FIA Formula E

Mitch Evans wins back-to-back E-Prix in Rome double-header

Andrew Rickert

Apr 11, 2022 — 4 min read

Kiwi Mitch Evans has won back-to-back victories in the Formula E Rome double-header.

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Evans took his final Attack Mode activation late in each race, fighting his way through the field to take a late victory on both Saturday and Sunday.

"It feels like déjà vu," said Evans.

"This is a result of pure graft, hard work."

"I just want to thank everyone at the team because the last eight weeks have been insane with the amount of work that has gone in."

"I didn't know if we could manage two - double-headers are tricky to back up - but we showed good quality."

Mitch Evans celebrates on the podium after taking back-to-back victories in Rome. *(LAT Images/Formula E)*

Mercedes-EQ driver Stoffel Vandoorne started on pole for Round 4, holding onto the lead at the start of the opening Rome E-Prix as he fending off a challenge from Envision Racing's Robin Frijns.

A bump between Edorardo Mortara and Oliver Rowland caused a traffic jam in the early stages of the race before Max Guenther hit the wall, bringing out the safety car.

When the racing resumed, Frijns made a move for the lead, and both Mercedes drivers took the chance to activate Attack Mode while in the team formation.

Vandoorne fought back up to the lead in Attack Mode while his Mercedes teammate Nyck de Vries struggled to do the same.

Meanwhile, Mitch Evans had fought through the field after starting ninth, and used his final Attack Mode activation to pass the battling Vandoorne and Frijns to take the lead.

Evans took the chequered flag more than five seconds ahead of Frijns, who was able to get past Vandoorne to claim second place.

"We knew we'd be strong but not this strong," said Evans.

"It was a really good race for the team."

"We've struggled with points since the start of the season, so to bag a load of points has come at a really good time."

"I knew I was going to have a good race but not like that."

"The car was just fantastic and the team gave me one of the best races I've ever had."

"It was energy positive and the balance was just perfect."

Mitch Evans celebrates on the Formula E podium in Rome. *(LAT Images/Formula E)*

On Sunday it was Jean-Éric Vergne who started on pole position for DS Techeetah, holding his lead at the start as André Lotterer and Jake Dennis dueled for second place.

A collision between Alex Sims and Max Guenther saw the German retire in the early stage of the race, before Edoardo Mortara and Antonio Felix da Costa went into turn 4 side-by-side and collided, with Mortara joining Guenther in the pits.

The race was finally brought under the control of the safety car when Antonio Giovinazzi stopped on track at his home E-Prix.

Vergne lead from Evans at the restart, with Evans once again making his way through the field into the fight for the lead.

As drivers cycled through their final Attack Mode activation the lead changed hands multiple times, with Robin Frijns and André Lotterer swapping at the top before Alex Sims spun at turn 14 and brought out the safety car once again.

Evans used his final Attack Mode activation to hunt down Lotterer, retaking the lead in the final stages to take back-to-back victories in the Italian capital.

"The race was a carbon copy from yesterday, the car was working perfectly," said Evans.

"It was trickier today because of the temperature and the longer Attack Mode, I almost got caught out with that during the safety car, but a huge thanks to everyone on the team and hopefully this isn't just a one-off but it feels good."

"It has been a big couple of days."

"It was what we wanted, you dream about that but to try and pull it off is usually quite unrealistic."

"We are back as a team, I am back towards the top, so it is good times."

The Kiwi moves up to fourth in the championship standings on 51 points, with Jean-Éric Vergne stepping into the lead ahead of Robin Frijns on 60 and 58 points respectively.

The 2022 Formula E season returns 30 April for the Monaco E-Prix.

2022 Formula E Round 4 - Results