- Mitch Evans storms from 16th to fourth in Uruguay
- Jaguar I‑TYPE 2 shows competitive pace in qualifying and race
- Panasonic Jaguar Racing team work keeps Mitch and Nelson on track and in fourth position in the team standings
Punta del Este, Uruguay, Saturday 17 March 2018: Panasonic Jaguar Racing raced to another fourth place finish in the ABB FIA Formula E Punta del Este E‑Prix showing the team’s continuous improvement since entering the electric street racing series.
A rollercoaster qualifying session saw Mitch Evans go through to his second super pole shoot out of the season with the third fastest time. Team mate Nelson Piquet Jr suffered damage to his car after hitting one of the circuit’s unforgiving walls. In super pole, Mitch put his Jaguar I‑TYPE 2 third quickest before a technical infringement pushed him back to 16th on the starting grid.
Both Nelson and Mitch made encouraging starts to the race, moving forward together, before a safety car on lap five paused progress. Unfortunately, Nelson suffered a technical issue shortly after and had to retire before the end of the race.
Showcasing his determination, raw‑pace and instinct for overtaking, Mitch was soon into the top ten and by lap eighteen he was well‑placed for more points. Following a quick pit stop he sat sixth with less than fifteen laps remaining. He completed one of the overtaking moves of the day, on the inside of Alex Lynn at the daunting turn 13 to cross the line in fourth.
As the British team head back to Europe for the first Rome E‑Prix Mitch has moved up to sixth in the driver standings. Nelson remains one place higher in fifth.
James Barclay, Team Director Panasonic Jaguar Racing: “Finishing fourth after a challenging day is reward for a lot of hard work. The Jaguar I‑TYPE 2 can race at the sharp end of the grid we were just unlucky with Mitch’s penalty. We paid a big price for a very small infringement but the rules are clear. Starting sixteenth and finishing fourth is phenomenal and shows that as a team we are capable of more for the rest of the season. We’ll take the positives, look forward to Rome and competiting for more points in Europe. ”
Mitch Evans, #20: “After starting out of position with the penalty and starting towards the back it was a really good recovery. It’s a little bit frustrating as we could have pushed the guys at the front if we started up there but it gives us confidence for the rest of the season. It was a sprint race today and I enjoyed racing hard. Unfortunately not a podium but we’re looking forward to Rome and we’ll give it our best.”
Nelson Piquet Jr, #3: “Qualifying was going well until I kissed the wall. I made a decent start in the race but then after contact I had an broken driveshaft . I’d like to thank all the team who worked very very hard to get the car together for the race after qualifying, they did an amazing job. With so much potential we go to the European leg of the series with a great deal of optimisim.”
On Saturday 14 April Panasonic Jaguar Racing will race in Rome for the first time in Formula E’s history.
FanBoost opens for the sixth E‑Prix of the season at 13:00 GMT on Monday 9 April and closes 15:10 GMT on Saturday 14 April.
Tweet your boost using #MitchEvans or #NelsonPiquetJr and #FanBoost, or visit: http://fanboost.fiaformulae.com/
Further information
For further information about Panasonic Jaguar Racing, please contact:
Adrian Atkinson, Global PR Manager, Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Email: aatkins5@jaguarlandrover.com
Notes to Editors
ABOUT PANASONIC JAGUAR RACING
Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first premium manufacturer to join the all‑electric FIA Formula E Championship street racing series.
Jaguar’s Formula E programme will create tangible R&D benefits for the electrification of future Jaguar Land Rover road cars and is designed around the team’s founding principle, ‘Race to Innovate’.
Manufacturers can design their own powertrain, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension. Common components across all teams to control costs include the carbon fibre chassis and battery. The focus is on developing electric vehicle powertrains.
Beyond its all‑electric concept, Formula E is unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of venues. With the exception of the Mexico E‑Prix, every round of the championship takes place on temporary street circuits in the centre of the world’s major cities. All track action including practice, qualifying and racing takes place in a single day. Beginning on December 2, the 2017/18 calendar includes 12 races in 10 cities, including double‑header races in Hong Kong and the finale in New York.
