MIAMI — Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans produced a storming switchback move to take the race lead and drive away to the win round three of the Formula E campaign in difficult conditions in Miami.
The Kiwi took the top step – heading Porsche’s Nico Mueller and Pascal Wehrlein home.
The Sunshine State was hit by changeable conditions and the wet weather extracted every ounce of talent and concentration from the 20-car Formula E field over a testing 41-lap race.
Jaguar’s Evans headed into the race pointless so far this season but with the opportunity from ninth on the grid to put that right.
The first half of the race proved to be super tricky for the pack, with polesitter Mueller leading away after a Safety Car start – though Mahindra’s rookie Felipe Drugovich made use of an instant all-wheel drive, 50kW ATTACK MODE activation to climb into P1 in the wet early on.
Mueller found himself back out front after the first round of ATTACK MODE and was able to take advantage of a mishap – as the rain fell harder – between Drugovich and Jaguar TCS Racing’s Antonio Felix da Costa behind that took the pair out of race-winning contention.
Amid all that, Evans spied his chance to make progress – clambering through from the back end of the top 10 to the podium positions before a perfect switchback move on Lap 27 saw him by Mueller – the German falling for the dummy move.
From there, the New Zealander was able to measure a lead to those behind and steer through the second round of ATTACK MODE activations to a commanding 3.1-second lead come the chequered flag for a record 15th Formula E race win with Evans also smashing the 1,000-point mark in the series.
Mueller followed in second, with Pascal Wehrlein – up from 11th at the race start – taking the final spot on the podium; another strong showing for Porsche power.
Fourth is a career best finish for Joel Eriksson (Envision Racing) with Nyck de Vries (Mahindra Racing) and Edo Mortara in the sister Mahindra rounding out the top six. Reigning champion Oliver Rowland (Nissan) could manage only 12th.
Despite a non-score with 16th, Mexico City winner Nick Cassidy (Citroen Racing) still leads the Drivers’ running, 40 points to Wehrlein’s 38. Porsche stretch their legs in the Teams’ and the Manufacturers’ points.
