Panasonic Jaguar Racing
After an incredible run last year, the team now switches its focus onto season 6. With new cities added to the schedule, and with the unveiling of the new Jaguar I‑TYPE 4, Jaguar's fourth year of racing promises to see the best season yet.
THE CAR
I-TYPE Battery
The Generation 2 lithium ion battery (385kg, 52kW) is housed in a carbon fibre safety cell. The battery's usable energy is the equivalent of fully charging 5,000 mobile phones. The Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) is charged prior to the race and the regeneration braking during the race coverts energy back into the battery.
I-TYPE Powertrain
The Panasonic Jaguar Racing Motor Generator Unit (MGU) is all new for season 6 and is based on the team's learnings from the first season with the Gen 2 car. During development and testing the team focused on making the MGU lighter and more efficient to further improve the overall performance of the I-TYPE.
I-TYPE Inverter
The bespoke Silicone Carbide module I-TYPE inverter is developed by Panasonic Jaguar Racing. The inverter takes the direct current (DC) stored in the battery pack and turns it into the alternating current (AC) that feeds the motor and gives us the power to use.
I-TYPE Architecture
The new, extreme look isn't purely for aesthetics. The I-TYPE 4 has been specifically designed to increase the down force, courtesy of its large diffuser to offer superior grip even when closely following another car. Another prominent feature is the new FIA Halo head protection device, with its innovative LED light strip. When the lighting on the Halo glows blue, the car and driver are in Attack Mode. The Halo glows magenta when the driver has activated FanBoost, allowing fans to easily follow the strategy of their favourite team or driver.
THE TEAM
Mitch Evans
Mitch started karting at the age of 6 and won the New Zealand Grand Prix at 16. Mentored by former F1 racer Mark Webber, the young driver went on to win the 2012 GP3 title. Moving to GP2 in 2013 and at just 18 years of age, while still a rookie, Mitch became the youngest driver in GP2 history to stand on the podium after finishing third in Sepang, Malaysia. More success followed in 2015 when Mitch finished second at the 24 hours in Sepang, Malaysia.
Mitch made his ABB FIA Formula E debut with Panasonic Jaguar Racing in 2016 when the British team returned to racing. In his second season with the team, Mitch, widely seen as one of the quickest drivers on the grid, secured a series of firsts for Panasonic Jaguar Racing including a super pole, a pole position and a podium finish.
In 2019 his hard work paid off with his first Formula E victory in Rome. This was followed up by two further podiums in Bern and New York which led to a top five finish in the driver standings.
James Calado
Briton James Calado has been announced as the new Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver ahead of season six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.
The 30-year-old, who started karting in 1999, has competed against some of the biggest names in motorsport including Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne and F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, during his career. He became the 2017 WEC GTE Pro champion and in 2019 took victory in the GTE Pro class at the Le Mans 24 hours.
Calado, who is based in Penarth, Wales, has a wealth of single-seater experience in GP3, GP2, British F3 and F1, scoring points, podiums and wins - something he’s keen to replicate in Formula E.
There may only be two people behind the wheel on race day, but there’s an army of engineers, mechanics and analysts, all working behind the scenes and around-the-clock to ensure optimum performance is achieved. The most notable is James Barclay - the team director, Craig Wilson - the race director and Nick Rogers - the executive director of product engineering.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Follow the Race
Check out the previous and upcoming races via the link below, plus see how the team is doing in the table.
FanBoost
All Formula E teams run on the same chassis and battery unit to ensure a level playing field. However, one advantage drivers can acquire comes from FanBoost. The five drivers with the most FanBoost votes are awarded a significant burst of power, which they can deploy in 5 second windows during the second half of the race. Fans can vote up to four times a day during the 6 days prior to, and up to 6 minutes into, each race.