“Winning the Drivers’ World Championship After Coming So Close Before is a Big Motivation” Mitch Evans Has His Eyes on The Prize

December the 7th 2024 will see the return of Formula E for its eleventh season and the return of fan favourite Mitch Evans, in what is expected to be the most exciting season to date. The eleventh season will bring a new era for Formula E, with new cars and drivers on the grid. Key technical enhancements for the new GEN3 Evo race car include:

Better grip – Optimised all-weather Hankook iON tyres providing 5-10% more grip, made from 35% recycled and sustainable materials (+9% vs GEN3 spec).

The quickest accelerating FIA single-seater race car – Capable of 0-60mph in 1.82 seconds (0-100kph in 1.86s), 30% faster than a current F1 car.

Faster, stronger, more agile – Performance upgrades providing an estimated 2% performance gain from GEN3, equating to a c.2 secs faster qualifying lap on the Monaco circuit, offering world-class racing on any track.

Leaner and meaner – An aggressive new body kit designed to be stronger, more robust and more aerodynamic, delivering closer wheel-to-wheel racing.

All-wheel drive (AWD) –A first for a Formula E car, available during qualifying duels, race starts, and ATTACK MODE. This feature maximizes acceleration and control, elevating the thrill of critical race moments and intensifying driver rivalries. AWD enhances both performance and strategy, providing more exciting racing for drivers and fans alike.

Although there are some new faces on the grid it is the return of a fan favourite that we are going to focus on. The 2023 runner up, Jaguar TCS racer Mitch Evans. 2023 saw the cruelest of ends for Mitch Evans as he lost out to Championship winner Pascal Wehrlein by just 6 points on the last day of the season. Going into round 16, Mitch Evans knew that only a win over Wehrlein would secure him the Championship, unfortunately it wasn’t to be.

Mitch Evans has been with Jaguar TCS Racing since their debut season, the fast New Zealander has come close to championship glory every campaign since Season 7.

Ahead of the season opener in Brazil we caught up with Mitch Evans. Getting an insight into his career and how he sees his future in Formula E.

Mitch Evans Interview

When and how did your love for motorsport begin?
“I have had the love for motorsport since the very beginning – racing is in my DNA. Both my father and brother had careers in racing, so my family were really supportive when I wanted to pursue a career as a racing driver. I started racing when I was six years old, and so my dream grew and developed from a pretty early age.“

Why Formula E? What attracted you to it?
“From a racing point of view, the wheel-to-wheel combat and unpredictability is hard to beat. The racing is so close with the biggest names in motorsport from drivers and teams across the grid. Formula E is a great championship to be a part of. Our Formula E cars are all-electric and as a result the technologies available to us in the championship are constantly evolving. That’s so exciting for a driver behind the wheel. It’s amazing to be part of a sport that has a direct, positive influence on what’s happening across the automotive industry, and even more so with Jaguar and its all-electric future.”   

What did you take away from the 2024 season?
“Having been with Jaguar TCS Racing since the beginning, I was really proud to help secure our first Teams’ World Championship in Formula E and Jaguar’s first motorsport world title in more than three decades. It was a great achievement after so much hard work since joining Formula E. However, coming so close and just missing out on the Drivers’ title again on the final day was tough. It does, though, provide added motivation for me and the team, and we’ll be doing all we can to maximise our performance and fight for Drivers’, Teams’ and Manufacturers’ honours in the season ahead.“

You just finished testing in Spain, how do you feel it went for yourself and the team?
“It was an important test in Madrid. We are still learning about the new Jaguar I‑TYPE 7 and finding more ways to unlock performance from the car. We gathered a lot of data and as the week progressed we got the I-TYPE 7 into the right window, so it is important to keep developing the car and optimise it as best we can.“

How do you see this season going for you, and the team?
“At every race our goal is to achieve the maximum out on track. If we can do that and perform strongly and consistently then it gives us the best chance at scoring well over the course of the season. That’s what I will be focusing on in the car. Winning the Drivers’ World Championship after coming so close before is a big motivation, as is defending our Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles. We have shown we have the ingredients to fight for and win world championships in Formula E so that gives the team confidence for the year ahead. We are racing against some of the world’s best manufacturers and teams, so we don’t underestimate anyone on the grid, but scoring big points consistently is going to be key.“

Why should people follow Formula E?
“It is a really exciting championship and it is so hard to predict – it has a reputation for extremely close results so I would expect the same in Season 11. The cars are evolving every year, and we are showcasing the capabilities of electric racing by pushing the performance levels to the limit.“

We would like to wish Mitch Evans and Jaguar TCS Racing all the best ahead of Formula E, season 11.