Fresh from his São Paulo victory, Mitch Evans evaluated Jaguar’s performance amidst the challenges faced by rivals like Nissan.
Mitch Evans on Jaguar’s Performance Compared to Gen3 Evo Rivals in Formula E Season Opener
Reflecting on the penalties that plagued Nissan’s race, Evans shared his perspective on Jaguar’s competitive edge.
“Given all the penalties Nissan faced, we benefit from that. If they didn’t have those issues, it would have been interesting to see how the race would play out.
But if they were strong, you know, all weekend, especially on one lap, they were consistently probably the benchmark with Porsche.”
As Evans admits, the outcome would have been very different if Oliver Rowland’s Nissan had received the penalty before the final safety car, rather than at that precise moment, and if the two attack modes hadn’t been wasted due to that incident.
Evans acknowledged that while Jaguar’s race pace was competitive, the team still has work to do to bridge the gap in one-lap performance.
“We were on average like 2 or 3 tenths off over one lap. I didn’t do qualifying, so it’s hard to read when all the tyre conditions and run sequences weren’t the same.
But it does look like we’re lacking a little bit of one-lap pace, so we’re going to work on that. Our race pace seemed really strong, and that’s always very important, but some teams made a good step forward from last year.”
Evans also noted the need to regain their position as one of the benchmarks that now belong to Nissan and Porsche.
“We know that because all four of us with the Jaguar powertrain were lacking a bit of pace. That wasn’t unsurprising, but we’ve been one of the benchmarks for everyone last year, so we need to bridge that gap to those guys that have produced a really quick car.”
Bridging the Gap
The New Zealander admits how crucial it was to maintain the right mindset following the poor performance just hours earlier to build his comeback.
However, the issues the team faced at that moment left him less than fully confident moving forward in the season:
“There are a few little concerns of things wrong on my car but we hope we can avoid some penalties coming up with component changes or something like that. I’m still waiting to hear about that but nonetheless, nice start.”
🏆🇧🇷
Win No. 2 for Mitch in São Paulo! #SãoPauloEPrix pic.twitter.com/A8tcWdWPNm
— Jaguar TCS Racing (@JaguarRacing) December 7, 2024
READ MORE: Jaguar in São Paulo: Mitch Evans Wins from Last, Nick Cassidy Slips at the End
Attack Mode’s New Power: Strategic or Disruptive?
Mitch Evans offered his perspective on the revised Attack Mode in Formula E, highlighting its dual nature and impact on race dynamics. The Jaguar driver appeared quite pleased with the enhanced efficiency of the Attack Mode.
In the season’s opening race, this feature proved crucial, delivering the extra boost needed to overtake competitors at key moments.
“It is very powerful, but on the other hand, we’ve had, in the last few years, almost no huge advantage to using the Attack Mode. So, it’s definitely gone from one extreme to the other. For some reason, we were almost just trying to get rid of it, and now it feels like we’re just complying with the regulation.”
The first ever all-wheel drive GEN3 Evo ATTACK MODE did not disappoint!
From P8 – P1 in less than 2 laps 🤯 What a charge from Nick! 🙌#SãoPauloEPrix 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/YQuAQHLoZv
— Jaguar TCS Racing (@JaguarRacing) December 8, 2024
Evans reflected on how the changes have influenced racing:
“We know it’s a real advantage, a real benefit now. It keeps the racing exciting and people engaged as fans, which is great, as long as it’s not too random to follow. At the moment, it’s a good addition.”
He also noted how the strategic use of Attack Mode could help drivers recover from less-than-ideal qualifying positions:
“It gives more opportunities if you qualify out of position. Maybe you can make progress because of how smart you are with it, or if you get lucky with it, it can be hugely beneficial. I mean, I was able to pass cars, so that’s pretty good, really.”
Evans concluded with some reservations:
“Maybe it’s a little too extreme. It’s changing the dynamic of a race. I guess we’ll find out in a few races whether it’s a little too powerful or not.”
As of today, Jaguar remains one of the teams to beat, but they’re no longer alone at the top. The Gen 3 Evo has added even more unpredictability to the series, with increased power and incredible straight-line speed.
But the surprises don’t stop there, as another variable will be introduced: the mandatory pit stop, nicknamed “Pit Boost,” which replaces the term “Attack Charge” and severs any connection to Attack Mode.
Starting from the next race, we’ll see when and how this new feature will come into play.
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