Alex Lynn and Harry Tincknell were also fielded in the first test, with Lynn a favourite for the race seat given his close connections to Williams Advanced Engineering, who are partnering with the Jaguar Formula E team.
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“Today marks a new chapter in the history of Jaguar Racing”, he said.
The line-up was confirmed at the official launch of the team at Jaguar’s heritage facility, where it also announced a tie-up with Japanese electronic giant Panasonic.
The newly formed Panasonic Jaguar Racing will field an all-electric Jaguar I-Type 1 in the forthcoming Formula E season.
The move comes almost a year after the decision to compete in the world’s leading electric race series was first announced. “You only have to look at the calibre of the other drivers in the series to see the level of competitiveness and prestige that this championship now has”. That could change as Formula E continues to open up the series – the FIA, Formula E’s governing body, is already having companies compete for the contract to make a new battery that will be used from season five onward.
Moreover, Jaguar says its aims are to “change the perception of EV technology” and also to inspire a new generation of motorsport fans. “They are the biggest brand to come into the series and one of the most evocative names in racing”. The three have extensive motorsport experience, including stints in the World Endurance Championship and former A1GP. Chinese driver Ho-Pin Tung takes the reserve seat. Jaguar has enlisted the services of technical figures such as Patrick Coorey, formerly Sam Bird’s engineer at DS Virgin Racing, and has the benefit of a link-up with Williams Advanced Engineering, which has bene involved in Formula E from its first season.
Fellow rookie Evans, now competing in the GP2 Series, sampled an FE vehicle for the first time when he shared the second I-Type 1 at the first Donington Park test with Alex Lynn and Harry Tincknell.
“Formula E is a real drivers’ championship with some of the most competitive racing in the world”.
The third Formula E season gets underway on the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday, 9 October.
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So, why Formula E for Jaguar? The team also today announced a partnership with United States company Lear, marking another significant coup for the operation and Formula E. There, Jaguar was ninth-quickest out of all 10 teams – but it was just two seconds off the pace of Renault, which has won the first two Formula E team championships and led all of preseason testing.
