Bird expects Formula E to soar ahead of Rome E-Prix

After starting his Jaguar Racing career in fine fashion in Saudi Arabia in February, Sam Bird cannot wait for Formula E’s return to action this weekend in Rome.

Bird, 34, marked his first weekend as a Jaguar driver with a victory in Race Two in Diriyah, the perfect start to the 2021 campaign following an off-season move from Envision Virgin, his home of six years.

The victory ensured the Englishman remains the only driver to have won a race in all seven of Formula E’s seasons and has left him even more excited for the rest of the year, starting with back-to-back E-Prix in Rome.

Building momentum

Speaking exclusively to LiveScore, Bird said: "I’ve wanted to get going for five weeks now, ever since Diriyah.

"It was a big weekend. To get that first win for Jaguar Racing was always going to be a very special occasion. To continue the winning streak is always very nice and to get my 10th win was nice as well. 

"All in all, Diriyah worked out pretty well. It’s laid a nice foundation to try and gain a bit of momentum in the championship and consolidate our decent start.

"It would be nice to get two top five or top six finishes in Rome. Anything more than that, I would be very happy with. 

"Obviously I want to win and I won’t be satisfied with anything less. But there are times you have to go ‘I am building something here, I’m trying to build some momentum’ and top five, or six of both races would be job done."

Stamp of approval

Bird’s focus is on the races in the Italian capital where he won the inaugural Rome E-Prix in 2018, but he’s also a Formula E lifer, having been on the grid in 2014 when the lights went out for the first time.

Always keen to shout from the rooftops about the sport and the excitement it provides, Bird is thrilled that the 2021 campaign is the first to have official FIA world championship status bestowed on it.

He added: "It’s amazing! The fact that it’s a bonafide, official world championship event is very, very good for the championship, it’s great for all us drivers and it’s good for the manufacturers.

"It attracts a new audience, larger sponsors, bigger revenues — it’s a big deal for all of us. The prestige of winning a world championship is very special and something that this champion, whoever that may be, nobody can take that away from us. 

"You are an official world champion."

New audience

For the seven Brits on the grid this weekend, Saturday’s race holds extra significance with it being shown live on BBC Two — Sunday's will be available online and via the red button.

With a more level playing field than F1 and races only taking 45 minutes plus one lap, Bird knows the British public won’t be disappointed if they tune in for the first time this weekend.

He said: "It’ll be extremely exciting for everyone involved and I guarantee that if you sit down on Saturday afternoon to watch Formula E, you’ll be entertained for 45 minutes.

"The close proximity that we race in — we are nose to tail pretty much throughout — makes for pretty entertaining races and some pretty cool overtaking. 

"The closeness of the field makes it so intense. And because we’re on street circuits every time, it make it a very watchable sport, that’s for sure."

Exciting future

That drama coupled with the continued improvement in the technology that powers the electric cars leaves Bird excited for what the future holds.

He added: "I want to say the sky is the limit. There is a limit to everything but really this sport is still growing and everything is getting better and better.

"The cars are improving, and every four or five years when the next generation of cars come out, it’s always a lot quicker.

"People’s attention span has waned substantially with social media and stuff. 45 minutes plus a lap is enough time to sit down, watch something fun and entertaining that is a sporting activity — it’s one half of football. 

"And in that amount of time everything is going on – I mean everything. The recipe of Formula E is the right recipe for us to attract new — and old — fans.

"Honestly, who knows where we’re going to be in 10 years’ time? It’s very exciting."

Race coverage in the UK will begin on Saturday at 2.45pm BST on BBC2 and continue on Sunday at 2.45pm on the BBC red button service. Qualifying and race coverage will also be available on the BBC iPlayer and website.