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Formula E to host electric racing event in Red Hook this summer

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The Formula E World Championship returns to Red Hook this summer for the 2021 NYC ePrix.
Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports

A silent array of electric racing cars will descend on Red Hook this summer, as the International Automobile Federation and Formula E announced on Thursday morning that the nabe will host a double-header event of races for the fourth time since 2017 over the course of July 10 and 11.

Formula E is a single-seater motorsport championship that resembles Formula 1 cars, but they use fully electric motors. Now in its seventh season, the fastest-growing motorsport recently gained World Championship status by the FIA.

The races will take place along the streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn adjacent to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal along the borough’s western coast where the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty provide a stunning backdrop.

New York will be the venue for Formula E’s 10th and 11th rounds of a 15-round season — which was released in full on Thursday — that has already held races in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia and Rome, Italy.

The championships will be in Valencia, Spain from April 24-25 along with Monaco and Puebla, Mexico before heading to the United States.

New York did not host Formula E last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a massive achievement by all to release the full calendar for this season,” Formula E co-founder and chief championship officer, Alberto Longo, said. “The calendar includes the most races we’ve held in one season and shows our continued commitment to create a momentum-building schedule that fans and audiences across the world will follow. Four double-header events in Puebla, New York City, London, and Berlin are going to set the scene perfectly to crown Formula E’s first official FIA World Champion.”

While Formula E has an overwhelmingly international feel similar to that of Formula 1, there is a heavy American influence to appeal to the home crowd in Brooklyn.

Two of the 12 teams — BMW i Andretti Motorsport and Dragon/Penske Autosport — are American-owned.

Fans will also see two of the most legendary names in motorsports during their debut seasons in Formula E as Mercedes and Porsche will race on American soil for the first time in the competition.