Pretoria, 24 April 2023 – Jaguar TCS Racing made history in Berlin with the team’s first 1-2 finish in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in race one on Saturday. Mitch Evans took his second victory in a row this season and team-mate Sam Bird finished second – achieving his third podium and highest finish of the season.
The 43-lap first race provided gripping racing from start to finish. Sam Bird lined up on the front row of the grid after making it through to the qualifying Duels finals. The Brit topped Group B with a time of 1.05.975 before going on to beat the Avalanche Andretti of Jake Dennis and the NIO 333 of Dan Ticktum but was pipped by the Jaguar-powered Envision of Sebastien Buemi in the finals.
Mitch Evans lined up P9 on the grid after he just missed out on the Duels by six-thousands of a second and finished fifth in Group A.
With the lead frequently changing in an action-packed E-Prix and in an effort to save energy, Mitch was able to carve his way through the pack, carefully avoiding the carnage along the way. Sam Bird took the lead of the race at the Tempelhof circuit on four different occasions and both drivers worked together to maximise efficiency. In total there were eight different leaders but Mitch took the chequered flag, with Sam Bird just behind him. In an energy critical race where the tow effect is strong, the Jaguar TCS Racing team executed a perfect strategy and the superior pace and efficiency of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6.
In Sunday’s race two Mitch Evans finished fourth and scored solid points for the team. Evans lined up P5 on the grid after successfully making it through to the qualifying Duels in damp conditions. He was defeated by the eventual pole sitter Robin Frijns, while teammate Sam Bird started in P11.
In another captivating and strategic race, around the 2.355km German circuit, Mitch held his position off-the-line for the first four laps. When the two ABT race cars and DS Penske’s ATTACK MODE strategies came into play, Mitch started to move up the order before taking the lead of the Berlin E-Prix on lap six. The team executed another strong energy management strategy which saw Mitch move between fourth and eighth for the majority of the race, making some impressive overtakes along the way. For the third race in a row, Mitch has demonstrated the pace of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 and scored solid points for the team.
Sam was also in a competitive position, climbing his way through the field, but was unfortunately hit from behind and forced into the car in front, damaging his front wing. The Brit pitted for a new front nose but without a safety car, Sam was unable to catch the back of the field and finished nineteenth, out of the points.
The Jaguar customer team Envision Racing celebrated their first win of the partnership. Nick Cassidy’s win marked the third Jaguar-powered win in a row this season.
Jaguar TCS Racing remains third in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship teams’ standings.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will head to the iconic street circuit in the Principality of Monaco for the ninth round on 6 May 2023.
