JAGUAR TCS Racing Finish Runners-Up in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in London
After 16 races across 11 cities and five continents, Jaguar TCS Racing finished runners-up in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with 292 points – the team’s biggest points haul in Formula E. With 11 podiums, four wins, three Pole positions, the team have seen great success. Mitch Evans finished third in the Drivers’ World Championship with 197 points, his biggest points haul in Formula E, and only two points behind second-place Nick Cassidy.
Sam Bird finished the season in eighth. After three special years together, the London finale marked Sam Bird’s final race with the team. Having joined Jaguar TCS Racing in 2020, Sam has been a fundamental part of the team, achieving seven podiums, two wins, and racking up an incredible 215 points. As a veteran within the paddock, this year Sam competed in his 100th Formula E race.
Coming into the final race, Jaguar TCS Racing were equal on points with Envision Racing. Mitch Evans lined up on the front row of the grid with Sam Bird in sixth. The opening five laps of the rain-affected race were led by the safety car before the E-Prix was red flagged due to safety concerns. The race was red flagged once more before the green flag was waved, an hour and a half after the race was due to start. After the rolling restart, Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans pulled clear of the field and, between them, were fighting to define the teams’ title. After 30 laps of incredibly difficult racing conditions, the Envision of Nick Cassidy managed to achieve the win ahead of Mitch by just 4.9 seconds. Meanwhile, Sam Bird, drove an efficient and clean race to bring the car home in seventh position around the ExCeL circuit.
The 29 and 7 points scored by Nick Cassidy and Sébastien Buemi respectively, meant Envision Racing, Jaguar’s customer team, clinched the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship title with 304 championship points. The 2023 season has been one of the most competitive to date for Jaguar TCS Racing with a record number of points, podiums, pole positions and wins.
James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal: “What an incredible season of racing in the new Gen3 era of Formula E. To decide the Championship in the final race against our customer team is a true testament to the performance of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 – and to end here in London has been really special. Whilst it’s disappointing not to have taken the Teams’ World Championship title, I’m incredibly proud of all that we have achieved as a manufacturer and team this year. A Jaguar 1-2 in the Teams’ Championship with Envision Racing winning is an exceptional result. I’d like to congratulate everyone at Envision Racing for securing the Teams’ title.
“I also would like to extend a huge thank you to Sam. It’s been an amazing three years together and he has contributed to the success we’ve seen as a team. Sam joins an illustrious list of drivers that have raced for a Jaguar line-up, and I know he’s proud of that, as are we. Sam is an extremely talented racing driver who has been a privilege to work with and I know he will see great success in the future.
“Finally, thank you to our colleagues and partners, and our friends all around the world. Without them, none of this would be possible. They help drive performance on the track and off the track and our invaluable to our success.”
Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #9: “Overall I’ve got to look at this year as a positive. To have four wins, three Pole positions and seven podiums is a huge achievement. At one point in the season I was 80 points behind, so to reduce that gap and take the championship fight down to the wire is positive. I’m really proud of my personal performance but the team have been incredible and I can’t thank them enough. From everyone at the track, to back at the factory, everyone at Jaguar TCS Racing is determined to win. A final thank you to all of our fans and partners for all of their support this year.”
Sam Bird, Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #10: “We gave it everything and did what we could today, but unfortunately, we just had too much of a deficit coming in at the beginning of the weekend. Congratulations to Envision for their World Championship win. On the whole, this season has been fairly disappointing for me, with a lot of wasted opportunities early on but I have to take the positives – the pace has been strong, I’ve had four podiums, scored nearly 100 points and finished eighth in the championship ahead of some big names. It’s bittersweet to be leaving the team, the past few years have had their fair share of ups and downs, but I want to take the opportunity to say thank you to the team for everything, and I look forward to what the future holds.”
The 2024 season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship starts on the 13 January in Mexico City 2024.
