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Jaguar confident they can resolve Berlin issues

Jaguar Racing are confident the team can resolve the issues that plagued them during the opening Berlin race.

Mitch Evans dropped from second to fourth in the championship standings after two pointless finishes, while team-mate James Calado suffered technical problems throughout the event.

This is the second time software problems appear to have impacted Jaguar’s race this season, after a software issue cost Evans the victory in Santiago.

Even without the technical problems, which cost Calado running in both Wednesday practice sessions, Jaguar felt they were far from the pace they had enjoyed earlier in the season.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard to try to unlock the speed,” explained team boss James Barlclay. “We don’t think what we’re seeing is a fundamental issue. Clearly the package we’ve had is good enough to win races and get into Super pole.

“We have a belief of what we think the issue is through analysis of the race yesterday, looking where the issue is, and we think we’ve got a hand on what it might be. Both drivers had the same feedback, which is really helpful because having consistent feedback means you can focus on where the challenge is.

“Efficiency is so important in Formula E and, if you’re just a tiny amount off it costs you significantly.

“[We’re] looking at how we can get the tyre working at its optimal window, looking at chassis set up. That’s really our focus. Obviously, there’s some work on the software side as well, to see what we can do to improve.

“We’re working hard today to try and address the balance. We feel we fundamentally still have a very fast car. We just need to get it to its best operating window for Mitch and James.”

Efficiency will be key going into the final four rounds of the championship. In both Wednesday and Thursday races, drivers crossed the line with no energy remaining, and BMW’s Maximilian Gunther was disqualified from the first race in Berlin for using too much energy.

Despite how close the entire field was to hitting that limit, Evans doesn’t expect drivers to be more cautious this weekend.

“It’s just so tight between everyone now,” he explained. “Everyone’s really refined their powertrains and optimised useable energy.

“If you’re too careful, too conservative, you get swamped up and fall behind. If you can get a slight pace advantage through the balance of the car to help with speed, bring efficiency that way, that’s probably going to bring the difference in the race.

“But it does seem like the whole field has tightened up and margins are a lot smaller.”

Bethonie Waring

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