FIA Formula E Qualcomm New York City ePrix

The Formula E in Red Hook is the first FIA sanctioned racing event in New York city history. Although Formula 1 tried to have a Grand Prix in New Jersey it never manifested. Formula E is the first all electric professional motorsport series and has some of the best drivers from F1, F2, F3 and the FIA WEC, so you're watching some of the top racers in the world compete for a world tittle. Although you have to get used to the noise (actually the lack of it) it is great racing from top professional drivers. The downside, Red Hook. All due respect to the residence of that neighborhood it is not worthy of such an event. The place is highly industrial, very difficult to get to and offers little in terms of local shops and cafes. There are few good ones but few and far away. The backdrop is of construction and loading docks by the bay and the only views of the Statue of Liberty or Manhattan are from drones. The circuit is way too tight and small to really have any good vantage points. The event itself was a lot of fun and Saturdays race had lots of action and rough aggressive racing. There were quite a few shunts for excitement but not bad enough to slow down the race. Sadly, the lack of access to the podium was frustrating. It was a VIP event only. Many of the worlds FE events allows the public to go to the podium by having it at the stage but for some reason New York played it elitist. Overall it was fun and I will attend this event every year, I just hope they put it in a better place and allow the public to see the podium awards ceremony.

The Formula E in Red Hook is the first FIA sanctioned racing event in New York city history. Although Formula 1 tried to have a Grand Prix in New Jersey it never manifested. Formula E is the first all electric professional motorsport series and has some of the best drivers from F1, F2, F3 and the FIA WEC, so you're watching some of the top racers in the world compete for a world tittle. Although you have to get used to the noise (actually the lack of it) it is great racing from top professional drivers. The downside, Red Hook. All due respect to the residence of that neighborhood it is not worthy of such an event. The place is highly industrial, very difficult to get to and offers little in terms of local shops and cafes. There are few good ones but few and far away. The backdrop is of construction and loading docks by the bay and the only views of the Statue of Liberty or Manhattan are from drones. The circuit is way too tight and small to really have any good vantage points. The event itself was a lot of fun and very well organized but the lack of access to the podium was frustrating. It was a VIP event only. Many of the worlds FE events allows the public to go to the podium by having it at the stage but for some reason New York played it elitist. Overall it was fun and I will attend this event every year, I just hope they put it in a better place and allow the public to see the podium awards ceremony.

This was tons of fun for a inaugural event. Showed up early and was one of 1st through the gates. Got pit walk through passes for later that morning where we got to see all the cars up close, and even got to see a few drivers doing interviews. The sounds formula E cars make are incredible up close, they sound like little jets passing by you. But they aren't loud enough to require hearing protection, so you can actually share/talk about moments with your friends/family at the race. Racing was great the only downsides to this event was there was ZERO shade to hide in or get away from the sun. And the fencing QUALCOMM banners were a bit much, completely obscuring turn 2 and 3 from the stands, and the fencing in the middle of the track completely blocked any view of the cars going between turns 1 and 2 on the main straight opposite of the stands. eventually you find yourself moving around the track to find other places to stand to get a view of the cars. The stands were less than optimal to view from. Standing in the corner of turn 2 and 3 was best location on the track to non "eMotion club" race goers.

The best Racine experience and was my first race. I love it.

Overall very cool! Too many sponsor banners so couldn't see much of the track. Layout was good but VIP area took up most of the good viewing areas. Security staff was extremely rude. We were screamed at to keep moving when I was trying to capture a picture and there was no one around. Besides the staff and somewhat poor viewing areas the race was amazing! Had an awesome time in Brooklyn and would definitely come back!

The venue was brand new and amazing considering it was located in the middle of Brooklyn. The area has a close backdrop view of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan and Ellis isiand. The race was exciting, the cars were super quiet and fast and the crowd energy was electric. NYPD and PA police provided excellent security. Thank you all.

Went here after seeing a promo video with my girlfriend. Not really race fans, but we enjoyed the atmosphere and something different to try

Growing up in Brooklyn we have always spoken about having real racing in our own back yard. from rumors of drag racing at Floyd Bennett field. then there was the possibility of paul newman bringing indy cars to the area. there was some buzz of formula 1 racing through the streets of manhattan or jersey. To finally have a race series here that is looking to grow with the community is unbelievable. I'm definitely coming back every year its held in Brooklyn.

Didn't have too many activities for adults or kids.

the race was electric!! great seats and excitement at every turn. At only 43 laps the race was pretty short, but that made it more of an exciting event. less laps = less time to . get to the front!

I had a blast on that weekend! It had some organizational flaws, such as better views to the track, but being the first time ever that it happened, we can let that slide. But that wasn't a big of a deal, and the overall event was amazing! The cars are not as fast as Formula 1 for example, but are much faster than most of other racing cars out there. Can't wait for next year!!! See you soon F-E!!!!!

The FIA Formula E venue was a very well run event. The site was clean and safe although a bit cramped. The access to drivers was adequate. The fan experience would have been better if there were more things for kids seeing there were a lot of families there. The racing was excellent even though visibility in the main straight stands was obscured by the fencing. The large screen displays did keep you up to date as to the race and what was going on. My only complaint was that we did not have access to the entire course. At a road track event fans like to walk around the track to get different perspectives. At this venue we could not and to make matters worse the podium ceremony was in a secured VIP area so none of us regular people could attend it live. We also need more support racing.

It was great to see professional racing in New York City. Fantastic for the drivers to be so accessible with the autograph session. And the race was decent. Things to improve... more shade. More places to get something simple like ice cream. There was one food truck with a 45 minute wait... that's an easy one to fix. At the end of the race, there needs to be a better way to get everyone out... perhaps open an exit at the north end of the main grandstand. There was a huge bottle neck squeezing a few thousand people into a 15 foot cut out of the fence. More and bigger screens for the fans to see the parts of the race not viewable from seats.

Amazing!!!! Nothing like it in the tri-state area.

We had a blast at the 2017 Qualcomm New York City ePrix on Saturday, the first day of the event. It was beautifully set up with so much energy all around. We could easily see how much thought and preparation went into it. The shuttle buses provided were comfortable and plentiful. Walking around Allianz eVillage was so much fun, and informative, as well. The race was exciting from the practice runs to the actual race itself. Can't wait to go again next year!

Saturday: The food / stage area was just a mob scene, long lines everywhere...an hour to get a beer is just unacceptable. On the plus side: porta potties were accessible and relatively clean

Finally international racing comes to NYC. This weekend, racing fans and techies were treated to the flair of hot cars and future Motorsports. Ticketmaster offered general admission tickets for the front straight grandstands. On Saturday, I had row P, which allowed me to view the esses. On Sunday, I had row B which gave me a close look at cars entering the straight. The E village offered great food, drink and a fabulous band. Electric technology was the winner. High point was Sundays drag race of a drone vs. Formula E car. Celebrities were here in profusion, from DiCaprio, Michael Douglas and his beautiful wife Caterine Zeta. The crowd was 75 percent race fans and 25 percent techies from Google and Apple. One negative thing was that the podium was in the VIP section and we could not be there in person. Electric motorcycles and electric BMW cars showcase the future. Tesla was missing. I recommend going next year as this is the future. Oh, the Roborace car without a driver is something out of speed racer. Great time for all.

Very badly organized. Screaming staff on each step (do you really need a person next to stairs to direct people which side to take?!), extremely long queues for an event with such low visitor numbers. Grandstands were installed in most boring parts of the track, the support announcer (not the main FIA one) had not clue what she was talking about. I have been to many FIA races around the world, this is by far the worst one. International racing should stay away from United States - these people are made for Nascar.

Wow. Spectacular first event. Organizers worked very hard to ensure you had an enjoyable time.

I have been waiting my whole life to see a Car Race in person. Now I have the chance

Where to start... the event is pretty easy to get to, we just took the ferry from pier 11 to Atlantic Basin (Red Hook), it's about a 10-15mins ferry ride that drops you off at the event which was pretty convenient. We got there just as the qualifying was wrapping up. The overall vibe was pretty cool. The e-village was a lot of fun, lots of good food, fun things to do (simulators, promotional displays to look at, free give-aways, etc...). The race itself was entertaining, filled with action and fun to watch. The only reason i did not give this event 5 stars is because of the way the cars sounded. Their elec engines sound like RC cars which to me beats the purpose of good ol fashioned racing, especially since i'm a huge F1 fan! I'll definitely do it again, and i'll be interested in seeing how the sport progresses and grows. 85$ for a full day of entertainment ain't that bad!

I don't need to tell how great it is to see those cars racing in NYC - Formula E is the future and we should be hearing the noise of those electric cars more and more every single day. The event, itself, needs improvement. The grandstands are awful, you cannot seen anything besides the main stretch in front of you, both are awfully located. Better option is to walk around the track, where you can find some better spots to watch the race. For the price that the ticket has been sold, it is super expensive.

Such an incredible event! Seeing the cars driving the circuit with the backdrop of the Brooklyn waterfront was so special.

Great event. Very well organized. Obviously was put together by the pros. Location is great, plenty of parking on the street if you come early enough. Hopefully all local construction will be done by next year (assuming they will bring it back). To me, one huge negative was that with regular grand stand ticket you could not see about 70% of the track. It would be great to have grandstand options by all the turns. Instead, you are limited to only 2 grandstands overlooking straights. VIP section has its own village that blocks off most of the action, including the paddocks and start/finish. You can't get there even if you just want to stand on the other side of the track. Most of area is blocked off due to construction. So, construction workers probably had a better view from the building then me in grandstand 1. Hopefully next year they can expand the non-VIP village to circle around entire track, like at most racetracks I have seen. Drone show after race was a smash! Literally. As $10k drone smashes into the pavement into $500 chunks. I understand that real estate is limited in Brooklyn, but it's a great location and really hope they bring it back and make it bigger. Bigger walking area, more vendors, more grandstands, more ticket choices, more shaded areas, and most importantly more races. Bring F1, Indy and other. Too bad no runoffs for motorcycle races, because MotoGP would have been great for this. Bottom line, I enjoyed it, but can not compare to well established racetrack. Not bad for first ever event in Red Hook. Bring on Red Hook Motor Speedway!

Sorry to say I was disappointed I am surprised no one mentioned this - visibility from the grandstand (#2 at least) was poor - the safety fences blocked the view and prevented any decent photography of the racers as they whizzed by on the track. They need to build the grandstands HIGHER and CLOSER to the track so that we can see the racers clearly and can photograph them. As a point of reference years ago I went to a cart racing event at the Meadowlands NJ and the visibility was not an issue - enjoyed watching and photographing the race. Oh yes, I don't pay for tickets to watch the race on a big screen. I might as well stay at home for that. I walked out of the venue before the race started! VERY DISAPPOINTED. See the pix below - the view from the stairs going to the walk bridge is an example of a good view - NOT through a thick fence!

1 Location, location, location! It felt so nice to just be able to take a shuttle bus 2 blocks from my apartment rather than drive to Pocono or take Amtrak to Montreal for a change. But that s just me obviously so now for the proper commentary. 2 The event had a really mixed crowd, from racing fans to families on a day out, to what looked like office staff on a company social event. Very enthusiastic people. There was lots of conversation in the grandstand of racing people explaining tactics, drivers, and different forms of racing to the newbies. Of course you can do that in a series with no engine noise. For some around here, that seems to be a make or break issue but it doesn t bother me. All the other series I watch have plenty of noise and I'm 49. 3 The two things most agree that FE needs eliminating that are clearly visible on TV the slow speeds and car change are magnified live. The smaller tracks go a ways towards creatively reducing this, and if it gets them into big cities like NY, then I m all for it to begin with. Certainly to the many newbies in the crowd, the cars seemed plenty fast. But let s be honest: for old school race fans, the cars have to get faster each season ultimately for this series to really be important. Maybe the newbies won't care since they aren't comparing it to anything. But for me: 4 Rubbin is not racin for open-wheel cars. I think because the cars are slower, the drivers take a lot more chances. There was a lot of contact on both days that you just wouldn t see in F1 or Indy Cars because it would be too dangerous. However: 5 The drivers were very good on the track in terms of pure skill. You might see failed F1 has-beens, but I see GP2 champs and rally stars. In most respects, it was top level talent. I really enjoyed predicting/explaining Bird s pass-set up on Abt in race 1 to a family next to me. The drivers are experienced and every bit as hungry to win when the lights go out. 6 There needs to be more viewing places. I can t emphasize this enough. I know the idea is to make the place look crowded by squeezing as many people as possible into the two big public grandstands and a few visible corners. But the circuit needs to have more places to watch the race. Whole sections, including the finish line and podium area are completely inaccessible to the general public. And offer more ticket pricing options. Expensive or standing room isn't enough. 7 They need to have Indy Car-style access to the paddock and pit areas. A single hour on Sunday won t cut it. In fact, Formula 1 and NASCAR and every other series needs to do it too while I m on the subject. But if FE is really serious about cultivating a new fan base and highlight this new tech, they have a special onus. 8 Chaos at the shuttle bus stop and in the stands. The people who worked at the race were very nice and tried their best to help. But there was a lot of confusion all over the grandstands about assigned seating and also the shuttle busses taking people away after the race descended into anarchy. Buses were just stopping wherever they wanted and there would be a crazy dash to get to them. 9 The widest audience demographic I ve ever seen at a race. Everyone from senior citizens to children but especially lots of Millennials. That seems to be the demographic that every other racing series is having trouble attracting, but they were out in force in Red Hook over the weekend. 10 Brooklyn grit. Red Hook is one of the few still-working industrial districts in New York and also has a lot of artists. But it s hardly glamorous. The FE people really embraced the local vibe rather than trying to pretend they were bringing Monaco/Montreal glamor to NY. The local food trucks and restaurant stands were a nice touch - it's a shame they were charging "surge pricing" for their food though. 11 Roborace was sort of interesting, but was not a race, just a car demo that went on way way way too long. It needs more Long Beach-style events before the race starts. 12 - They gave out American flags at the beginning of the race to anyone who wanted one. They could use a full-time American driver if they are planning on keeping the USA races in the schedule. My English wife was visibly affected when they played the UK national anthem after Bird's win - which surprised me because she's an immigrant to the US and hardly a jingoist for anyone. It got me thinking that an American victor might produce similar feelings on a US race. But you've got to be in it to win it. Having said all this, I had a great time, so did my wife and our two guests from Massachusetts. We will definitely be coming back if they do another one next year.

I'm a huge anything auto race fan and I have to say I was a little disappointed in the way the event was organized. I've been going to the Indycar Grand Prix for the last 10 years and this is why I have something to compare the race too. I only went on Saturday and really couldn't see the need to go on Sunday. I think there should be more vendors and more interactions with your favorite team cars also there should be some other events to look at between races. Cars where not very visible through the barricades. All in all it was an experience and as for now not looking forward to next year but that could change if something more if there are changes.

This was by far one of the best experiences ever! It had some organizational flaws, but since its the first time ever that it happened, no big deal. The cars are just amazing and the drivers are so skilled! Not as fast as F-1, but can get the job done and super fun watching!

I had a great time. excellent seats, not a bad seat in the grandstand. plenty of food, lots of vendors, we could have used a few more ice cream trucks, very hot day. good race coverage from the commentators and video monitors throughout. Bathroom facilities were abundant. police presence and security was excellent.

My life long dream to see a professional auto race was realized when I got to see the Formula E Prix on Saturday and Sunday July 15 and July 16 The venue was first class We got free sunglasses and a bottle of water upon entering We got free re-fills of our water in the venue Lots of free giveaways including Hats The staff was kind, courterous and helpful to the fans The seating was great The day was full of activities including pratice, qualifying, racing and other events. It was a great weekend of auto racing

I am a Auto Racing Fan ....... I was glad to be part of history on the first Formula E Race Event in Brooklyn, NY .......... Loved It

The event was very well organized, music, food, all signposted, the only maloo was the transport of the organization, and qeu at the exit there were not enough buses and was not ordered for qeu out of agile and pleasant way.

I was happy to become part of the first formula-e race in NY !! Perfect weather conditions to enjoy the race, also i had the chance to meet the drivers and got autographs =) See you in 2018 Formula-e !!!

More grandstands at key points of the track would have made the views better. Was only able to purchase tickets at the straight.

From the free luxury shuttle buses running at regular intervals to/from the Barclay Center, to the free bottled water at entrance, free water filling stations throughout the venue, lots of bathrooms, and wide variety of food choices at a wide variety of prices -- it is clear the event organizers were truly dedicated to providing a great customer experience throughout the inaugural NY E-Prix. Can't wait to go next year, thanks for a great event!

Sunday final was even better than Saturday. What one has to understand is that in NYC, there will be no internal combustion engine racing. The future is green. The FIA was in a pickle, How to fill up the day. Drones, electric bikes and robotics. Sunday was the techies meet Formula one. Formula E is here to stay and will only get better. No pollution, no deafening sounds, however great racing competition. I'm a diehard racing fan since the 50s and I still enjoyed the event. My advice is to embrace the future technology and wave bye bye to the past. I'm returning next year with gusto. You should too.

The grandstand placement relative to the track is a huge liability to Formula E. Also thanks for letting me buy the best tickets in the house then moving it all around. There was a ton of action in a bundle of tight turns and pits, which were utterly separated and completely cordoned off from the spectator area, which was limited to a small snapshot at the center of two parallel runways connected by a hairpin turn at one end. Everyone was forced to focus on Formula E's largest problem as a spectator sport. No wonder nobody cares about Formula E! You put all this money into building cars that are absolutely breathtaking to look at but suffer from fundamental problems (being neither loud nor fast), then showcase them in literally the least flattering way possible to the people who will go home and tell everyone they know about how the hugely rare event went? This is a huge disappointment.

What a fun day! Every part of the experience was very enjoyable. The E-Village was full of informative displays about electric vehicles, the food truck area offered a diverse offering of foods, and the band they had playing kept things lively. The race, while short, was fun to watch, and was very exciting! We had a great view of the cars coming out of turn 10, and a good view of turns 2 and 3. The sun was all over us, which was the only downside to our seats. You could clearly hear the hum of the electric engines as the cars shot past us. I can't wait to go back.

A great event A very friendly environment from the start. The only flaw was the lack of shade on such a sunny and hot day.

My kids and I attended. We are race fans, and this was our first Formula E event. It was run very well and was a good value. Upon entering for morning practice, we were guided to the pit lane to walk by the garages both days. We even saw a few drivers, and race winner Sam Bird came out, high fived my kids, and took a picture with them. The weekend was sunny and hot, but the venue did well to provide a few shaded areas and free water from large tanks. There was variety in the food options, and the prices were reasonable for a spectator event like this. Plenty of portable restrooms, and some areas even had water stations to wash your hands. Souvenirs were also reasonably priced (especially compared to the US Grand Prix in Austin), and there was good variety. The kids went to the autograph sessions both days and got stuff signed by all the drivers, including free baseball caps given out at the race. There were plenty of cool displays and activities, though there was always a long line at the video game area. My suggestions would be to offer sunscreen for sale and to have a support race - maybe electric motorbikes or an amateur/lower tier electric car race. Also, being able to go to the podium celebration would have been the icing on the cake, but this was only open to VIP/corporate types. Lastly, the seats were along the start and on a straightaway and were just ok - would have been better to have them at a tight turn - a view of the water or city skyline would also be a bonus.

Great race , bathrooms prominently placed and water stations were a good idea.

The entire event was well organized, and provided good timing between races, qualifying, etc to get food, drinks, and use the bathroom. There could be more beverage kiosks though, as beer lines did get long.

We really enjoyed the race and the surrounding events. Food options were predictably expensive but good quality and variety. We especially liked that they used local vendors. The shuttles from the subway stops worked well for getting to the venue, but were totally unorganized for getting back from the venue to the subway. Staff allowed the buses to stop at random points, often loading from the back of the line rather than the front. The natives grew restless and some staff did not react well to this. This was on Saturday, so I trust that they improved the process for the Sunday race.

So far a once in a lifetime opportunity. I would definitely go again if they brought them back to New York City

Quiet car racing isn't car racing. And the facility and transport logistics were awful. Waste of money.

For a first time event, I thought the organization, security and staff were well done. The staff was friendly and helpful (and always could be found). The seats were great as far as viewing the race even though they were on the straightaway but near the chicane which kept it interesting. The only thing I would say was that the letters on the steps leading to the rows should be larger -- there seemed to be some confusion when it came to people finding their appropriate rows. The monitors were well-placed although the audio could have been a bit louder. It also would have been nice to meet some of the drivers in person as we do when we go to drag races - think having them ride around the track scrunched together on a truck was a bit disappointing. But -- all in all, I think it was great with possibly a few tweaks for next time. I am definitely looking forward to next year's race already!!

Enjoyed every minute of it. Seating arrangement need more specific.

Finally, after decades of discussion, we had open wheel racing in NYC. While the circuit was narrow, the racing was competitive and the Formula-e cars are striking and sleek. I was really impressed with the fans, too -- a mixture of Brooklyn hipsters, fans of international racing and other New Yorkers curious about electric cars and what they can do on the track. The whole section of the grandstand I was in stood for the first 15 laps or so and were totally enthralled with the racing, the venue and uniqueness of being part of the inaugural NY event. The FIA did an outstanding job organizing the event, especially in it's first year. There was lots to see in the fan zone, the food selection was good, and there were plenty of port-a-potties. The only criticism I have was the inadequate number of shuttle buses running between the track and public transit hubs, particularly immediately after the conclusion of the Formula-e races when most people leave. The organizers had shuttles running to and from the Barclays Center and Carroll Gardens. There simply we not enough of them running creating extended wait times during rush periods.

Very excited to see auto racing come to NYC! The organizers did a fantastic job of making their first show a success. Upon arriving Sunday and anticipating a very hot day, we were surprised to see FREE bottles of water being distributed inside the gate - with free sunglasses too. Thoughtful start to the day. Later, we found a 'neck wrap' from the Visa sponsor that allowed you to cool off even more. The Brooklyn vibe was evident with several food trucks replacing what is normally plain vendor fare -- super idea and well executed!! The beer garden was well done and had a stage with a band playing live music. :-) The fanzone featured Jaguar, BMW, DHL, VISA and several other sponsors and vendors in a nice walkable area. Race drivers did a great job of making the tight, tight track into a competitive show. Hoping they have bleacher seating at the hairpin turn after the start line as the main grandstand showed limited action. Sure, 2 large TV screens showed the action, but I could have seen that at home. The actual finish line was not at the start grid spot. What's up with that? We (Main Grandstand) were at a loss for understanding how we didn't see the finish. Getting to the venue was a mass transit event with shuttle buses running constantly since there is absolutely "0" public parking nearby. A little wait to leave for the trip to the F-train but not too bad. We'll be back for next year's race.

Fantastic. Very friendly atmosphere. The staff was very good