West Coast Formula E Race Would Be ‘Epic’ Says Mitch Evans

A photo of Mitch Evans winning in Rome.

Raise your hands if you want to see Formula E race at Long Beach. Photo: Jaguar Racing (Getty Images)

Electric racing series Formula E has made a name for itself competing on temporary circuits set up in some of the world’s biggest cities. And since 2017, this has seen it race on the streets of New York City for its US E-Prix. But as new races are added to the calendar, Jaguar driver Mitch Evans thinks an event on the West Coast of the U.S. would be “epic” for the sport.

This year’s Formula E calendar packs in a mix of signature tracks for the series, like Rome, as well as new venues for the sport including Vancouver and Seoul.

“The beauty of Formula E is that we get to visit so many of these incredible cities and countries,” says Evans.

“This year, the calendar looks great. After the pandemic, we can go back to a lot of the cities that had been planned.”

Formula E’s next race takes place in the principality of Monaco, where drivers will take to the full F1 Grand Prix Circuit in an event that Evans says every driver wants to win. And Monaco has proven a great circuit for Formula E to race at, with last year’s ePrix delivery a race that put the Formula 1 event to shame a few weeks later.

A photo of Mitch Evans racing in Monaco

Everyone wants to win Monaco, says Mitch Evans. Photo: Jaguar Racing (Getty Images)

So having tackled one F1 circuit, are there any others tracks from different international motorsport series that Evans would like to see the sport race on?

“The Toronto IndyCar track is quite insane,” he says. “It’s really, really bumpy and has sort of everything that Formula E likes to try and visit. So going to Toronto would be insane.”

And, what’s more, Evans believes there are a few other IndyCar circuits that would be a good fit for Formula E. Including the Long Beach track, which served up a stunning race just last weekend.

He says: “Formula E did visit Long Beach in season one and raced a slightly different version, a shorter version, when it first started out.

“I’d love a race on the west coast of the States, that would be epic. So somewhere like Long Beach would be awesome.”

A photo of a Mclaren racing round the Long Beach circuit

Should Formula E return to Long Beach? Photo: Penske Entertainment: Chris Owens

With Formula 1 committing to a third race in the USA next year thanks to the addition of Las Vegas and Miami to the calendar as well as the traditional race in Austin, there is definitely the appetite among American race fans to watch events on home soil. So maybe a second US event could one day make sense for the series.

But, as someone who hails from the southern hemisphere, are there any other circuits closer to home that Evans would like to cherrypick from the world of street circuits?

“I think I would love a race in New Zealand, but close to that I think Melbourne, where F1 go, would be awesome,” he says.

“And Singapore, the street track there. Maybe a modified version because it’s quite a long track even by F1 standards, but that would be quite cool.”