Jerome D’Ambrosio beats Sam Bird to clinch second race off title

Leicester, UK  - Formula E’s two most recent race winners went head-to-head in the second edition of the Formula E Race Off, with Jerome D’Ambrosio edging out Sam Bird at ESL Studios in Leicester.

The Dragon Racing and DS Virgin drivers were joined in the arena by a selection of lucky gamers who competed online alongside fans from all over the world, with the races streamed live across Formula E’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.

“It’s not about winning, it’s about the interaction with the fans and gamers,” said Jerome D’Ambrosio, winner last time out in Mexico City. “There are so many things we can do together - it’s two different worlds but we all love racing. This is only the beginning in terms of what we can do together. I think it’s great that Formula E is trying to connect in a different way with the fans and the community. Incorporating eSports is a great idea. What we do on track and what they do on their consoles - there is space for both of them and it’s great that we can take each other on.”

Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing driver and winner of the Buenos Aires ePrix, said: “Finishing runnerup is obviously disappointing but I had a lot of fun! It’s always good to interact with the audience and those that are online, and it’s great to be part of this adventure with Formula E and the gaming platform.”

A number of the world’s best Forza Motorsport 6 players also competed in several rounds of racing, culminating in a dramatic final showdown in Long Beach. The final was won by Team Maxou, led by Maxime Potar from Belgium.

He said: “It’s a bit of a surprise. My team was very strong but also part of my community. There are strong Forza players all over the world. It’s important to be where the fans are, and Formula E has shown that with ideas such as FanBoost. It’s great that I can go from racing in my bedroom to racing against a Formula E driver that won last week!”

FIA Formula E