When it comes to full-time drivers in any form of motorsport, spending 10 years with a single team is a rare feat. And it's probably not something many would have anticipated happening for anybody within the first 12 seasons of electric series Formula E.
Jaguar and Mitch Evans began such a journey in 2016, after an unlikely twist to the New Zealander's racing career ultimately sent him into a new racing series that neither he, nor really anybody at that point, knew all that much about.
"I came through a generation where electric vehicles weren't really a thing," Evans told Beyond the Flag. "Just doing go-karts and even in the first few years of my racing car career, which started quite a while ago. I'm 32 years old, I started racing cars at 13. But back then it was like, you may have heard the odd thing about electric cars, but not really anything serious."
Considering Formula E didn't even exist until 2014, it goes without saying that it was never even on Evans' radar as he climbed his way up the racing ladder in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
"Growing up, I was trying to get to F1," he recalled. "That was the clear target. That's what got me to Europe. I did the junior categories underneath F1: F3, which was called GP3 back then, and GP2, which is now obviously F2. I won F3, or GP3. And yeah, things were looking good to get to F1, but then it's a strange world and it didn't really materialize, unfortunately for me. Then I spent a few years in F2 trying to work out what to do, and obviously try to catch a break into F1 or look elsewhere.
"I was looking into WEC, with LMP1 with Porsche, and then they stopped. Then at the same time, there were a few of my friends I raced against in F3, and a lot of credible drivers that I'd known about, were in this category called Formula E, which had started a couple seasons before. I watched quite a few races in season one and season two.
"During season two [2015], I got a call from my management, saying that Jaguar's coming into Formula E, and they're looking for drivers, that they want to evaluate me. It was at a pivotal moment in my career, and it kind of came at the right time, to be honest."
Formula E was a gamble, but it was the right gamble
There were some folks who didn't even think Formula E would last even close to 10 years, but as Evans notes, as electric road cars continue to become more and more mainstream, those doubts have gotten quieter and quieter as the years have passed by, and he has managed to turn a major uncertainty into one of the greatest careers the still relatively new series has seen.
"I was on the fence when it first started," he confessed. "I think a lot of us were. It was so new and so different, and I think, over the course of the last 12-13 years, it's seen a lot of growth. Obviously, electric cars on the road have had a major impact globally. So I think that also obviously strengthened the category a lot, with a lot of huge car manufacturers being involved. I feel like electric vehicles aren't going to go away anytime soon. If anything, the volume of electric cars we'll see on the road should increase.
"Electric vehicles at that point, going back to 2015, 2016, started to become a bit more common. It was still very new, and Formula E was obviously very new in the motorsport world. But I thought, you know, this could have some legs in terms of the future and growth. Then when you start hearing brands like Jaguar, obviously at the time Renault was involved, you're like, ‘okay, if these big brands are now starting to enter, obviously they see a future in the category, and they're going to be investing a lot into this new era of motorsport.’
"I did the evaluation, they offered me a contract, I signed it, not really sure what I was getting myself into. That was 10 years ago, so it’s gone by pretty quickly. But that was kind of my journey into Formula E. Since I've joined, the championship has grown so much. The cars have progressed a huge amount. I've been involved in every generation of car, so it's been quite an exciting journey for everyone who’s been part of Formula E, especially the ones who have been part of it for so long, to see where it started and where it is to this day. That's kind of how my Formula E journey kind of kicked off. And I’m still here, still going. It's exciting times ahead for Formula E as well."
The success and popularity of electric vehicles have indeed increased over the past decade or so, quieting questions about whether Formula E is truly here to stay, all while the sport's own popularity has skyrocketed.
And the Gen4 car, Formula E's first new car since 2022, could not have come at a better time, as all sides are working on taking full advantage of that continued growth.
"Obviously there's a lot of talk around [electric cars], but it should go in that direction," he noted. "I think the long-term gain for Formula E is strong.
"We're all pushing to make sure that does happen. And yeah, Formula E turned into a world championship [in 2020], so it's got a lot of support, it's getting more support, and I think it's got a healthy future. But a lot relies on the automotive side as well. It'll be interesting to see where things are in like 10, 15 years. But I think at the moment, it's looking pretty positive.
"Obviously they've got to make the right calls on car regulations, broadcasting, a lot of things, but I would say it's heading in the right direction, and those new cars come at the right time for that. As long as the automotive industry is pushing for electric vehicles, Formula E is going to have a strong future, in my opinion."
A new chapter for Mitch Evans as Gen4 era begins
But in 2026, it's not just the new car that is set to mark a massive change in Formula E. It's arguably the biggest driver change the sport has seen during its first 12-plus years. After 10 seasons with Jaguar which produced a series-record 16 victories, Evans is set to embark on a new beginning. His 11th season in Formula E is set to be his first with a team other than Jaguar.
All good things must come to an end, including the winningest driver-team partnership in Formula E history, as Evans made the decision to sign with the Opel GSE Formula E Team for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. Season 13 is set to be the team's first in the series.
"In a nutshell, 10 years with the same team is a long time," he said. "You know, it's unusual to have that length of partnership in our world. Normally drivers jump around all the time, and teams have new drivers all the time. But it was a great 10 years with Jaguar and I really enjoyed my time there. I was their first driver, and we achieved a lot together."
On paper, it may be considered a gamble for a driver whose win total over the past five years alone (14) would be tied for the sport's all-time record behind Evans' 16. But for Evans, it was the right move at the right time, just as it was 10 years ago when he made the move to Formula E.
"I think at some point you need to take on a new challenge and I think with the change of regulations next year, which is quite big, it just felt like the right time," he explained. "It was good timing with my contract expiring with the team as well. I started to look obviously at options, and Opel really stood out to me.
"They’re going to be new into Formula E, but the approach they came in with, a lot of ambition, a lot of passion to come in and do well straight away, and that really excited me. The choice to move away from Jaguar was purely because I felt like I needed a fresh start, a fresh challenge in Formula E, and it just felt like the right time."
Set to join him in Opel's first-ever driver lineup is Theo Pourchaire, an experienced youngster who has made a name for himself in a number of different motorsport series across the globe, including IndyCar and Formula 2, but has not yet competed in Formula E.
"He's a few years younger than me, so I've not had the chance to race against him or with him," Evans stated. "This will be the first time for us to race against each other. I’m excited for that. He's obviously had a really bright career so far, especially in his junior categories. He's coming in as a rookie, but I think he's going to be a strong force from the start.
"Looking forward to working with him and I think he'll be an exciting addition to Formula E. Together with him, we're hoping to obviously create a strong combination of a bit of experience on my side, a bit of youth and fresh blood on his side. I think the lineup is exciting, and I’m looking forward to getting into it with him and hopefully in a really successful partnership with him with Opel."
Mitch Evans, with Formula E wins record in hand, wants something more
For Evans, the 38 podium trophies are great. The wins record, which he hopes to extend well past 16, is even greater. But he's still missing one thing, and it's the one thing that continues to drive him each and every day.
"I feel like I've achieved pretty much everything in Formula E apart from the big one, from the driver's side," he said, referring to the elusive world championship. "And I won't be satisfied until I achieve that. I've got loads of podiums. Obviously the wins record is great. I want to obviously extend that, but the one thing left on my radar, the only thing really on my radar now, is to win that championship."
Evans is set to enter the upcoming season coming off of five consecutive winning seasons, in which he recorded two championship runner-up results and two other finishes of third. In all five of those seasons, he won multiple races, with 14 of his 16 career wins coming since 2021.
"To do it with Opel would be amazing, and that's kind of what's left for me in Formula E," he continued. "If I can win one, I want to win two. That's just the way I am. So far it's been a great run. But yeah, there's definitely still some fire inside me to try to get that first championship. We're going to push to try to make that happen. It's been very close. It came close this year.
"But, yeah, look, I'll keep going until I can try to make it a reality and get it across the line someday. Hopefully next year, but let's see how things progress with the team and with the Gen4 car. It's obviously a big change, so it's really hard to judge where everyone will be. That's definitely quite firm in my goals, to try to get across the line sometime."
Evans was reminded that he's also third in career Formula E win percentage, and one of the two drivers he trails, Felix Rosenqvist, won this year's Indy 500. It's a race that's always been on Evans' radar, and while he won't rule out making a future attempt, he admits that it's not as likely as it was a few years back, when it was an active discussion point within his inner circle.
"Over the past 10 years, there have always been talks with my management about whether we try to crack it in America, in IndyCar," he admitted. "I feel like it would be a category that would really suit me. The ovals, you never know because I didn't grow up on ovals, and it's always a bit of a different discipline. So that's always hard to judge.
"Obviously, the Indy 500 is an incredible spectacle. It's amazing every year. It’s great to see guys like Felix who I've raced against doing so well. It’s definitely been one of those categories that I watch pretty much every race. I'm still very much engaged in it. I never went over and even did a test, but it was a talking point for us for a while, whether we try to go over there, and never did it.
"Hopefully I don't have any regrets not doing it in the future. But, look, never say never. I'm 32 now, it's probably unlikely that I'll get over there. But I definitely really respect what they do over in Indy. It's pretty impressive. So yeah, let's see. I can't see it probably happening anymore, but as I say, never say never."
The success of fellow countryman Scott Dixon certainly added to Evans' interest in the Indy 500, and IndyCar as a whole, over the years as he grew up and carved his own path in the racing world.
"When I was very young, my father was racing. He was very good. So I was looking up to him, watching him, going around New Zealand with him. He was definitely someone I looked up to initially. And then a few others, in the early 2000s, [Michael] Schumacher was obviously a big name. I used to always go to the Australian Grand Prix to watch. Obviously he was dominating at that period.
"And then also a Kiwi driver who’s done really well in the States, Scott Dixon in IndyCar. When I was growing up, he was kind of at the peak, winning multiple championships and doing really well. I never went the American route, but he was definitely someone who was flying the flag and doing really well."
"Those three, even Lewis Hamilton to a degree when he was in GP2, when he first broke into Formula 1, what he was doing initially was pretty outstanding. Probably that group of drivers who I was initially aspiring to be one day."
But now it's about Evans' journey, and his own role as a role model who younger drivers can look up to. And even after a decade in Formula E, he hopes that that journey is just getting started.
"After that, I stopped kind of looking up to people, let's say, because you kind of get to the point where you want to be the next guy who people look up to. But definitely when I was younger, there were multiple guys I looked up to and really admired. I think that’s always quite natural."
The 21-race 2026-2027 Formula E season is scheduled to begin on Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19 with two races of the Jeddah ePrix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.
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