Jaguar 'exposed' after major Formula E 'wake-up call'

Mitch Evans believes the Formula E Jeddah E-Prix "exposed" some of Jaguar's current problems, with the double-header at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit having been a "wake-up call". 

Despite having won the São Paulo season-opener from last on the grid – an FE record – it has been a torrid start to the campaign for Jaguar. 

After the opening four races, the defending champions have scored just 35 points, putting the team seventh in the teams' championship. 

Already, Nissan sit 32 points ahead of the Coventry-based outfit, who have two drivers in Evans and Nick Cassidy wanting answers. 

Jaguar were imperious the last two seasons, yet seem to have gotten something wrong in the development of its Gen3 Evo. 

Qualifying has been a struggle, whilst mechanical gremlins are creeping in as well. This is a rarity for the British manufacturer, with Evans having suffered a brake-by-wire failure in the second race in Jeddah.

The New Zealander is concerned by not only the team's mechanical issues but several other areas, and has noted that its best hope is in the peloton races.

"Unfortunately, it's not just one or two things, it's like a lot of things," Evans told RacingNews365. "Jeddah really exposed us mechanically, I think also in Mexico a bit, but we are going to reconfirm that. 

"Then we're having things creep in, like what happened [with the brake-by-wire failure]. I don't know if it's a team thing or a Brembo thing or what.

"At the moment, we kind of need peloton races every race to have a chance, because Nick and I's balance was fine in the race, but not spectacular. 

"We were just racing really smart and I was good on energy, so I don't know if I would have got a podium but it would have been close, because I was up on energy compared to a lot of guys around and I still had an attack [mode] left and I was just on the back of the train." 

Despite a difficult beginning to Season 11, Jaguar does now have just under an eight week break until the Miami E-Prix, although Evans is unsure how much can be fixed in that time.

"I don't know, but we've got lots to work on, but yeah, let's just see how many answers or how many things we can improve. But it was a big wake-up call," insisted Evans.