SA’s Barclay makes history as Jaguar claims maiden Formula E title

South Africa’s James Barclay, team principal of Jaguar TCS Racing, has made history this weekend after leading Jaguar to the British marque’s maiden Formula E title.

After a strong season, Jaguar has claimed the Formula E Team’s Championship after a thrilling race in London. Jaguar entered the final race weekend ahead of TAG Heuer Porsche in second and finished the campaign with a margin of 36 points as Season 10 concluded.

It was a bittersweet moment for Jaguar though, as the team missed out on the Driver’s Championship, with drivers Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy finishing the season in second and third respectively.

Long-time championship leader Nick Cassidy was forced to retire from the season finale after he suffered a puncture towards the end and Evans could not convert his strong performance into a wind.

Picking up the pieces though was Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein who was able to claim the Driver’s Championship after finishing the race in P2, leaving him five points ahead of Evans in the final standings. This marks the half-Mauritian driver’s first Formula E World Championship and makes him the first driver of Mauritian descent to claim an FIA World Championship.

Speaking on this achievement, Wehrlein said: “It feels good. I don’t know what to say. It’s definitely not expected, [but] I always believed in it. In the last couple of weeks at the beginning and of each day, I’d tell myself ‘I can do this’. I am just super proud of everyone at the factory as well.”

FLYING THE SA FLAG

As a result of Jaguar’s success, Barclay has become the first South African team principal to guide a team to a Formula E World Championship. He led the team’s entry into Formula E in 2016 and has been at the helm ever since.

Since joining the sport, Jaguar has claimed 44 podiums, which has included 16 wins. Season 10 has been a record-breaking one for the team, as Cassidy & Evans have combined for 13 trips to the podium, four of which were wins.

“Jaguar has a rich racing history, and when we started our Formula E programme back in 2016 we were determined to add to that legacy. To win the 2024 ABB FIA Formula E Teams’ World Championship – the pinnacle of electric racing – is [a] fitting reward for everyone’s hard work and winning mindset. I feel for both Mitch [Evans] and Nick [Cassidy] – coming so close to the Drivers’ crown is tough for both of them – but they have driven incredibly well all year and I know they will be fighting for the title again next year,” said Barclay.

The team also claimed the newly introduced Manufacturer’s Trophy, thanks to strong performances from Evans and Cassidy and a solid points haul from customer team Envision Racing.

Season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will resume later this year with pre-season testing in Valencia, Spain and an opening race in São Paulo, Brazil.