Yahoo Autos Evans looking to double down for Jaguar as Formula E season doubles up
Mitch Evans is entering the second half of the Formula E season on a high note after a perfectly timed victory in the Monaco E-Prix two weeks ago. Now he’s hoping he can carry the momentum of that victory forward as he seeks a first title in the series.
Coming into the season, the Jaguar TCS Racing driver was a championship favorite for many, but didn’t notch up a first win until Round 8 of 16. Now, on the eve of the Berlin E-Prix, which kicks off the second half of the year, Evans is hoping that Monaco win can be a sign of things to come as he looks to put a “a really strange start to the year” behind him.
“The win came at a really good time — obviously doing it in Monaco is extra-special, but from a championship perspective, I really needed a win like that at that time of the season,” he told RACER. “I would’ve preferred it to come earlier — I was close in Sao Paulo — but I’ve just had a really strange start to the year.
“Hopefully it puts us in a good place, performance-wise, to continue our form that we had in Monaco. The tracks now are all completely different to that so we’re going to have to keep on top of (things) on the performance side.
“I’m feeling good. It was good to get that win, it takes a little bit of relief out of our bodies, but it’s now crunch time in the season so we’re shifting focus onto that.”
Unlike the start first half of the season, the second is comprised of only doubleheaders, with events in Shanghai, Portland, and the UK in addition to this week’s races in Berlin filling out the remaining eight rounds of the calendar. It’s not something Evans is particularly fond of.
“I’ve never really been a fan of doubleheaders,” he admitted. “I like that single event, grand prix style, when you focus on that one race and then you go onto the next one. I think it’s just a little bit fairer because if a powertrain’s dominant in one location, they get two stabs at it and sometimes it’s difficult to turn things around over the course of a doubleheader.
“We’ll have to wait and see. I hope it plays out, but if I had my own way, I’d rather have eight different locations.”
Of the four stops on the schedule left, Evans feels that there will be an even split of tracks that will benefit Jaguar’s package and that won’t, with the temporary courses playing more into the team’s hands.
“Hopefully here (Berlin) and I think London will definitely suit us,” he said. “Portland and China are probably more my concerns — those types of tracks don’t tend to suit our package as much.”
Monaco breakthrough was a relief for Evans (at left) as well as a step ahead of Jaguar TCS Racing teammate Cassidy, who figures to be among his strongest rivals in the title race. Sam Bagnall/Motorsport Images
Another thing Evans will have to juggle in the championship run-in is his relationship with teammate Nick Cassidy. After the Monaco race, Evans hailed Cassidy, saying “I really appreciate the team player he was today.” But with both still firmly in the championship fight, could it lead to an intra-team conflict? Evans doesn’t think so.
“At this time of the season we’re both in with a shot of the title so it’s too early to be putting any eggs in the one basket,” he said. “Hopefully we both are in with a good shot come London, but it will be up to me and him to manage and the team to manage. But as long as it’s fair between both of us, if one of us is out of contention come the end, you kind of expect some sort of help.
“It’s a good problem to have.”
