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Reuters

Britain’s Sam Bird was a winner when the electric Formula E series made its London debut last year and hopes to repeat the feat this weekend in a season finale facing an uncertain future.
Formula E is seeking a new venue in the capital, following an agreement not to return to Battersea Park after this year’s event in the face of stiff local opposition to motor racing on their doorstep.
There has been talk about staging a race on the London streets, but a draft calendar for the 2016-17 circulating in recent weeks had Montreal and New York as the final rounds of the third season and London omitted.
Hong Kong will be one of 12 cities to host the championship series when it launches its third season of the new class of racing, which uses only electric-powered units, later this year.


“I think it’s disappointing,” Bird, a former Mercedes Formula One test driver who now races in Formula E for the DS Virgin Racing team, said.
“I think it is a shame that we are going to be leaving Battersea Park.
“As a British driver, driving for a semi-British team with the Virgin connection, we would love to have a race in London. Most teams are based in the UK, so I think it’s a big hub for Formula E. To do it in the heart of London makes sense.”
FIA Formula E prepares to make Hong Kong one of its showpiece events
Formula E chief executive Alejandro Agag said that talks were ongoing with the Mayor of London’s office about alternative venues.
“How quick that can happen, or if ever that can happen, we don’t know yet. We are working on it,” he said, expressing optimism that a race might be possible for season four but also sounding a note of caution.

“London is really important for us and we want to be here but you can only do what you can do. If we don’t find the right venue, we’re not going to force it. We’re not going to try at any price to be here.”
Bird, who competes in the World Endurance Championship with a Ferrari team, is committed to the electric series with its unique features such as fan boost – fans voting via Twitter to give their favourite driver a power boost. He remained hopeful.
“We’ve been able to secure other venues around the world that Formula One hasn’t been able to achieve, like New York, so why not London as well?” he said.
“(Racing) around some of the great venues of London. That would be phenomenal.”
‘I want the runway’ – Lawrence Yu urges government to build dedicated Formula E track on Kai Tak site
Bird heads into the weekend third in the championship, with Brazilian Lucas Di Grassi and Switzerland’s Sebastien Buemi fighting for the title, and convinced he is in the right place.
“I see it as a very stable, secure series now,” he said. “I think it did well in season one, it’s done even better in season two. It’s going from strength to strength... I want to be a part of it, to see it grow until it’s a really big series.
“It’s got such a unique selling point that I don’t see why it can’t.
“It’s got quite a lot of momentum already so if we keep on evolving, coming up with new technologies, new and exciting ways to race and new cities to go to, making good spectacles in these cities, there’s no reason why we can’t be a globally massive series.”


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Formula E

Britain’s Sam Bird hopes London can keep Formula E race for 2016-17 season amid curious omission

Alejandro Agag, chief executive of Formula E; and Gregory So Kam-leung, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; attend a press conference of HKT Hong Kong ePrix in Admiralty. Photos: SCMP Photos

Ma Qinghua, the only Chinese driver on the Formula E circuit; attends a press conference of HKT Hong Kong ePrix in Admiralty. 31MAY16 SCMP/Dickson Lee

140mph broadband speeds: HKT named as sponsors for inaugural Hong Kong Formula E showpiece

No Caption Available.

A winning formula: Hong Kong should combine innovation with entrepreneurship

Innovation and Technology Bureau chief Nicholas Yang. Photo: Nora Tam

FIA Formula E prepares to make Hong Kong one of its showpiece events

Formula E chief executive Alejandro Agag and former Miss Hong Kong Michele Reis get to grips with a Formula E simulator during promotion for the Hong Kong e-Prix. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Alejandro Agag, chief executive of Formula E; attends a press conference of HKT Hong Kong ePrix in Admiralty. 31MAY16 SCMP/Dickson Lee

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Eco-friendly format is seeking a new venue in the capital, following an agreement not to return to Battersea Park after this year’s event which takes place this weekend
