NEOM McLaren driver Sam Bird has described his Sao Paulo E-Prix victory as ‘incredible’ and is thrilled to have secured the team’s first triumph in Formula E.
The 37-year-old Briton sealed one of the most dramatic victories in Formula E history with a stunning final-lap move on former team-mate Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) to cross the chequered flag first. It was his first victory since signing for the team and the first for NEOM McLaren since its strategic partnership in 2022.
Bird said: “It is extra special and incredible. I’m very pleased for the whole team and means the world to everyone. This team was started from scratch at the beginning of Season 9 and last year, McLaren didn’t have the season that they wanted.
“We wanted it a bit more challenging and we set ourselves some goals this year. One of them was to get more podiums and I felt that was a realistic target. I was not expecting any wins this year but this shows how much progress we have made this year.”
Bird joined NEOM McLaren at the start of Season 10 with Sao Paulo only being his fourth race after the Mexico and Diriyah in Saudi Arabia rounds. And he had nothing but praise for his colleagues and the progress they are making as a team.
He added: “I am so impressed with the development of NEOM McLaren. I have seen a team that has been transformed and one that has so much grit and determination to succeed. When you start something from scratch, it can take a bit of time and I’m happy to be part of this team and help them grow into becoming a podium and race-winning Formula E team.”
The next race in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is the 2024 Tokyo E-Prix on Saturday 30th March.
