Mitch Evans' last-to-first drive makes history in Sao Paulo E-Prix

MITCH Evans of Jaguar TCS Racing made history at the São Paulo E-Prix, storming from last to first to claim a stunning victory. He was followed by António Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) in second and Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team) in third, rounding out the podium.

The race featured 111 overtakes, five different leaders, and two red flags, making it a spectacular start to the 2024/25 Formula E season.

Reflecting on his incredible drive, Evans said: “To be honest, I’m just trying to process everything. Obviously I wasn’t expecting this after misfortune in qualifying, not getting any laps and starting at the back. I was just hoping to pick up some points, but I found myself up 18 places on the first lap and in the mix quickly. Full credit to everyone at Jaguar—this was a sweet one.”

The 30-year-old New Zealander made history by becoming the first driver to win from the back of the grid in the debut race for the GEN3 Evo car. Starting 22nd, Evans carved his way through the chaos to claim a well-deserved victory.

The race was an electrifying showcase of strategy and skill, with the top three drivers separated by just over a second at the finish. Da Costa fought valiantly, finishing only 0.384 seconds behind Evans.

Post-race, he commented: “It was close with Mitch for the win, but well done to him coming from last. That’s an achievement, doesn’t matter how you get it done."

Taylor Barnard rounded out the podium, becoming the youngest podium finisher in Formula E history at just 20 years old.

Expressing his surprise, Barnard said: “I didn’t expect to be standing here! The team did an absolutely amazing job with the second ATTACK MODE strategy—it made it easy for me and Sam [Bird] to pass and get up to the front. He protected me at the end, so thanks to him for the great teamwork.”

Amongst the experienced grid, Barbadian Zane Maloney made his mark in his Formula E debut with Lola Yamaha ABT Formula E Team. Starting 19th, the 20-year-old Barbadian driver climbed into the top 10 before finishing 12th, a commendable result for the only absolute rookie on the grid.

Before the race, Maloney tempered expectations, saying, “I’ll be learning as we go. We’ll see.”

Despite his strong performance, Maloney’s race wasn’t without challenges. He received a drive-through penalty for "overpowering"—exceeding the maximum regulated power output during the race.

Overpowering is a critical rule in Formula E designed to maintain fair competition. It occurs when a driver exceeds the maximum allowed power output, requiring strategic precision in energy management. For rookies like Maloney, mastering this aspect is part of Formula E’s steep learning curve.

Maloney’s fastest lap of 1:13.195 was impressive, outpacing several midfield drivers and underscoring his ability to compete amidst the chaos of a high-stakes race.

That chaos was evident throughout the action-packed event, which was punctuated by a Safety Car and two Red Flags. One of the most dramatic moments came when reigning Champion Pascal Wehrlein’s Porsche ended upside down after hitting the wall. Wehrlein emerged unharmed.

Amidst the turmoil, the introduction of a powered-up ATTACK MODE, now with a four-wheel drive boost, added a strategic dimension to the race and enabled Evans to charge through the field late, capitalising on the opportunities created by the disruptions.

Not all drivers, however, were able to capitalise on the chaos. Former leader Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) delivered a strong performance throughout the race but suffered a harsh blow with a late drive-through penalty, which ultimately denied him a potential victory.

As the dust settled, Mahindra Racing’s Edoardo Mortara secured fifth place, followed by Norman Nato (Nissan Formula E Team) and Nyck de Vries (also Mahindra Racing) in sixth and seventh, respectively. Sebastien Buemi (Envision Racing), Dan Ticktum (CUPRA KIRO), and Jean-Éric Vergne (DS PENSKE) rounded out the top 10. Rowland, after his penalty, finished in 14th despite leading for much of the race.

With his stunning performance, Evans now leads the Drivers’ standings, while NEOM McLaren sits atop the Teams’ table.

Formula E heads to Mexico City for Round 2 of Season 11 on January 11, 2025.

Full race results:

1. Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing), 2. António Félix da Costa (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team), 3. Taylor Barnard (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team), 4. Sam Bird (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team), 5. Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra Racing), 6. Nyck de Vries (Mahindra Racing), 7. Sébastien Buemi (Envision Racing), 8. Dan Ticktum (Cupra Kiro), 9. Jean-Éric Vergne (DS PENSKE), 10. Stoffel Vandoorne (Maserati MSG Racing), 11. Maximilian Günther (DS PENSKE), 12. Zane Maloney (Lola Yamaha ABT Formula E Team), 13. Norman Nato (Nissan Formula E Team), 14. Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team)

Not Classified:

37 Nick Cassidy (Jaguar TCS Racing)

1 Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team)

3 David Beckmann (Cupra Kiro)

27 Jake Dennis (Andretti Formula E Team)

11 Lucas di Grassi (Lola Yamaha ABT Formula E Team)

55 Jake Hughes (Maserati MSG Racing)

51 Nico Müller (Andretti Formula E Team)

Not Started:

4 Robin Frijns (Envision Racing)