Mitch Evans believes it was “game over” for victory in the London E-Prix even if he jumped ahead of eventual race winner Pascal Wehrlein during the second Attack Mode phase.
Wehrlein took his third win of the season at London’s ExCeL which has propelled him from third in the drivers’ standings to the top with just one race remaining.
Having entered the London double-header 12 points behind Nick Cassidy and level on points with the second Jaguar of Evans, the Porsche driver now heads the latter by three points with Cassidy four further back.
Evans led Saturday’s race from pole but after Wehrlein moved ahead into Turn 1 on lap 22, the Jaguar was unable to prevent the German from reclaiming the lead when he took both Attack Mode activations.
The pair ran side-by-side as Wehrlein rejoined the second time, with Evans having to slot in behind through the following turn and admitted post-race he would have been unable to hold the lead even if he had moved ahead.
“I burned quite a lot just to try and stay with him once he went for that second Attack Mode to try and get track position but the energy difference was huge,” Evans told Autosport.
“Well, it wasn’t huge but it was significant and enough for him, he would have got back past me.
“I led for too long and we probably approached the race thinking we could win it from leading the whole race.
“In hindsight, I think that was the wrong approach which is unusual for us, that’s the only reason Pascal got me today.
“In terms of pure balance, car pace I think we were quicker than them probably but the energy difference was quite significant and especially once he’d done his attacks, I’d burnt quite a bit of energy, it was game over.”
Wehrlein had started third for the penultimate race of the season and lost a position on the opening lap to Norman Nato, but the decision to sit in the slipstream allowed him to save nearly 2% more energy than Evans that he was able to use to devastating effect later in proceedings.
"I think race execution was perfect, strategy-wise I think it was one of our best races," said the new championship leader.
“Not panicking that we took the Attack Modes quite late and so on. Just making the right calls, that was well executed. Today is 50%, tomorrow is as important as today was so looking forward to that.”
The door to take the lead in the drivers’ championship was opened as Cassidy suffered a difficult day having only been able to start 17th after a poor qualifying.
On a tight and twisty track where overtaking was difficult, Cassidy struggled to make progress as his car was damaged in a collision with Jake Dennis, for which the Briton was penalised, and further contact was made with Stoffel Vandoorne.
Ninth on the road was converted into seventh in the final classification due to penalties and means Sunday’s race effectively becomes a ‘winner takes all’ contest between Cassidy, Evans and Wehrlein.
“It could have been much better, could have been much worse," said Cassidy.
“I've got a chance tomorrow, considering I started P17 it could have been no chance tomorrow.
“In one way frustrating, in one way disappointing, you just feel like everything in the world is against you, but it's no time to think like that, focus on tomorrow and try and win tomorrow.”
