The 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will continue in Rome for another double-header on 15 and 16 July
Pretoria, 26 June 2023 – Mitch Evans pulled back crucial points and the fastest lap in an intense Portland E-Prix, following a tough qualifying in round twelve of the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
While also celebrating his 29th birthday, Mitch finished the Portland debut in fourth place, after an almighty 16-place climb from the back of the grid. Mitch and the team’s decisive performance in Formula E’s most strategic “peloton-style” race to date saw the Jaguar driver move from 17th to second place within the space of three laps.
Mitch also showcased the pace of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6, delivering an impressive time of 1:11:26 on Lap 27 and taking home the TAG Heuer Fastest Lap title. This additional point meant Mitch gained 13 points, reaffirming his position in the fight for the championship title.
British driver Sam Bird also drove a clever race with strong pace when it mattered and crossed the finish line in seventh. Unfortunately, Sam received a post-race time penalty following contact with Maserati MSG Racing driver Maximilian Günther. As a result, he finished the Portland E-Prix in 17th place and lost out on his well-earned points.
Earlier in the day, both drivers competed in Group B of qualifying, which saw Sam line up in 15th on the grid. Mitch was unfortunately unable to participate in qualifying due to a battery issue with his Jaguar I-TYPE 6, and as a result, lined up P20 ahead of the race.
Customer team, Envision Racing, put on a strong display, with Nick Cassidy clinching the top spot and teammate Sébastien Buemi finishing in fifth.
Mitch Evans remains fourth in the drivers’ standings, with Sam Bird in ninth.
Jaguar TCS Racing remains third in the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship teams’ standings.
James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal: “A challenging day that ended well, with both cars in the top ten as the chequered flag fell. The team has been brilliant. Managing a circuit power cut in the morning and then a battery failure on Mitch’s car put us on the back foot. To therefore come back with Mitch from 20th to finish fourth, just missing out on the podium, and securing fastest lap was a great achievement. Sam had an excellent race and his subsequent penalty, which we thought was a racing incident only, has cost us important championship points. The performance of all Jaguars in the race is a positive sign but it’s clear that it’s becoming incredibly close at this point in the season – so we need to keep pushing.”
Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #9: “We had a problem after FP2, so it was a massive race to get the car ready again and the team did a great job. Even after all the hard work, I unfortunately still wasn’t able to qualify which meant I started at the back. When we got into the race, the team and I executed our plan pretty well. I found myself in second at one stage with good energy and thought I might be able to secure a podium. To finish fourth is still good so I’m glad we’ve salvaged something from the race. We’re at that part of the championship where you need to perfectly execute races, but I’m up for it and can’t wait to get to Rome.”
Sam Bird, Jaguar TCS Racing driver, #10: “I genuinely believe I could have fought for a podium. The Jaguar I-TYPE 6 was quick, we were very efficient, but it was one of those days where things didn’t go my way. My race itself was quite good and I climbed eight places to cross the line in seventh, but the penalty pushed me back out of the points, and I feel like I can’t catch a break. Now I’ll be looking ahead to Rome and the final four races of the season.”
Jaguar TCS Racing heads to Rome, Italy for the penultimate double-header of the 2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on 15 and 16 July 2023.
Lskeee
Sport Trivia: The Molokai Challenge is considered the world championship of solo ocean paddling. How many successive times did Oscar Chalupsky win in the 1980s? Answer: 7 by winning all events from 1983 to 1989.
Chameleon
First African Nation that Hosted the FIFA World Cup: In 2010, South Africa was the first African country to host the FIFA World Cup, and what an event it was! The Inter Press Service team agrees with Tim that it was one of the best FIA World Cup seasons that the world has witnessed. The event was so colorful that the fun was increased multiple times. They also used vuvuzelas, making the event more fun to look at.
Stacker Of Wheat
Sport Trivia: Which was the first Olympic Games in which Ghana competed as an independent nation? Answer: Rome 1960 – Having competed in Helsinki in 1952 as Gold Coast, Ghana did not send a team to the 1956 Games in Melbourne. By the time the 1960 Games came around, the country had achieved full independence from Great Britain, (in 1957) and was officially known as Ghana.
West Warrior
Rugby is also a very popular sport in South Africa and their national team, the Springboks, has performed particularly well in the international stage taking the 1995, 2007 and 2019 Rugby World Cups. There is also a fair amount of world-class Rugby players from South Africa that includes Bryan Habana, Danie Craven, Francois Pienaar, Frik du Preez, Joost van der Westhuizen, and Naas Botha. South Africa has also hosted quite a few international sports meetings like the 1996 African Cup of Nations, 2003 Cricket World Cup, as well as the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship.