Panasonic Jaguar Racing have today revealed their brand-new all electric racecar to challenge for season six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. The British team’s official launch in front of VIPs, media, partners and fans was at Jaguar’s brand-new design studio in Gaydon, Warwickshire – the most advanced automotive design centre in the world.
The Jaguar I-TYPE 4, featuring an all new motor, gearbox, invertor, rear suspension and dampers has seen its overall weight reduced offering improved handling and performance. The lightest and most efficient powertrain the team has ever produced, the Jaguar I-TYPE 4 has a lower centre of gravity and will allow the team to push towards even more points, podiums and wins in season six.
The team have also announced the signing of new driver James Calado, who teams up with New Zealander Mitch Evans for season six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.
The 30-year-old, who started karting in 1999, has competed against some of the biggest names in motorsport including Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne and F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, during his career. He became the 2017 WEC GTE Pro champion and early this year took victory in the GTE Pro class at the Le Mans 24 hours.
Calado, who is based in Penarth, Wales, has a wealth of single-seater experience in GP3, GP2, British F3 and F1, scoring points, podiums and wins which he is keen to replicate in Formula E.
With the green lights of season six just over 50 days away, James Calado and Panasonic Jaguar Racing teammate, Mitch Evans, are focussed on preparing for the most competitive season of Formula E yet as they look to build on last season’s success.
ABOUT PANASONIC JAGUAR RACING
Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first premium manufacturer to join the all-electric ABB FIA Formula E Championship street racing series. In 2019 the team won the Rome E-Prix – Jaguar’s first international motorsport victory since 1991.
Formula E is a real world test bed for Jaguar to fearless progress the future of electrification.
As an official manufacturer team in Formula E, Panasonic Jaguar Racing designs its own powertrain, which includes the motor, transmission, inverter and rear suspension. To control costs the carbon fibre chassis and battery are common components and the same for all twelve teams. This allows the focus to be on developing electric vehicle powertrains which are efficient and lightweight which will improve the performance and range of future Jaguar Land Rover electric vehicles.
This is the second year teams will be racing with the futuristic Generation 2 racecars. Teams have two racecars, one per driver, which will be used for the full race distance.
Beyond its all-electric concept, Formula E is unique in the world of motorsport for its choice of venues. The championship takes place on temporary street circuits in the centre of the world’s major cities including Diriyah, Rome, Paris, New York and ending in a double-header race weekend in London.
