Mitch Evans plays down Formula E championship chances despite dominant victory in Mexico City E-Prix

Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Mitch Evans played down his chances of winning the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, despite a dominant victory at the Mexico City E-Prix leaving him top of the Drivers’ Standings.

After overtaking Porsche’s Andre Lotterer on the opening corner of the race, Evans cruised to victory and now leads the drivers’ championship by a single point from Britain’s Alexander Sims.

But despite back-to-back podium finishes in the all-electric series, Evans refused to be drawn into whether his impressive win at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez cemented him as a genuine contender.

He said: “It’s hard to say. Things can change so quickly from race to race in Formula E. I would like to say yes but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself.

“It feels great to get my second victory in a place like Mexico City. Passion for motorsport is immense here, the crowd and turnout was just amazing.”

The 25-year-old dominated the E-Prix after wresting the lead from pole-sitter Lotterer on the opening corner, in a robust move which saw contact between the two drivers and damage to Lotterer’s Porsche, with the German eventually falling to the back of the grid.

Evans held off the challenge of DS Techeetah’s Antonio Felix Da Costa and Nissan e.dams Sebastian Buemi, to take the chequered flag.

A sell-out crowd in Mexico City was treated to a dramatic E-Prix, with a series of crashes forcing the retirement of seven drivers, including Envision Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird, who hit the wall when second and heading for a podium finish with just three minutes of the race remaining.

Formula E returns on Saturday 29th February, with the Marrakesh E-Prix live on BBC2.