Double podium delight for Mahindra Racing in New York City

Mumbai: Mahindra Racing continued its impressive show in the the 2016-17 FIA Formula E Championship with a double podium in the second race of the inaugural New York City ePrix weekend.

The team secured its maiden win and double podium last month in Berlin. Felix Rosenqvist and Nick Heidfeld driving the all-electric M3Electro racecar, reached Formula E’s unique Super Pole shootout session to start the race from second and fifth place respectively.

Series young gun Rosenqvist took advantage of a clean starting line to pass eventual race winner Sam Bird into the first corner of the 49-lap feature. Heidfeld also made gains in the opening laps of the race to follow his teammate into the podium positions.

The team was unable to hold the lead, as Bird took back P1 shortly after lap 10 of the race. However, the impressive 2-3 podium represented a dramatic change in fortunes for the team after a disappointing first race on the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal circuit, which was run on Saturday.

The forgettable first race resulted in an uncharacteristic 15th place finish for Rosenqvist following an enthralling climb through the field from 17th on the grid to fifth, while Heidfeld was forced to retire from seventh position with suspension damage.

It wasn’t enough to deter Mahindra Racing from storming to a double podium result and extending its hold on third in the Teams’ Championship with just two races remaining in Montreal, Canada.  

For New York City’s premier event on the all-electric series calendar, Mahindra Racing welcomed many guests and partners at the Brooklyn race venue, including Mahindra & Mahindra chairman Anand Mahindra and the managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra, Dr. Pawan Goenka.