After two years of total domination by Mercedes, a team leaving Formula E for Season 9, Jaguar Racing wants to break into the top of the standings and win the team and driver titles.
Mitch Evans and Sam Bird will be in charge of the team’s Gen3 cars, which will take to the track for the first time on Saturday, January 14 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.
The “Jaguar I-TYPE 6” single-seater will make its debut as the all-electric racing series begins its exciting new phase, which encompasses new technical, sporting and financial regulations. The new Formula E race car is billed as the fastest, lightest and most efficient to date.
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Experience Behind the Wheel
Evans and Bird are no strangers to the race track, the former already triumphed in 2020 and the latter achieved a podium and significant points in previous visits to Mexican territory.
This year, the drivers will have to put their skills into practice on the long straights, challenging corners and the new chicane section through the now famous Foro Sol stadium.
“Last season was the most successful season in Formula E, so I’m building on that momentum to start this season and focus on getting a positive result in the first round,” Evans said in the lead-up to the opening round.
He stressed that he has very good memories of his victory three years ago in Mexico City, so he feels ready to start the season with great motivation.
For his part, Bird expressed his excitement for the great atmosphere that the fans always provide in the Mexican capital. “I remember hearing the cheers of the crowd through my helmet, there’s nothing like it. I’m ready to put on a show and get the season off to the best possible start.”
Management Confidence
From the top brass at Jaguar Racing, they have put together a squad that may be capable of fighting for the top spots in the debut of the Gen3 era of the electric single-seater series.
James Barclay, Jaguar Racing Director, noted that having come so close to the title in 2022 has given them the motivation to take on the new campaign.
“With our experienced team; Mitch, Sam and the new Gen3 Jaguar I-TYPE 6, we certainly have an exciting season ahead of us against world-class opposition. With so much to learn about the new cars, the new race format and Hankook tires, this first race in Mexico will be about being as prepared as possible and ready to adapt,” he stressed.
In the same line, Phil Charles, Jaguar’s Technical Manager, stated that Mexico’s scenario represents a great challenge from the fans’ point of view, as well as from the weather conditions.
“While ambient temperatures are not forecast to be particularly high for this visit, the addition of the chicane on the back straight means that the tires don’t have much time to cool down during the lap,” he explained.
Charles added that the high-speed final corner represents one of the most challenging throughout the season, so setups, systems and controllers must be fully synchronized to perform well in Mexico City.
