IN THE THICK OF IT

How Mitch Evans is staking a claim to Jaguar's first Formula E title

- Damien Smith

Is Jaguar ready to win a Formula E title? The British brand, which boasts such an illustrious heritage in sports car racing (and another it would rather forget in Formula 1), is six years into its campaign in the electric single-seater series. Disappointments have usually outnumbered the race wins, but in Formula E's second season as a full-blown FIA World Championship, Mitch Evans is right in the thick of it after his third victory of the year - the most of anyone - scored in the sweltering Indonesian capital of Jakarta. The New Zealander is well placed to claim Jaguar's first crown at this level since 1991, in the Group C glory days.

LIVING UP TO ITS STATUS

Formula E remains contentious and unloved by too many hardcore racing fans, who are put off by everything from the electric motors' whine to the fiddly street tracks, the perceived lack of speed to the banger-racing style of action.

I will admit that I too have struggled with it in the past, particularly when an obsession with energy management resulted in 'range anxiety racing', as displayed most notably in the Valencia shambles last year, when a bunch of cars were either disqualified or failed to finish when they exceeded their energy allocation. That was so harmful, especially in the series' first year as a World Championship.

But doubters should look again. This year, Formula E is living up to its enhanced status and has moved on with confidence from the undermining loss of Audi and BMW as works teams.

A fairer new qualifying format involving one-on-one duels to decide the top grid slots, lessons learned from the previous energy clangers and circuits that more consistently allow for cleaner racing have resulted in greater sporting authenticity.