JAGUAR ROAR BACK TO DOMINATE THE PODIUM IN FIRST FORMULA E RACE IN BRAZIL – 2023 JULIUS BAER SÃO PAULO E-PRIX REPORT
Mitch Evans claims first win of the season for Jaguar TCS Racing in first-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in Brazil
Sam Bird joins teammate Evans on the podium with third place in 2023 Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix
Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy claims second place putting a prowl of Jaguar powertrains on the podium
Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) led home a one-two-three for the Jaguar powertrain, with Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) and Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing) crossing the line together. The trio finished just half a second apart to close out an enthralling inaugural Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix in front of more than 23,000 passionate motorsport fans.
It was a flat out push to the finish at the rapid 11-turn São Paulo Street Circuit, with Evans managing to navigate his way through constant position changes through the pack to take the chequered flag first from third on the grid. The New Zealander took the initiative and the race lead from his compatriot Cassidy as the race headed into laps added-on following multiple safety car incidents.
His move on Lap 32 proved to be decisive, with neither Cassidy nor Evans’ teammate Bird able to undo the leader’s defensive driving – despite Bird having collected a couple of extra percentage points of usable energy during his climb from 10th on the grid at the start. Cassidy had led the race more than once but will be more than satisfied to score three consecutive podiums for the first time in his Formula E career.
Defending world champion Stoffel Vandoorne (DS PENSKE) started in Julius Baer Pole Position and led the way early on, fending off António Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) during the first round of ATTACK MODE activations until the race reached its half-way stage.
The lead was almost impossible to track on Lap 14 with three or four changes over that tour alone and Cassidy coming out on top.
But Vandoorne would end up sixth after struggling for usable energy from his time at the front. Da Costa had slipped to fourth and briefly made designs on the podium but wound up settling just outside the podium positions. Jean-Éric Vergne (DS PENSKE) headed his teammate home for an eventual fifth spot.
Standings leader Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) had it all to do from 18th on the grid and managed to slice his way through the pack to 7th position at the chequered flag with Jake Hughes (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team) finishing eighth, just ahead of teammate René Rast in ninth and with Sébastien Buemi (Envision Racing) rounding out the top 10. Meanwhile, Jake Dennis(Avalanche Andretti Formula E) suffered another non-finish after contact from Dan Ticktum’s NIO 333 saw his 99X Electric shoved into Wehrlein’s Porsche.
Wehrlein maintains his Drivers’ World Championship lead on 86pts from Dennis with 62pts, while Cassidy moves into third just a point behind the Brit. TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team heads Envision Racing 144pts to 103pts with Jaguar TCS Racing third on 83pts.
Mitch Evans, No. 9, Jaguar TCS Racing, said:
“This has come at the perfect time. We had a tough start but the car has been quick so to finally get the victory and some points is incredible. A Jaguar 1-2-3. Nick pushed me all the way – we pushed each other – both teams executed brilliantly. This is down to a lot of hard work, there is a lot of graft that goes in with simulations, to try and put these races together regarding strategy is not easy. I wouldn’t have wanted it much closer than that.
“We obviously thought about track position and where you want to be at certain phases in the races. I had a good energy advantage from quite early on, but it was just about trying to find the right time to use the energy advantage. I thought I maybe went a bit too early, once Nick got behind me he was able to accumulate some energy and he was able to stick to my toe, but we got the victory so we obviously managed to do the right job. Super happy to get some big points on the board.”
Nick Cassidy, No. 37, Envision Racing, said:
“I am super happy with the podium today, with a race like that you can’t not be happy right – that was Formula E at its best, so much fun in the car, I hope it was a good watch. Very strategic, Sam did a great job as well. 1-2-3 Jaguar, pretty cool. I knew [how much energy Sam Bird had], that was a lot of the reason for getting Mitch to go on. I knew to get the win would be pretty difficult and that I would have to do something special on Mitch to turn that round, but I was at a high risk of finishing third.
“We all want to win, I tried my best to win. But that’s the way the cookie crumbled, and I think we got one of the best outcomes.”
Sam Bird, No. 10, Jaguar TCS Racing, said:
“Amazing day for Jaguar TCS Racing and Jaguar globally as a group to get the podium locked out. I am not sure whether that has been done before, so a massive hats off to everyone here and back at the base, it’s a brilliant result. I am super stoked for the team and for myself. I am a little bit disappointed because I rocked up to the back of the lead with 2% more energy, but I had repercussions of India going on in my head, so I thought to settle in and not do anything silly and just bring home the points, I think I got fastest lap as well. It is good points for the team, we roll onto Berlin.”
Germany is the next stop in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for Rounds 7 and 8 and the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix double-header on Saturday, 22 April and Sunday, 23 April.
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