POLE POSITION, FASTEST LAP AND FIRST PLACE FINISH FOR MITCH EVANS AND JAGUAR TCS RACING

15 July 2023

  • Mitch Evans took his third win of the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the Hankook Rome E‑Prix
  • The Kiwi achieved his second Pole Position and second TAG Heuer Fastest Lap of the season in his Jaguar I‑TYPE 6
  • Front row lock‑out for Jaguar TCS Racing in the Italian capital
  • Sam Bird retired from the race after a multi car incident that resulted in a red flag and race stoppage. The British driver was fortunately unharmed
  • Mitch moves up to third in the drivers’ standings, closing the gap to the championship leaders with Sam remaining in ninth
  • Jaguar TCS Racing remain third in the teams’ standings but again closed the points gap
  • Round 14 of the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be back on the streets of Rome tomorrow, 16 July 2023

Mitch Evans took his third win of the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on the streets of Rome for Jaguar TCS Racing. The Kiwi stood on the top step of the podium in the eternal city for the fourth time in his and Jaguar’s Formula E history. 

Jaguar TCS Racing took their second ever front row lock‑out, after Mitch Evans took Pole position, adding three valuable points to his championship campaign. The Kiwi came first in qualifying group B, before defeating Edoardo Mortara in the quarter‑final qualifying Duels and Sébastien Buemi in the semi‑finals. Sam Bird also made it through to the Duels and the two Jaguar teammates faced each other in the final, Sam ultimately lined up in second place. 

In the opening laps of the race, Mitch and Sam rotated for the lead, with a solid strategy in place. Sam was having a strong race and was in contention for a solid points result until he lost control of his Jaguar I‑TYPE 6 in the high‑speed turn 6 corner. The resulting accident retired Sam from the race and caused a red flag race stoppage with multiple cars involved in the aftermath. Sam was assessed and checked over by the FIA medical team and is thankfully uninjured. 

When the race restarted, Mitch continued from his position in second place, fighting for the lead with Sacha Fenestraz who eventually dropped back. Jake Dennis overtook Mitch on lap 15, taking the lead. In the latter stages of the race Dennis had to drop back to manage a lower energy target, which gave Mitch the opportunity to pass and pull clear, creating a gap to the rest of the field.  

Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy came through to finish in second place, resulting in a Jaguar powertrain 1‑2 – a strong result on the streets of Rome that showcased the competitive performance of the Jaguar I‑TYPE 6. 

Jaguar TCS Racing remain third in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship teams’ standings, closing the gap to the leaders. 

POLE POSITION, FASTEST LAP AND FIRST PLACE FINISH FOR MITCH EVANS AND JAGUAR TCS RACING

Our fourth win here in Rome under intense pressure is a fantastic achievement for the team. Pole position, fastest lap and the win for Mitch is as good as it can get, and a very rare achievement at this level. The day started well with our second ever front row lock‑out in qualifying and at this point in the championship with four races to go and with the pressure on, I’m incredibly proud of all the team. Most important though is that Sam and the other drivers involved in the accident that stopped the race are okay. Credit goes to the FIA, the team and all suppliers who continue to push the safety aspect of these race cars alongside performance. Our focus now shifts to repair Sam’s car and to build on today’s great performance.

James Barclay
Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal

Firstly I’m glad that all the drivers involved in today’s accident are okay and walked away uninjured. For me personally, it’s been a massive day, securing the maximum points is really positive for both the drivers’ and the teams’ championship campaign. We are hoping tomorrow will see similar results, so we can further close the gap to the drivers and teams’ ahead. We know how unpredictable this championship will be, but we will give it everything.

Mitch Evans
Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #9

A small oversteer today resulted in a big consequence, and of course I’m disappointed. Luckily, I am uninjured as are the other drivers involved, it could have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for the safety of the car. The team will be working hard to fix my car tonight, and I’m hoping tomorrow will be a better day.

Sam Bird
Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #10

Further information

For further information about Jaguar TCS Racing, please contact:   

Ella Seager, Senior PR and Communications Officer, Jaguar TCS Racing   

Tel: (+44) 7764 377554  

Email: eseager@jaguarlandrover.com 

 

Emily Hogg, Global PR and Communications Manager, Jaguar TCS Racing  

Tel: +44 (0) 7384 532 605  

Email: ehogg2@jaguarlandrover.com   

Notes to Editors

ABOUT JAGUAR TCS RACING  

Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first luxury manufacturer to join the all‑electric ABB FIA Formula E Championship street racing series. In season eight, Mitch Evans finished as runner‑up in the drivers’ standings – his most successful result in Jaguar TCS Racing’s Formula E campaign.  

Formula E is a real‑world test bed for Jaguar with its journey to becoming an all‑electric luxury brand from 2025. Jaguar TCS Racing’s goal is to ‘Reimagine Racing’ and together the team will test, develop, learn and collaborate, sharing insights across JLR which will benefit future road car development. Specifically, learnings and technology transfer from Formula E will help ‘Reimagine” the Jaguar brand coinciding with the company’s commitment to the Gen3 era of Formula E.  

2023 is the first year for the teams to be racing with the Gen3 car, the world’s first net zero race car.   

As an official manufacturer team in Formula E, Jaguar TCS Racing designs its own powertrain, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter, and rear suspension. Jaguar, via its long‑term Formula E technical partner Williams Advanced Engineering, will supply Envision Racing with its powertrain for the Gen3 era.  

To control costs, the carbon fibre chassis and battery are common components and the same for all eleven teams. This allows the focus to be on developing efficient and lightweight electric vehicle powertrains which will improve the performance and range of future JLR electric vehicles.  

Teams have two race cars, one per driver, which will be used for the full race distance.   

Beyond its all‑electric concept, Formula E is unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of venues. The 2023 championship takes place on temporary street circuits in the centre of the world’s major cities including Mexico City, Diriyah and Rome, with new locations including Hyderabad, Cape Town, and São Paulo. The season finale plays out across a double‑header race weekend in London.   

In 2022, Jaguar TCS Racing finished fourth in the teams' standings with seven podiums, four wins, one pole position, one fastest lap and 231 points scored – the team’s biggest points haul to date. New Zealander, Mitch Evans finished last season as runner‑up with Sam Bird finishing thirteenth overall in the drivers’ standings.  

Formula E remains a key priority for JLR and the company’s Reimagine strategy. As the premier all‑electric world championship, Formula E allows us to test and develop new electric vehicle technologies in a high‑performance environment. It continues to be the test bed for our Race to Innovate mission that will see Race to Road and Road to Race learnings that will help shape our electric future – a future that Jaguar is passionate about, and dedicated to for the benefit of our society, the changing landscape of mobility, sustainability and our clients.   

Through our Race to Inspire mission, Jaguar TCS Racing are committed to inspiring the future generation by using the race programme to create a positive impact on our planet and the communities in which we race. From competing in the world’s first net carbon race car to supporting and training the next generation of engineers and motorsport professionals.  

For more information, visit www.jaguar.com   

About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)  

TCS is an IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization that has been digitally transforming many of the world's largest businesses for over 50 years. A long‑standing strategic technology partner of Jaguar Land Rover, TCS is committed to leveraging innovative digital technology to help the race team accelerate their electrification journey, win races, and create a more sustainable future. TCS believes that global sports sponsorships with purpose can spark change and positively impact our communities. A part of the Tata Group, TCS has more than 616,000 consultants in 55 countries.