The Jaguar TCS Racing team begins its journey in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E world championship this Saturday, January 14, in the first race to be held in Mexico City, where it opens the season of the new era of the third generation.
The starting signal will be at 2:00 p.m. (local time) at the Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome, where the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 will debut in competition.
The fully electric vehicle championship begins the era of the third generation, which is marked by new technical, sporting and financial regulations. Jaguar’s new racing car is the fastest, lightest and most efficient to date.
Mitch Evans from New Zealand and Sam Bird from Britain, the pair of expert Jaguar TCS Racing drivers, will be in charge of getting the most out of the new car and fighting against the other 20 participants.
The drivers know the circuit well, since Mitch Evans was crowned champion in 2020 and Sam Bird has also been on the podium and scored important points in previous editions. This year, the drivers will have to bring out their skills on the long straights, the tricky curves and the new chicane of the already famous Foro Sol stadium.
In the new race format, drivers will have to complete 36 laps on the circuit, unlike last season, when the duration of the race was determined by a set time.
The legendary circuit is located in the heart of Mexico City and is one of the most exciting of the 2023 season; last year’s e-Prix broke the attendance record for a race with more than 40,000 spectators.
This ninth season marks the team’s sixth visit to the Mexico City circuit, so everyone is focused on the firm goal of scoring points and podiums.
James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal, said: “2022 was a very positive year for us. There were great moments, but we stayed at the gates of glory.
It served to further motivate the team to fight for the individual title and the team title of the ABB FIA Formula E world championship this season. Our team of experts, Mitch, Sam and the new third generation Jaguar I-TYPE 6 guarantee a season very exciting against world-class opponents.
We have a lot to learn from the third generation cars, the new race format and the Hankook tyres, so the most important thing about this first round in Mexico will be to try to be prepared for everything and adapt to what may happen”.
Mitch Evans, driver for Jaguar TCS Racing no.9, added: “Last season of Formula E I achieved my best results, so I want to build on that momentum to start the new season and focus on getting a good place in the first round. . I fondly remember my victory in Mexico City in 2020 and I think I’m ready to start the season strong.”
Sam Bird, the No.10 Jaguar TCS Racing driver, said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to racing in Mexico City, especially as we know there will be so many fans cheering us on.
I remember hearing the cheering voices of the fans despite wearing the helmet, there is nothing like it. I am ready to play and start the season in the best possible way”.
Phil Charles, Jaguar TCS Racing Technical Manager, stated: “It is always a pleasure to race in the capital of Mexico. The spectators are very dedicated and the atmosphere in the stadium is very special.
In addition, the team members are also excited to see the third generation racing cars in action for the first time. Having said that, we know that this circuit is quite a challenge; although particularly high temperatures are not expected for race day, the addition of the chicane on the back straight does not allow the tires time to cool down each lap.
Also, the final corner is one of the hardest fast corners of the entire season. So the settings, the systems and the drivers all need to be in sync to get a good result in Mexico City.”