Mitch Evans: I feel like I have nothing to lose

Russian racing fans will remember Mitch Evans from his time working with the Russian Time team in GP2, where he also served as a mentor to Artyom Markelov, who was then just gaining experience in this youth series, which later evolved into Formula 2.

But since 2017, the fast New Zealander has been racing for the Jaguar factory team in Formula E and has many victories to his name, but Mitch has not yet managed to win the championship title. In 2022 he became vice-champion, in 2023 he was among the favorites, but ended the season in 3rd place. In the personal rankings he is still on the same line, behind Nick Cassidy and Pascal Wehrlein.

There are four races left before the end of the championship, two of which will take place at American Speedway in Portland on the last weekend of June, and the season finale in London is scheduled for July 20-21, and this will also be a double stage .

At the same time, Evans has regularly finished in the top ten, won two of the previous five races and is 35 points behind the leader, who is also a New Zealander. However, Mitch has been in a similar position more than once, only others have won the electric car world championship: two years ago it was Stoffel Vandoorne, driving for Mercedes, in 2023 Jake Dennis, an Andretti driver.

Evans is still bitter about being effectively eliminated from title contention last year after an unfortunate mistake early in the second race of the weekend in Rome. He won the first, but the next day he caused an accident, severely damaged the car and eventually retired from the race.

But according to Mitch, he is much calmer this year about what is happening on the championship circuits and does not feel much pressure, although he does not rule out that there are still chances for the title.

“I’m probably trying to put less pressure on myself this year compared to 2023,” the 29-year-old New Zealander told RacingNews365. – Last year, when the season ended, I was very upset. Including what happened during that second race in Rome.

Let’s see how everything turns out this time. I believe that after the double leg in Portland the picture will be much clearer, and then it will become clear how to proceed in the season finale. I’m trying to handle this situation as calmly as possible because I feel like I have nothing to lose.

I’ve been in a similar situation over the past few years and you could say it seems familiar to me. If I can do well in Portland this weekend, I know we have to do well at the London circuit as well. I hope we can show good results there. But we will wait and see.”

In theory, a total of 116 points can be earned over the two remaining double laps (in Formula E, additional bonus points are awarded for pole position and best lap in the race). Winning back 35 points is of course not an easy task, but you can’t call it impossible either.