Evans was working in a robust fourth and maintaining tabs on Nyck de Vries in third – and crucially was a place forward of championship chief Stoffel Vandoorne, whom Evans started the race 24 factors behind.
However on the thirty fifth lap of the race, Evans slowed to a crawl behind the circuit and needed to pull off on the Flip 10-11 chicane to attempt to reset his automobile.
Though the Kiwi was in a position to get going once more, he discovered the automobile was not in a situation that he may proceed with and elected to retire from the race. Because of this, what would have been a 22-point deficit has grown to 36 factors.
Evans defined the problems had emerged some laps sooner and it was a “heartbreaking” consequence for Jaguar as his title hopes now appear extra precarious.
“The issue was creeping in just a few laps earlier than to be trustworthy, I began having some very unusual behaviour on the brakes and simply observed one thing was actually not proper,” Evans expanded.
“We’ll attempt to dissect it fairly shortly, however sadly – really, at one level I believed we had fastened it and as quickly as I believed that, I needed to do an influence cycle when mainly the automobile switched off, which is while you noticed I left the observe to do the facility cycle.
“I managed to get again to the pits however the automobile was not raceable anymore.
“So yeah, simply heartbreaking for everybody concerned within the crew. We had a very sturdy race. One in every of my greatest races I feel I’ve achieved, charging again fairly exhausting, actually aggressive overtakes, actually good technique.
“Clearly Stoff was behind and we’d have closed the hole – that was what we needed to do to take it on to Seoul, however now clearly he is acquired a fairly wholesome lead.”
Mitch Evans, Jaguar Racing
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Regardless, Evans felt that System E may nonetheless supply its trademark unpredictability on the Seoul finale, the place the circuit across the Sports activities Advanced in Jamsil-dong will probably be new to everybody.
However to show across the deficit to Vandoorne, Evans says he must be combating for victory in each races.
“I assume the slight lesson is one, clearly it is nonetheless mathematically attainable and two, it is a complete new venue,” Evans mentioned. “It is not Berlin, thank God, however it’s a complete new venue. Plenty of issues can occur in System E.
“I clearly must win the race, most likely race one after which have one other go at successful the subsequent race. So we’ll be working exhausting to attempt and ensure we’re going there with the correct set-up and the correct method.
“I am really but to drive the observe – I am driving it this week on the simulator.
“We’re fighters – as you’ve got seen in a few of my races, I do not surrender, the crew positively does not. They need it dangerous, and all we are able to do is go there with the mentality to attempt to win the race after which go away it as much as the remaining.
“For now, it hurts, and I simply wish to get to Seoul and attempt to capitalise on it. However we have to do our homework and go there with the correct method.”
