"I wish it didn't end that way" - Sam Bird bids emotional farewell to Formula E after great career

Not only has the eleventh Formula E season come to an end, but probably also the long career of an electric evergreen: Sam Bird. Due to the withdrawal of the McLaren team, the 38-year-old probably contested his last of a total of 143 Formula E races on Sunday. Bird was emotional in London - also because things didn't go as he had hoped at the end in sporting terms.

Bird retired already on Saturday and wept bitterly in the so-called media pen (interview area for journalists). His former Virgin team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne took him in his arms and comforted him.

We did not speak to him in this emotional situation and therefore quote from the McLaren press release: "The result is a hard one to swallow after what I thought was a really strong race and a brilliant strategy from the team. To come away empty handed is very disappointing."

And things didn't go much better on what was supposed to be his last Formula E race day, even though things looked good for him at first: "The race was going quite well. I worked my way to 7th place", Bird explained to e-Formula.news.

"Then I had a tiny contact with Robin (Frijns) when fighting. It meant that I broke my steering. No other damage, it just didn't stand and that was the end."

"I didn't want it to end"

In response to our question as to whether the retirement at the London E-Prix was also the end of his career, Bird replied: "In Formula E, maybe. You can't say definitely, but it looks that way." The Brit had already told us in Berlin that he was looking for a new cockpit, but had not been successful by then. This has not changed in the past two weeks.

Before the final race, many fellow drivers had already gathered around Bird to take a farewell group photo with him and pay their respects to their esteemed colleague. "We'll miss you bud", wrote compatriot Jake Dennis in an Instagram story. And at the end-of-season party at the Emotion Club on Sunday evening, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds also invited him on stage - a standing ovation for Bird!

"It has been a heck of a ride in the past eleven years," he remembers. "I was there from the very beginning, I have seen this whole thing grow. I have competed against some of the best teams and drivers. I loved it and I didn't want it to end. I wish it didn't end that way."

Wins in New York, Sao Paulo & Putrajaya stand out for Bird

Nevertheless, Bird can be proud of himself. "I've won a few big races and scored a lot of podiums. The first two wins in New York were really fun. The win (with McLaren in Sao Paulo) last year was a big one. And my win in Putrajaya - in the second Formula E race ever. I've had so many great races and I'm grateful for everything."

Bird took a total of twelve victories in Formula E (4th place in the perpetual leaderboard), 27 podiums (5th place), six pole positions (10th place) and 13 fastest race laps (record!). With 916 points, he is the fifth most successful driver in history. Even though Samuel Jamie Bird was unable to win a title, the little man from Roehampton is one of the greatest drivers in Formula E.