Jaguar TCS Racing gets double-points in 2nd Diriyah E-prix race

Pretoria, 31 January 2023: Jaguar TCS Racing left the Diriyah double-header fifth in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship after a podium finish and valuable points placings in both heats.

Jaguar TCS Racing: Weekend results

Sam Bird secured a third-place podium on his 100th race in Formula E in Race 1 on Friday. The Brit also topped the times in Free Practice 1 and made it through to the Qualifying Duels.

Under the lights of Saudi Arabia, Bird lined up third on the grid after making it through to the semi-finals of the Qualifying Duels. On the seventh lap of the 39-lap race, Sam made a decisive overtake on Sébastien Buemi to take the lead of the Diriyah E-Prix. The British driver held the lead of the race for 23 laps, strongly defending from the Porsche of Pascal Wehrlein and showing the pace of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6, before he slipped back into second place. With five laps to go, Jake Dennis was able to clinch second place, leaving Sam to round out the podium positions.

Mitch Evans also made it through to the Qualifying Duels but was eliminated by Jaguar-powered Envision Racing’s Sébastien Buemi in the quarter-finals. He lined up sixth on the grid on the Diriyah street circuit. The Kiwi had a challenging race but took the chequered flag in eighth position. Mitch was issued a five-second time penalty for causing a collision in the opening lap of the race, meaning he finishes tenth overall to secure an additional point.

Jaguar TCS Racing also achieved a double-points finish in in Saturday’s Race 2 with Sam Bird securing the fastest lap to cross the line fourth, narrowly missing out on a consecutive podium. Teammate Mitch Evans finished seventh – taking his third consecutive points finish of the season.

ALSO READ: Nissan Formula E Team in the points at Diriyah E-Prix

Mitch Evans lined up in second place on the front row of the grid after a successful qualifying session saw him make it through to the final of the Duels. The day started well with Mitch topping the Free Practice 3 times and qualifying group B before defeating Eduardo Mortara and René Rast in the knock-out stages. The Kiwi took the lead of the Diriyah E-Prix off the start line, getting in front of the McLaren of Jake Hughes after the first corner. The 28-year-old led the race for five laps before taking his ATTACK MODE and losing two places to the two McLarens. He dropped back down the pack after over consuming energy while leading the race. Running in sixth position, Mitch was up on energy on the cars ahead but Hughes’ ran out of energy in the final corner, blocking the Jaguar driver at the chequered flag allowing Buemi to overtake, leaving Mitch to take seventh.

Sam Bird narrowly missed out on the Duels and lined up in ninth position in the second Saudi night race. In the action-packed Diriyah E-Prix, Sam carved his way through the pack, showing his talent and experience in Formula E and making four impressive overtakes. With an energy rich Jaguar I-TYPE 6 and a great race strategy from the team, Sam had the potential to move further forward but a late safety car halted his progress. Sam battled with René Rast but narrowly missed out on the final podium place. He secured an additional point for taking the fastest lap of the E-Prix.

ALSO READ: Maserati MSG Racing rises from challenging first race in Diriyah

Sam Bird is now fourth in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship drivers’ standings, while Mitch Evans moves up to ninth.

Team quotes

“Firstly well done to Sam on a great weekend, he is back on the form we know he is capable of. A podium yesterday, fourth today and the fastest lap shows his talent but also the pace and efficiency of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6. Mitch demonstrated he is getting to grips with the Gen3 car with fantastic Practice and Qualifying sessions. Together we had high expectations for the race but leading the pack isn’t always the best place to be in Diriyah and towing the rest of the field around cost us energy which meant we had to drop back to try and regain. The result wasn’t a fair reflection of Mitch and our car’s pace and getting caught behind the McLaren running out of energy in the last two corners was the last of a series of unfortunate circumstances. As a team we learn on the harder days and today we have some things to improve on and homework to take away. We know we have strong pace, a fast race car and great efficiency and we aim to build on this for Hyderabad.”

James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal

“I had a good start on both days and have had good pace all weekend but it still hasn’t worked out the way we wanted it to. It’s not flowed for me this weekend and I have often been in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’ll go away, look at the data and move onto the next race.”

Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #9

“I’m incredibly happy with the pace of the car and that I was able to secure the fastest lap in Diriyah but there was a podium on offer today. We had great efficiency but after the safety car, the race became a flat-out sprint which makes it really challenging to overtake. We’ve learned a lot this weekend and now onto one of our home races in Hyderabad.”

Sam Bird, Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #10

The fourth round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship takes place in Hyderabad, India for the first time on Saturday 11 February. The fifth round of the World Championship is scheduled to take place in Cape Town, South Africa on 25 February.

Published by Jaguar South Africa on MotorPress

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