Pretoria, 31 January 2023: Jaguar TCS Racing left the Diriyah double-header fifth in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship after a podium end and invaluable factors placings in each heats.
Jaguar TCS Racing: Weekend outcomes
Sam Bird secured a third-place podium on his one centesimal race in Formula E in Race 1 on Friday. The Brit additionally topped the instances in Free Practice 1 and made it by way of to the Qualifying Duels.
Under the lights of Saudi Arabia, Bird lined up third on the grid after making it by way of 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 displaying the tempo of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6, earlier than he slipped again into second place. With 5 laps to go, Jake Dennis was in a position to clinch second place, leaving Sam to spherical out the rostrum positions.
Mitch Evans additionally made it by way of to the Qualifying Duels however was eradicated by Jaguar-powered Envision Racing’s Sébastien Buemi in the quarter-finals. He lined up sixth on the grid on the Diriyah avenue circuit. The Kiwi had a difficult race however took the chequered flag in eighth place. Mitch was issued a five-second time penalty for inflicting a collision in the opening lap of the race, that means he finishes tenth total to safe a further level.
Jaguar TCS Racing additionally achieved a double-points end in in Saturday’s Race 2 with Sam Bird securing the quickest lap to cross the road fourth, narrowly lacking out on a consecutive podium. Teammate Mitch Evans completed seventh – taking his third consecutive factors end of the season.
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Mitch Evans lined up in second place on the entrance row of the grid after a profitable qualifying session noticed him make it by way of to the ultimate of the Duels. The day began properly with Mitch topping the Free Practice 3 instances and qualifying group B earlier than defeating Eduardo Mortara and René Rast in the knock-out levels. The Kiwi took the lead of the Diriyah E-Prix off the beginning line, getting in entrance of the McLaren of Jake Hughes after the primary nook. The 28-year-old led the race for 5 laps earlier than taking his ATTACK MODE and shedding two locations to the 2 McLarens. He dropped again down the pack after over consuming vitality whereas main the race. Running in sixth place, Mitch was up on vitality on the automobiles forward however Hughes’ ran out of vitality in the ultimate nook, blocking the Jaguar driver on the chequered flag permitting Buemi to overhaul, leaving Mitch to take seventh.
Sam Bird narrowly missed out on the Duels and lined up in ninth place in the second Saudi evening race. In the action-packed Diriyah E-Prix, Sam carved his manner by way of the pack, displaying his expertise and expertise in Formula E and making 4 spectacular overtakes. With an vitality wealthy Jaguar I-TYPE 6 and an ideal race technique from the group, Sam had the potential to maneuver additional ahead however a late security automobile halted his progress. Sam battled with René Rast however narrowly missed out on the ultimate podium place. He secured a further level for taking the quickest lap of the E-Prix.
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Sam Bird is now fourth in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship drivers’ standings, whereas Mitch Evans strikes as much as 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 spherical of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship takes place in Hyderabad, India for the primary time on Saturday 11 February. The fifth spherical of the World Championship is scheduled to happen in Cape Town, South Africa on 25 February.
Published by Jaguar South Africa on MotorPress
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