- Panasonic Jaguar Racing look to continue positive start to the season in Mexico City
- The Panasonic Jaguar Racing team and the Jaguar I-TYPE 2 have shown consistent pace on a variety of tracks
- Momentum builds ahead of the new all-electric Jaguar I-PACE launch on 1 March
Whitley, Saturday 24 February 2018: Panasonic Jaguar Racing are ready to continue their fight for points in the fifth E-Prix of the 2017/18 ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Mexico City.
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit is 2,500m above sea level placing greater physical exertion on the drivers and provides a new environment to test the key components of the Jaguar I-TYPE 2. Panasonic Jaguar Racing have shown significant improvement this season and hope to follow-up on their double point-scoring finish in the previous round in Santiago.
Last season Mitch Evans took fourth place in a dramatic Mexico City E-Prix – the Jaguar team's best result of season three. This season at least one driver has consistently finished in the points and the British team have risen to fourth in the team standings. The team are hopeful that they can deliver another points finish at the only permanent racetrack in the series.
Mitch Evans, #20: "Mexico last year was a fantastic moment for the team. It was the first and only race both drivers finished in the points. So far this season we have made huge improvements on our race strategy and the Jaguar I-TYPE 2 has proved it is a fast race car. Santiago was one of my best performances in Formula E to start in last place and finish seventh was amazing. I'm hoping we can build on that in Mexico City and bring home more points."
Nelson Piquet Jr, #3: "In the last four races we've been consistently scoring points on a variety of tracks, both traditional street circuits like in Santiago and semi-street like Marrakesh, so we are hoping we will perform just as well on the traditional circuit in Mexico. Our Jaguar racecars have speed and with every race we get closer and closer to the front of the field. We will push again in Mexico and keep learning and improving as we compete for vital championship points."
Panasonic Jaguar Racing's continued success on track has run in parallel with the development of the all new Jaguar I-PACE, Jaguar's first all-electric performance SUV, which will be launched on 1 March while the race team are in Mexico City.
James Barclay, Team Director, Panasonic Jaguar Racing: "The launch of the new Jaguar I-PACE is a very exciting moment for Jaguar Land Rover and a proud time for our race team. Jaguar joined Formula E as the first premium manufacturer to accelerate our learnings and develop innovative technologies faster and more efficiently than ever before. Electric street racing solidifies our Race to Innovate mission, and marks a new chapter in our move towards electrification. Mexico City was our best race in our first season and we look forward to another strong performance from the team."
FanBoost opens for the fifth E-Prix of the season at 17:00 GMT on Monday 26 February and closes at 22:20 GMT Saturday 3 March.
Tweet your boost using #MitchEvans or #NelsonPiquetJr and #FanBoost, or visit: http://fanboost.fiaformulae.com/
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For further information about Panasonic Jaguar Racing, please contact:
Phoebe Eaton, Race Team Media Officer, Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Tel: +44 (0) 7825 255 553
Email: phoebe.eaton@jaguarracing.com
Adrian Atkinson, Global PR Manager, Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Tel: +44 (0) 7979 554 005
Email: aatkins5@jaguarlandrover.com
EDITORS' NOTES
ABOUT PANASONIC JAGUAR RACING
Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first premium manufacturer to join the all-electric FIA Formula E Championship street racing series.
Jaguar's Formula E programme will create tangible R&D benefits for the electrification of future Jaguar Land Rover road cars and is designed around the team's founding principle, 'Race to Innovate'.
Manufacturers can design their own powertrain, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension. Common components across all teams to control costs include the carbon fibre chassis and battery. The focus is on developing electric vehicle powertrains.
Beyond its all-electric concept, Formula E is unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of venues. With the exception of the Mexico City E-Prix, every round of the championship takes place on temporary street circuits in the centre of the world's major cities. All track action including practice, qualifying and racing takes place in a single day. The 2017/18 calendar includes 12 races in 10 cities, including double-header races in Hong Kong and the finale in New York.