Mitch Evans seeks Tokyo reset after Formula E title setback
Evans aims to halt title slide in Tokyo
Mitch Evans arrives at next weekend’s Tokyo double-header determined to reverse a run of results that has sent his Formula E title challenge in the wrong direction.
The Jaguar driver entered last month’s Sanya E-Prix with a 19-point championship lead, but his race ended in major damage after Dan Ticktum launched over the back of his car. Evans failed to score, turning what had appeared to be a strong points opportunity into a costly setback. Ticktum has since featured in Formula E’s GEN4 showcase at Goodwood, but it was his incident with Evans in Sanya that first shifted the championship momentum.
The Shanghai double-header then compounded the problem. Evans started the opening race from second, only to drop to eighth after reporting a suspected issue affecting grip. Pascal Wehrlein won that race, cutting Evans’ advantage to three points.
A day later, Evans struggled for performance in wet qualifying and then failed to start the race because of a suspected DC/DC issue. Wehrlein finished fourth, taking a nine-point lead in the standings. Evans is now second with four races remaining.
Evans sees no need for major changes
Despite the difficult sequence, Evans does not believe Jaguar needs to overhaul its approach before Tokyo.
“I don’t think we really need to change anything, to be honest,” Evans told RacingNews365. “A lot of it has been out of our control, but actually I think we’ve been pretty quick, apart from the wet in Shanghai.”
He said the team would reset, follow its usual preparation and learn from its previous work in Tokyo while searching for more performance. For Evans, the priority is continuity rather than a reactionary change in direction.
“Things can change very quickly one way or the other,” he added. “Apart from that, it’s just business as usual.”
Jaguar faces a difficult Tokyo history
The venue nevertheless represents a clear challenge. Since Tokyo joined the calendar in 2024, Evans and Jaguar have struggled to produce a representative result. Evans finished 15th that year, while he failed to finish either race last season at Tokyo Big Sight.
He acknowledged that record but believes the later date and night-race format may give Jaguar a better opportunity. Evans said the team is now operating in a better window, although he stopped short of comparing Tokyo with London, which he described as normally very strong for Jaguar.
“It’s going to be a big fight until the end,” Evans said. After the disappointment of Sanya and Shanghai, Tokyo offers his first immediate chance to change the direction of the championship again.
Simone Scanu
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.