Electric Car Racing Event Coming to Red Hook in 2017

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — Marrakesh. Monaco. Buenos Aires. Paris. Why not Red Hook?

The FIA Formula E Championship, an electric race car competition which has already held events in the above far-flung locales, will be coming to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in July, 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) announced Wednesday.

Initial plans call for a 1.21 mile track that will wend its way through both Pier 11 and the Terminal in a two-race event to be known as the New York City ePrix. The city says the cars will stay off of the streets so as to limit disruption to the community.

The proposed race course. Image courtesy of the Mayor's Office

According to the city, Formula E will invest "millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements" at the Terminal.

EDC spokesman Anthony Hogreby said that while the details of that investment are still being worked out, it could involve "resurfacing of the lots, installing protective barriers, and creating new vehicular and pedestrian access to the site."

Furthermore, Formula E will aim to hire local workers to staff the event, Hogreby said, while the city will try to provide area companies with associated vending and hospitality work.

And according to the spokesman, Formula E wants to find ways to connect the race to New York schools so students can learn engineering lessons associated with the vehicles and participate in the event.

Top image courtesy of the Mayor's Office and the NYCEDC