There might be tens of thousands of jaguars in Brazil, but one in particular went on the prowl in São Paulo today (7 December), as Mitch Evans kick-started his challenge for a maiden ABB FIA Formula E World Championship crown with an historic success in the Season 11 curtain-raiser.

The Jaguar TCS Racing star began the São Paulo E-Prix from 22nd and last on the grid following an issue that left him stranded on-track in qualifying – but that only set the scene for one of the greatest stories Formula E has ever written.

Evans – twice a championship runner-up in the all-electric single-seater series – gained seven positions on the opening lap alone. From there, the combination of an audacious strategy, a committed performance behind the wheel and a slice of good fortune enabled him to scythe through the field up to third by the midway point, behind long-time leader Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) and Jaguar stablemate Nick Cassidy.

The action was halted at two-thirds distance, when Jake Dennis’ Andretti Formula E car pulled off with the red light illuminated – costing the former champion a shot at a podium finish. The stoppage was also bad news for Rowland, who had just reclaimed the top spot from TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’s António Félix da Costa after deploying his second Attack Mode.

The interruption not only cost the British driver his remaining three minutes of extra power, but with the order being counted back a lap, it meant he would take the re-start from second rather than first. Undeterred, Rowland repeated his stellar launch from the original start to immediately grab the lead. His joy, however, would be short-lived.

As he held what looked to be a comfortable three-second margin over his closest pursuer, the Yorkshireman was handed a drive-through penalty for overpower, with fellow Nissan-powered drivers Norman Nato, Sam Bird and Taylor Barnard having fallen foul of the same offence earlier on.

That dropped Rowland out of contention for victory and seemingly set up an all-Jaguar duel for glory as Cassidy led Evans, the duo taking full advantage of being the only drivers in the top ten to still have Attack Mode left to use when the red flag had flown. 

With seven laps remaining, Evans pulled out of his team-mate’s slipstream to snatch the lead, and da Costa had similarly displaced Cassidy for second when the race was paused again due to a clash that left pole-sitter Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche upside-down at Turn Six. 

A three-way squeeze between the German, Cassidy and Maximilian Günther – making his debut for DS Penske – put the latter in the wall at Turn Five before further contact dramatically ended Wehrlein’s E-Prix, with the defending champion thankfully exiting his car unscathed.

That prompted a four-lap sprint to the chequered flag once the action resumed, with da Costa trying every which way to force Evans into a mistake – the pair both chasing their 13th career win. Memories of Season 10 in São Paulo – when he had lost the lead just two corners from the finish line – must surely have been on the New Zealander’s mind, but this time, he would not be denied.

Soaking up intense pressure, Evans’ defence was inch-perfect and error-free, with the result making him the first driver to triumph in Formula E from the back of the grid and elevating him to equal-first on the all-time winners list, getting his title bid underway in convincing fashion.

The runner-up spoils for da Costa represented the Season 6 champion’s 24th career rostrum, with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team celebrating third and fourth places for Taylor Barnard and Sam Bird, at the scene of the British outfit’s breakthrough victory nine months ago. 

Already the championship’s youngest-ever points-scorer, 20-year-old Barnard duly broke another record as the youngest Formula E podium-finisher in only his fourth start. Mahindra Racing similarly enjoyed a strong result, with Edoardo Mortara and Nyck de Vries winding up fifth and sixth respectively. Sébastien Buemi placed seventh for Envision Racing, with CUPRA KIRO’s Dan Ticktum, DS Penske’s Jean-Éric Vergne and Maserati MSG Racing’s Stoffel Vandoorne rounding out the top ten.

The campaign continues with round two at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on 11 January, 2025.

Mitch Evans, No. 9, TCS Jaguar Racing, said: 

“To be honest I’m just trying to process everything! Obviously I wasn’t expecting this after misfortune in qualifying, not getting any laps and starting at the back. I was just hoping to pick up some points and start the season, but found myself up 18 places on the first lap and was in the mix quite quickly. Then my focus shifted, thinking maybe I can get myself some more points, maybe a podium, but I also had some good fortune with some people getting damage in some crashes. Obviously it’s great to see Pascal [Wehrlein] walk away from that accident. I had to get a little bit lucky - it was a crazy race, very hard to manage the strategy and know what to do at what time. Full credit to everyone at Jaguar - this was a sweet one.”

António Félix da Costa, No.13 Porsche Racing, said: 

“We’ve had a shocker of the last two years, so it was a tough way to kick things off. But we had a strong car as a team, a strong package, testing has been good, we’ve been reliable and I’m happy to come home with a podium. It was close with Mitch for a win, but well done to him coming from last. That’s an achievement, doesn’t matter how you get it done. Lastly, I’m glad to see Pascal [Wehrlein] is okay. It’s a reminder that what we do is dangerous and we need that respect between all of us. I know Nick [Cassidy] is a fair guy, but it’s an eye opener for all of us.”

Taylor Barnard, No.5, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, said:

“I’ve not written a podium speech! Especially after the start of that race, I took off my front wing and had to change it, come into the pits and I had a Drive-Through Penalty unfortunately. I don’t know what to say. The team did an absolutely amazing job with the second ATTACK MODE strategy, it made it easy for me and Sam [Bird] to pass and get up to the front and we both did a great job. He protected me at the end so thanks to him for the great teamwork. I didn’t expect to be standing here!”