Jaguar Racing's Sam Bird tops the pile heading into the Heineken London E-Prix Rounds 12 and 13 after a storming recovery from zero to hero with a dominant lights-to-flag victory rounding out his trip to New York City after a troubled start to his weekend with a big shunt in Free Practice 1.
Bird's victory marked his return to the podium for the first time since Round 3 in Rome and means the Brit will be the driver with the target on his back on home soil this weekend, with reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa (DS TECHEETAH) and Robin Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing) tied for second in the standings and hot on Bird's heels.
Bird: 'I'm extremely proud of this historic moment'
“It’s been over five years since I’ve raced on British soil in Formula E," starts Bird, who grew up just a few miles away from the docklands. "The return to London can’t come soon enough. To race on the streets where you grew up and in front of your home crowd is an experience like no other.
"I can’t forget this is the first time I’ll be racing as a Brit with Jaguar Racing - the iconic British manufacturer. We’re about to race for the first time in 17 years for Jaguar on home soil and doing this during the weekend of our 60th E-Prix.
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I’m extremely proud to be a part of this historic moment and my attention is firmly on putting the Jaguar I-TYPE 5 in a podium position for the team and extending my lead in the Drivers’ World Championship.”
Jaguar Racing - the only British manufacturer competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship - sits third in the Teams' running, just five points shy of leaders Envision Virgin Racing. Were it not for Mitch Evans'late clash with a barrier in Brooklyn, the team would sit top start a historic countdown a first race in Britain for almost 20 years, ahead of this weekend's double-header - which will also see the team's ring in its 60th E-Prix.
Barclay: 'We've waited 17 years for this'
“We have waited 17 years for this moment and it is one to savour," says Team Director James Barclay. "Racing is in Jaguar’s DNA and to be able to once again race on ‘home-soil’ in front of British fans is something we’ve been counting down to. We joined the championship when there was no London E-Prix on the calendar and this weekend is our first opportunity to really put on a good show.
"There is huge motivation within the team to make our home E-Prix and 60th Formula E race a weekend to remember. We have a fantastic team, a highly competitive Jaguar I-TYPE 5 and a formidable driver line-up. We’re currently only five points from leading the Teams’ World Championship, Sam Bird is leading the Drivers’ World Championship and Mitch Evans is only 21 points behind him. We know racing - especially Formula E - is unpredictable but we are focussed on bringing points and podiums back home this weekend.”
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"This weekend in London is incredibly important for the team," adds Mitch Evans, who sits eighth in the standings, 21 points back from his teammate at the summit. "Having been a part of Jaguar Racing since we joined the championship back in 2016, I know exactly what this means to everyone involved and I am determined to make this weekend a success on-track. I’ve dropped out of Group 1 in qualifying and I’ll be using this to fuel my hunger to score points and podiums for the team."