Formula E: Sam Bird Switches to Jaguar for Season 7

Britain’s Sam Bird will leave Envision Virgin Racing after the end of Season 6 this year to join Panasonic Jaguar Racing alongside Mitch Evans for the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

The move coincides with Formula E’s first season as an official FIA World Championship.

Bird has raced for Virgin in every season of Formula E to date, completing all 63 races with the team. He is also the only driver to have won at least 1 race in every season of Formula E, a record similar to Lewis Hamilton’s record of winning in every F1 season of competition.

The 33 year old is often regarded as the best driver in Formula E yet to win a championship, despite having won 9 races. He will see out his Virgin Racing days in Berlin in August, before straight away testing with Jaguar.

Bird will become the 6th different driver that Jaguar have signed since joining Formula E in Season 3, joining the likes of Evans, Adam Carroll, Nelson Piquet Jr, Alex Lynn and predecessor James Calado.

Piquet suffered a terrible stint at Jaguar, before being dropped midway through Season 5

Bird said, “I have watched Jaguar’s growth and progress in the series and am very proud to be driving for an iconic British brand with such a successful racing DNA and joining an incredible list of drivers that have raced for the brand.

“I am incredibly hungry for success and I believe that together with Mitch we can achieve great things for the team and ourselves. I want to thank Envision Virgin Racing for everything we have achieved together and wish them well for the future.

“After Berlin, I can’t wait to test the Jaguar I-Type and be in the best place possible for season seven and beyond.”

Jaguar Racing director James Barclay said, “Since the start of Formula E, Sam has demonstrated that he is one of the very best drivers in the championship and we believe that together we will form a great partnership.

“With Mitch and Sam we believe that we have arguably one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid.

“With extremely close competition it is clear that to be successful in Formula E you need two drivers who can be competing for podiums at every race.

“We now have two proven race winners that are capable of enabling us to challenge for both team and driver championship titles next season.”

Season 5 saw Jaguar take their first win in Formula E with Evans, and this year they find themselves in the championship fight against the BMW’s of Alexander Sims and Max Gunther, as well as the DS Techeetah of Antonio Felix da Costa and the Audi of Lucas di Grassi.

The 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is set to begin in January, for the Santiago ePrix.