Jaguar team’s Evans wins in Mexico to take Formula E championship lead

• DS TECHEETAH’s Antonio Felix da Costa drives through field from 9th on grid to pick-up second successive runner-up place
• Sebastien Buemi back on podium for Nissan e.dams to kick-start championship challenge with first points finish so far this season

New Zealander Mitch Evans won a chaotic Mexico City ePrix for the Panasonic Jaguar Racing team on Saturday to seize the lead in the all-electric Formula E championship after four races.

Portuguese driver Antonio Felix Da Costa took second place for DS TECHEETAH, his second successive podium appearance, with Swiss Sebastien Buemi third for Nissan e.dams for his first points of the campaign.

Starting second behind Porsche’s pole-sitter Andre Lotterer, Evans took the lead from the German into the first corner and enjoyed an untroubled run to only his second victory in the series.

“I tried not to (look back),” said Evans. “When you are out in front you can just sort of get in your own rhythm.”

The New Zealander’s only other win, and Jaguar’s first, was in Rome last year when Lotterer was also on pole, that time for DS TECHEETAH. Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, the previous leader for Mercedes, failed to score on an afternoon with plenty of incident and retirements.

Evans now has 47 points, one clear of Britain’s Alexander Sims who finished fifth for BMW I Andretti. Vandoorne, named during the week as Mercedes’ Formula One reserve, dropped to fourth on 38. 

The safety car was deployed with 48 minutes to go after Geox Dragon’s Nico Mueller ploughed into the wall at turn one.

Brazilian Felipe Massa clipped the wall and retired his Venturi while Lotterer’s race also ended early following substantial bodywork damage.

Britain’s Sam Bird crashed out at turn three while running in second place for Envision Virgin Racing, a position that would have seen him take over at the top had he finished there.

Mitch Evans said: “It is very nice leaving here knowing that you managed to sort the issues from past races. We had a very good pace, and it was a tight battle with Andre. It felt like deja vu from Rome! After overtaking him, I put my head down and tried to gain distance as everybody was quite aggressive in my mirrors. I had to keep them away and the car was working well. I only had to keep hitting the targets. I cannot wait to watch the replay back, as I have heard it was crazy behind me. It feels great to achieve a second victory in Formula E and doing so in Mexico surrounded by such a passionate crowd… it is the cherry on the cake.”