JAGUAR RACING HEAD TO VALENCIA SITTING TOP OF DRIVERS' AND TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

20 April 2021

  • The British racing team head to the DHL Valencia E‑Prix double‑header looking to extend their 17 point gap in the Formula E Teams’ World Championship ahead of the Mercedes‑EQ Formula E team
  • This is the first time Briton Sam Bird and New Zealander Mitch Evans have raced the Valencia circuit, having formerly used the track for official testing
  • Round five commences at 15:00 (CET) on Saturday 24 April 2021 and round six at 14:00 (CET) on Sunday 25 April

Jaguar Racing head to Spain this weekend for the inaugural DHL Valencia E‑Prix for rounds five and six of the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The electric racing series will be competing on the Valencian Ricardo Tormo circuit, Spain. The track is very familiar to the Formula E fraternity as a regular pre‑season testing destination but this is the first time an official E‑Prix has been held at the track.

After an historic double header in Rome which saw Mitch Evans and Sam Bird secure Jaguar Racing’s first double podium finish in 30 years with Bird finishing second and Evans finishing third, the team’s intentions are set on continuing the positive start to the 2020/21 season campaign.

Sam and Mitch sit on top of the drivers’ championship and with four podiums from four races Jaguar lead the teams’ world championship by 17 points ahead of the Mercedes‑EQ Formula E team. Having demonstrated the on‑track performance of the Jaguar I‑TYPE 5 the drivers will be pushing for more points in Spain.

We are very much looking forward to getting back on track in Valencia and are hard at work ensuring the team is prepared as much as possible for the first E‑Prix at the Ricardo Tormo circuit. We had a very good double‑header in Rome – scoring points and achieving our first ever double podium in Formula E history – and are determined to maintain our positive momentum in Spain. Given the strength of the competition in Formula E we are not going to be complacent and will instead use the positive start to our season as extra motivation to keep working hard.

James Barclay
Team Director Jaguar Racing

“It feels as though we’ve started season seven of ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in a great way. We’ve already seen some excellent results, but we all want more. It was unfortunate to have a collision last time out but I am very much focussed on achieving more points in both E‑Prix in Valencia. Consistency is key and as a team, we are determined.

Sam Bird
#10 Jaguar Racing driver

The Jaguar I‑TYPE5 is performing very well on track – we saw some more great results in Rome. However, we must continue to work hard and focus – especially during these events where we only have minimal preparation time – to ensure we maintain our strong race and qualifying pace. We are all working hard together and will be pushing for more points in Spain.

Mitch Evans
#20 Jaguar Racing driver

The double header race weekend at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, Valencia, Spain starts on Saturday 24 April 2021 at 15:00 local time (CET) with the second race less than 24 hours later on Sunday 25 April at 14:00 (CET).

Further information

For further information about Jaguar Racing, please contact:

Adrian Atkinson, Global PR and Communications Manager, Jaguar Racing

Tel: +44 (0) 7979 554005

Email: aatkins5@jaguarlandrover.com

 

Emily Hogg, Global Brand and Partnerships Officer, Jaguar Racing

Tel: + 44 (0) 7384 532 605

Email: ehogg2@jaguarlandrover.com

Notes to Editors

ABOUT JAGUAR RACING

Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first premium manufacturer to join the all‑electric ABB FIA Formula E World Championship street racing series. In 2019 the team won the Rome E‑Prix – Jaguar’s first international motorsport victory since 1991.

Formula E is a real‑world test bed for Jaguar with its Race To Innovate mission in the future of electrification.

As an official manufacturer team in Formula E, Jaguar Racing designs its own powertrain, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension.

To control costs the carbon fibre chassis and battery are common components and the same for all twelve teams. This allows the focus to be on developing electric vehicle powertrains which are efficient and lightweight which will improve the performance and range of future Jaguar Land Rover electric vehicles.

The 2020/21 Formula E season is the first as the all‑electric series has been granted full world championship status by the FIA – the sport’s governing body. In September 2020, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship was also certified with a net zero carbon footprint from inception ‑ the first global sport to achieve this. This season will be the third year for the teams to be racing with the futuristic Gen2 racecars.

Teams have two racecars, one per driver, which will be used for the full race distance.

Beyond its all‑electric concept, Formula E is unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of venues. The championship takes place on temporary street circuits in the centre of the world’s major cities including Santiago, Diriyah, Rome, Paris, Monaco, New York and ending in a double‑header race weekend in London.  

Mitch Evans finished season six seventh in the Drivers' Championship and Jaguar Racing finished seventh in the Teams' Standings with a win in Mexico City, a podium in Santiago and one pole position. He is joined for season seven by British driver Sam Bird, who has won a race in every season of Formula E.

In season seven the championship is official recognised as a world championship by the governing body the FIA. It will be known as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

 

Race to Innovate

Formula E remains a key priority for Jaguar Land Rover. As the only all‑electric world championship, Formula E allows us to test and develop new electric vehicle technologies in a high‑performance environment. It continues to be the test‑bed for our Race to Innovate mission that will see Race to Road and Road to Race learnings that will help shape our electric future – a future that Jaguar is passionate about, and dedicated to for the benefit of our society, the changing landscape of mobility, sustainability and our customers.