Sam Bird back to his best

Sam Bird has been a frontline Formula E star since the series’ inception, but endured a difficult season last term. But he bounced back in emphatic fashion on Friday as season six got underway at the dusty Ad Diriyah circuit.

The Envision Virgin Racing driver started only fifth, as Sims took his second Formula E pole position for BMW following his maiden achievement at the New York season-five finale in July.

But savvy use of the series’ novel attack mode, which allows drivers to pick up more power by triggering an energy boost in a special activation zone, allowed Bird to carve his way to the front.

He closed in on Stoffel Vandoorne, who drives for the new Mercedes squad this season, as the Belgian threatened Sims for the lead. Vandoorne made a lunge down the inside of the BMW entry, made contact but scrabbled past. The moment allowed Bird to take advantage and move up to second, as Sims dropped from the lead to third place in one corner.

Now Bird made his bid for the lead with a clean pass on Vandoorne. He survived a late-race stoppage and restart to take the win ahead of Porsche’s Andre Lotterer, Vandoorne and British e.dams Nissan driver Oliver Rowland.

“It was the power of the beard that did that!,” said a hirsute Bird on the slow-down lap. “The team have done a great job in the off-season. Well done, team.”