CELESTIAL EVANS

Motor racing’s return to Switzerland wasn’t the only bit of history that took place in Zurich, as Jaguar finally scored its first Formula E pole position, thanks to Mitch Evans.

It was a superb lap from the New Zealander. He went noticeably wider than most of his rivals on the bumpy approach to Turn 1 and then effortlessly carried speed through the ensuing tight 90-degree turns. He lagged slightly behind Sam Bird and Andre Lotterer through sector one, but a fastest split in the second segment provided enough momentum to pip Lotterer – also seeking his first FE pole – to the top spot by 0.137 seconds.

“He did a fantastic job,” Jaguar team director James Barclay said of Evans. “Running last in superpole, he kept his cool and that was a really nice thing to see – a driver who’s gaining maturity, building confidence in his ability.”

Evans didn’t have the race pace to escape his pursuers early on, which left him somewhat defenceless when Lucas di Grassi cruised up behind him.

“It maybe looked quite straightforward for Lucas, but we didn’t want to create complexity at that point,” Barclay explained.

Barclay reckons Formula E-style circuits (bumpy, with tight-radius corners) such as Zurich play to the Jaguar’s strengths. The team still has work to do to improve its race pace and energy management compared to its rivals – particularly

Audi – but this was nevertheless an important moment for the team.

“A really nice milestone,” said Barclay. “A nice boost – we know what we can do now, and we know what we’re capable of, and that’s a nice thing to have in the locker as we move forward.”

“A REALLY NICE MILESTONE, A NICE BOOST” BARCLAY