- Jaguar TCS Racing and Sam Bird announce a new multi‑year deal
- Following a successful first season with Jaguar TCS Racing, Briton, Sam Bird commits his immediate future to the British team
- With a contract extension and the upcoming first race of season eight, Bird is more determined than ever to fight for more podiums, wins and the World Championship
- Sam Bird sits alongside long‑term Jaguar TCS Racing driver, Mitch Evans, to create what is one of the most formidable driver pairings in Formula E
- Jaguar TCS Racing will race on the streets of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on 28 and 29 January 2022 for the first of 16 rounds in 10 cities
Gaydon, United Kingdom, 19 January 2022 – Jaguar TCS Racing and Sam Bird today announce a new multi‑year contract. After a successful first season with the British racing team, Jaguar and Bird commit their immediate future to each other and aim for more podiums, wins and the World Championship.
Sam Bird brings a wealth of experience to the team as the only driver to have won a race in every season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. With teammate, Mitch Evans, alongside Bird in the in the electric racing championship, the duo are one of the most formidable driver pairings in Formula E.
Sam’s first season with Jaguar TCS Racing produced three podiums and two wins and helped Jaguar secure the runners‑up spot in the teams’ championship.
JAGUAR TCS RACING AND SAM BIRD AGREE CONTRACT EXTENSION
It is a really positive start to season eight as we confirm Sam Bird will continue his electric racing career with Jaguar TCS Racing after a great first season with the team. Sam’s results from last year demonstrate he fits in extremely well here at Jaguar TCS Racing, shares our goals and is very much part of the family. As we all know, Sam has massive determination and talent to continue to put the Jaguar I‑TYPE 5 into race winning positions. At the same time confirming the extension of our contract with Sam means we can focus on the development and important preparations for Gen3 together. Next up is the start of season eight though and we have our sights set on securing as many points as possible to begin our campaign for the World Championship.
James Barclay
Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal
My first season with Jaguar TCS Racing told me everything I needed to know ‑ I wanted to continue to be a part of the Jaguar TCS Racing family. The whole team is determined, focussed and ready to get results and that’s exactly who I want to be working with. Now it’s time to get season eight underway and ensure we put all our off‑season practice and learnings into action to score as many points as possible.
Sam Bird
Jaguar TCS Racing driver #10
Jaguar TCS Racing will start season eight on the streets of Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on 28 and 29 January 2022 in the first of 16 races in 10 cities across the globe.
Further information
Emily Hogg, Media Officer, Jaguar TCS Racing
Tel: + 44 (0) 7384 532 605
Email: ehogg2@jaguarlandrover.com
Adrian Atkinson, Global PR and Communications Manager, Jaguar TCS Racing
Tel: +44 (0) 7979 554005
Email: aatkins5@jaguarlandrover.com
Notes to Editors
ABOUT JAGUAR TCS 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 season seven Jaguar TCS Racing finished runners‑up in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship teams’ standings ‑ the most successful so far in Jaguar TCS Racing’s Formula E history.
Formula E is a real‑world test bed for Jaguar with its journey to becoming an all‑electric luxury brand from 2025. Jaguar TCS Racing will deliver new sustainable technologies and set new benchmarks in quality in support of Jaguar Land Rover’s Reimagine strategy.
Jaguar TCS Racing goal is to ‘Reimagine Racing’ and together the team will test, develop, learn and collaborate, sharing insights across Jaguar Land Rover which will benefit future road car development. Specifically, learnings and technology transfer from Formula E will help ‘Reimagine” the Jaguar brand coinciding with the company’s commitment to the Gen3 era of Formula E.
As an official manufacturer team in Formula E, Jaguar TCS 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 eleven 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.
The 2021/22 Formula E season is the second season of World Championship status as granted by the FIA – the sport’s governing body. It will be the fourth and final year for the teams to be racing with the futuristic Gen2 race cars.
Teams have two race cars, one per driver, which will be used for the full race distance of 45 minutes plus 1 lap.
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, Mexico City, Rome, Monaco, New York, London and ending in a double‑header race weekend in Seoul.
New Zealander, Mitch Evans finished season seven fourth in the drivers' championship and Jaguar TCS Racing finished second in the teams' standings ‑ the most successful so far in Jaguar TCS Racing’s Formula E history ‑ with eight podiums, two wins, one pole position and 177 points scored. After his first season with the team, Briton, Sam Bird finished sixth in the championship with two wins, three podiums and a pole position
Race to Innovate
Formula E remains a key priority for Jaguar Land Rover and the company’s Reimagine strategy. As the only all‑electric world championship, Formula E allows us to test and develop new electric vehicle technologies in a high‑performance environment. It continues to be the test‑bed for our Race to Innovate mission that will see Race to Road and Road to Race learnings that will help shape our electric future – a future that Jaguar is passionate about, and dedicated to for the benefit of our society, the changing landscape of mobility, sustainability and our customers.