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Mitch Evans will leave Jaguar TCS Racing after a decade to join Formula E newcomers Opel GSE for the 2026/27 season, making the move one of the defining driver changes ahead of the championship’s GEN4 era.
Evans has become synonymous with Jaguar during his time in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. By the end of the 2025/26 season, the New Zealander had recorded 16 victories, 38 podiums and 10 pole positions, as well as the most wins of any driver in the history of the all-electric championship.
He delivered Jaguar’s first silverware with third place at the 2017 Hong Kong E-Prix, before securing his and the manufacturer’s maiden Formula E victory in Rome the following season. His record also includes two runner-up finishes in the Drivers’ Championship, in Seasons 9 and 11, and third place in Seasons 8 and 12.
The latest title opportunity ended in London. Evans entered the finale as one of nine drivers still mathematically in contention, but a difficult first race left him 21 points behind Pascal Wehrlein. Victory was effectively required in the final GEN3 race, yet Evans finished fourth and ended the season third in the standings with 160 points. He did, however, help Jaguar secure its second Teams’ Championship alongside Antonio Felix da Costa, contributing to a total of 288 points.
The change is not simply a new contract. Evans says GEN4 was a major reason for looking beyond Jaguar, after a decade in which the championship helped shape his approach to racing and technology.
“I’m a better driver or person than I was 10 years ago, which is the main thing, and I’m still hungry to succeed more,” he said, reflecting on his time with the team.
After visiting Opel’s facilities in Satory and discussing its plans with Jörg Schrott and the wider organisation, Evans said he was encouraged by the brand’s vision and resources. Opel will be a new team and brand in Formula E, but Evans believes the project can make an immediate impression.
The 2026/27 campaign will form part of Formula E’s new 21-round GEN4 schedule, outlined in the full 2026/27 calendar.
Evans will be paired with Théo Pourchaire, the 2023 FIA Formula 2 champion. He expects the rookie, whose junior-record includes becoming the youngest F3 winner at 16, to bring fresh energy and quickly establish himself.
Evans is setting no unrealistic targets, but wants Opel GSE to fight for podiums and potentially wins in its first season. Testing has produced positive early signs, although he acknowledges the development race will be intense.
“I’m at a stage in my career where I’m used to winning, and I don’t want that to stop,” Evans said.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.