a sticker on his helmet in honor of his son’s birth.

Dutchman Nyck de Vries may not be a new face in the Formula E paddock, but in New York City he fulfils the role of being an Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler reserve driver for the first time. The 23-year-old drove the Audi e-tron FE04 during the Rookie Test in Marrakesh and has prepared for New York in the simulator in Neuburg an der Donau. “It is great to be back with the team. Hopefully I will not be needed, but I am ready to hit the track if anything unforeseen happens during the weekend,” says de Vries, who was also the reserve driver on site for Audi during the DTM Moscow race weekend last year, as a precaution after Mike Rockenfeller’s injury at the Norisring.

Two Audi mechanics ensured for a very special promotional activity for the New York City E-Prix. With pit stop lollipops in hand and wearing their mechanic overalls, they made their way to downtown Manhattan and provided plenty of entertainment. With many fun encounters, they met hurrying people, batman, an almost-naked guitar-playing cowboy and more. For all of the fun, dancing and laughter, enjoy watching the video on the official Facebook page of Audi Sport here.