- Nelson Piquet Jr finishes a strong sixth in Santiago, Chile
- Jaguar I-TYPE 2 shows strong race pace
- Mitch Evans battles his way from the back of the grid to secure a double points finish for Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Santiago, Chile, Saturday 3 February 2018: Panasonic Jaguar Racing delivered another encouraging points haul with both drivers fighting their way into the top 10 in a dramatic race at the Antofagasta Minerals ABB FIA Formula E Santiago E-Prix.
Lining up on the grid in fifth position, Nelson Piquet Jr made a lightning start to move past Lotterer and Buemi into second place. Positioning his Jaguar I-TYPE 2 between the two Techeetah drivers, Nelson challenged for the lead of the race managing his battery energy effectively while recording impressive sector times throughout.
With hard-fought, wheel to wheel action at the front of the race, Panasonic Jaguar Racing's Mitch Evans made swift progress up the grid, moving from P20 into the top half of the field during the inaugural E-Prix in Santiago. Mitch brought his I-TYPE 2 home in seventh position delivering a double points finish for the team.
Panasonic Jaguar Racing's strong start to their second season in Formula E continues and the British team currently sit fourth in the team standings with 54 points - the highest tally the team have ever achieved. Nelson is fifth and Mitch is seventh in the drivers' championship.
James Barclay, Team Director Panasonic Jaguar Racing: "Incredible race. What we can take from today is that we have a really fast racecar and we are in the hunt for another podium finish. Both drivers raced well and did a great job on this challenging circuit. Nelson had a fantastic start in his Jaguar I-TYPE 2 and Mitch was brilliant coming through the field, getting fastest lap at one point. It shows the team are working very well and we have a quick car, these are well earned points for the team. We are already looking forward to Mexico City, it was a highlight in our first season and we can't wait to go back."
Nelson Piquet Jr, #3: "It was a tough but exciting race. I had a good start, everything was going well until trying to pass Buemi back towards the end of the second stint. The important thing is that the Jaguar has the pace, as a team we are still learning but getting better all the time. I'm sure we can get more points. We need to be optimistic but the car has the potential for much more. We need to keep pushing and improving."
Mitch Evans, #20: "I'm very happy to come away with points after a disappointing qualifying. I started at the back of the grid but had a good first lap by avoiding the carnage. I kept chipping away and finished seventh just seven seconds off the lead. The team did a great job today and I hope to reward them with more points in Mexico."
On Saturday 3 March Panasonic Jaguar Racing will return to the streets of Mexico City for the fifth instalment of the ABB FIA Formula E Championships.
FanBoost opens for the fifth E-Prix of the season at 17:00 GMT on Monday 26 February and closes 22:20 GMT Saturday 3 March.
Tweet your boost using #MitchEvans or #NelsonPiquetJr and #FanBoost, or visit: http://fanboost.fiaformulae.com/
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For further information about Panasonic Jaguar Racing, please contact:
Phoebe Eaton, Race Team Media Officer, Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Tel: +44 (0) 7825 255 553
Email: phoebe.eaton@jaguarracing.com
Adrian Atkinson, Global PR Manager, Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Tel: +44 (0) 7979 554 005
Email: aatkins5@jaguarlandrover.com
EDITORS' NOTES
ABOUT PANASONIC JAGUAR RACING
Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first premium manufacturer to join the all-electric FIA Formula E Championship street racing series.
Jaguar's Formula E programme will create tangible R&D benefits for the electrification of future Jaguar Land Rover road cars and is designed around the team's founding principle, 'Race to Innovate'.
Manufacturers can design their own powertrain, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension. Common components across all teams to control costs include the carbon fibre chassis and battery. The focus is on developing electric vehicle powertrains.
Beyond its all-electric concept, Formula E is unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of venues. With the exception of the Mexico E-Prix, every round of the championship takes place on temporary street circuits in the centre of the world's major cities. All track action including practice, qualifying and racing takes place in a single day. Beginning on December 2, the 2017/18 calendar includes 12 races in 10 cities, including double-header races in Hong Kong and the finale in New York.