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Formula E vs. Formula One
01:33 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

Sam Bird completes New York double

First ever ePrix in Big Apple

Di Grassi closes on Buemi

CNN  — 

Britain’s Sam Bird completed an historic winning double Sunday as Formula E continued to excite on its first visit to New York.

DS Virgin racer Bird, winner of the inaugural race in the Big Apple the day before, proved the man to beat again as he capitalized on pole position for another impressive victory.

The Mahindras of Nick Heidfeld and Felix Rosenqvist completed the podium in Brooklyn.

Bird lost the lead to Rosenqvist in a hectic start, but he regained it on lap 10 of 49 with a superb pass and controlled proceedings to the finish.

Championship-chasing Lucas di Grassi took fifth place, closing to within 10 points of title leader Sebastien Buemi, who sat out the New York rounds because of a commitment to race sports cars in Germany.

Buemi’s stand-in, Red Bull F1 protege, Pierre Gasly, did him proud, battling the Mahindras in his Renault e.dams entry and overtaking Audi’s di Grassi on the final corner to reduce his points tally.

Gasly’s more experienced teammate Nico Prost finished sixth, with Jean-Eric Vergne only eighth after a mistake by his Techeetah handicapped him and teammate Stephane Sarrazin.

Bird, whose team is backed by billionaire tycoon Richard Branson, has moved up to fourth in the overall standings, having started the weekend in eighth.

The racing attracted a number of celebrity spectators, including Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, while world motorsport chief Jean Todt was also checking out the action as the ePrix series continues to spread its wings.

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The stage is now set for an exciting two-race finale to the season in Montreal, Canada in two weeks time with the title up for grabs.