Bird: "Super risky" to go for the win in Sao Paulo E-Prix
Jaguar Formula E driver Sam Bird believes it would have been “super risky” to make a move for the lead in the final laps of the Sao Paulo E-Prix.
The Briton started in 10th for the inaugural Formula E race in Brazil due to serving a five-place grid penalty for a collision with Jaguar team-mate Mitch Evans in Hyderabad.
A qualifying accident in Cape Town which resulted in him being unable to start the race meant he was unable to serve the penalty there.
Bird made steady progress in the early stages of the Sao Paulo race and jumped into third place with five laps remaining, with just the Jaguar-powered cars of Evans and Envision’s Nick Cassidy ahead.
Despite closing up dramatically on the leading pair and having more energy than either Evans or Cassidy, Bird was unable to find a way through and admitted that his incident in India meant he was wary of making a move that would have resulted in a collision.
“I think we timed everything quite well, used energy at the beginning to get past people I felt like I needed to, that could be a bit of a sticky patch if I got stuck behind them,” he said.
“And then went with the lead group. These two [Evans and Cassidy] boxed super smart at the end and I had to as well, after what happened in India there was absolutely no point sticking my nose somewhere where it could have really affected team Jaguar’s points.”
Podium: Race winner Mitch Evans, Jaguar Racing, second place Sam Bird, Jaguar Racing
Photo by: Andreas Beil
Bird stated that the nature of the Sao Paulo track, which included long straights not commonly used in Formula E circuit configurations, allowed him to save energy in the slipstream of others which was the key to his second podium of the year.
“I can’t take any credit because it’s completely the nature of the circuit,” he said.
“It is a game of chess, and I felt like I played it quite well. I was down on energy at the beginning of the race but then just settled in and used my tools correctly and got that energy back.
“And when I needed to make a move forwards, I did. Unfortunately, the target was such at the end it would have been super risky to make a move and it just wasn’t worth it.”
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