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Jimenez Takes I-PACE eTROPHY Lead With Mexico City Win

Sergio Jimenez opens up Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY championship lead with Mexico City win…

Photo: Jaguar

Sergio Jimenez moved into the lead of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY drivers’ championship with victory in the third race of the season at Mexico City on Saturday.

The reigning champion led almost all of the 25-minute plus one lap race, losing the top spot for one lap to rival Simon Evans.

Evans was close to Jimenez all race and used Attack Mode to put his Team Asia New Zealand car into the lead, attempting to follow on from his brother Mitch, who won the ABB FIA Formula E Championship race an hour earlier.

Jimenez fought back, however, using his Attack Mode to re-take the lead position and go on to build up a championship lead over Evans. The pair came to Mexico tied on points after each winning one race in Diriyah.

Mario Dominguez became the first Jaguar VIP driver to finish on the overall podium after a strong performance for the local driver.

Pro-Am class honors went to Fahad Algosaibi in the best of the Saudi Racing cars, finishing fourth overall but in the class lead, although his teammate Mashuur Bal Hejaila was one of three retirements.

Bal Hejaila was caught up in a heavy crash with David Cheng early in the race that required a safety car period to retrieve the Saudi’s car, while Cheng also retired.

Cheng’s Jaguar China Racing teammate Manuel Cabrera also retired after picking up a puncture. Both drivers were last-minute replacements for the usual Jaguar China drivers, who were unable to travel due to flight restrictions from China amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Takuma Aoki put on an impressive performance in his specially adapted car, finishing fifth overall after moving up from last position on the grid.

Aoki’s car uses unique hand controls due to him being paralysed from the waist down, and he drove by using his left hand for accelerating and braking, and steering for the whole race with just his right hand.

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.

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