Painful 'scars' behind punchy Mitch Evans Formula E comments

Jaguar team principal Ian James has revealed Mitch Evans' acknowledgement in the garage after Formula E's Madrid E-Prix that "some scars" had triggered his punchy comments.

Evans delivered an exceptional display at the Circuito del Jarama to finish second behind team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa, despite having started 16th.

However, the New Zealander was furious after the chequered flag, stating over the radio, "You guys are lucky I like Antonio" and "You guys don't talk to me — well done, Antonio."

He was eager to be allowed past his team-mate due to having slightly more energy, but no call came from the team.

It was not the first time Evans felt Jaguar had made a decision against him, with the Season 10 title-deciding finale still a very strong memory.

Evans, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign and is considering his options, conceded to RacingNews365 that incidents like the one in Madrid "100%" play on his mind when it comes to making a decision on his future.

Despite this, Jaguar boss James explained after the race that not only had the 31-year-old cooled down, but he also insisted to the team that he "respected the decision" not to swap the cars and opened up about his "scars" triggering fiery reactions to intra-team incidents.

Asked for his thoughts on Evans' punchy comments, James told RacingNews365:

"I'm actually very relaxed about it, simply because of his professionalism when he came back into the garage and during the debrief.

"I think we've got to respect the fact that, when these athletes — as they are — are out there, the adrenaline is pumping. You know, emotions can get the better of you.

"Actually, when he came in here [the garage], he not only said that he respected the decision because it was the right decision from the team, but also spoke about the fact that there are maybe some scars from the past that affect the way he reacts to it. But he's such a professional that he's able to admit that all he asks is for equal treatment if the situation were to be reversed.

"And I've given him, Antonio, and the rest of the team my word that that would absolutely be the case. So listen, it's impossible to predict every single scenario as you're going through these races, and therefore you've got to be very careful about putting too many rules of engagement in place.

"But days like this enable you to reflect on the decisions that were made and what the outcome was, and then just make sure that either you were right or you adjust where necessary. So no, I think we're in good shape."