Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Round 5 of 10 in the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY
Rome E-Prix – Rome, Italy
PRE-RACE NOTES
NEWS & NOTES:
DATE: April 12-13, 2019
QUALIFYING BROADCAST: Streamed live on Jaguar Racing’s Facebook page. Local time 8:35-9:05 a.m. on
Saturday, April 13 (2:35–3:05 a.m. ET Saturday)
RACE BROADCAST: Live on FS2 at 2 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 13 as well as the Jaguar Racing Facebook Page (8 a.m. ET on Saturday). Also possibly tape-delayed or on demand on FS2 via participating broadcasters.
TRACK LAYOUT: 2.86 km, 21-turn road course
RACE LENGTH: 25 minutes + 1 lap
KATHERINE LEGGE’S BEST SERIES START / FINISH: Won Round 2 in Mexico City from pole. Led every lap to become the first female to win on an ABB Formula E weekend.
BRYAN SELLERS’ BEST SERIES START / FINISH: Started 2nd in Saudi Arabia, Mexico City & Hong Kong / 1st in Hong Kong to become the first American to win on an ABB Formula E weekend
RLL’S BEST START / FINISH IN SERIES: 1st – by Legge in Mexico City / 1st – Mexico City (Legge), Hong Kong (Sellers)
NOTES & QUOTES:
FIRST RACE IN ITALY FOR RAHAL LETTERMAN LANIGAN RACING
Round 5 of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY will mark the team’s first race in Italy. The team’s two-car I-PACE program for drivers Katherine Legge and Bryan Sellers compliments long standing programs in the IndyCar Series and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. All three programs have won events this season. The Jaguar I-PACE team has won two of the four rounds to date including consecutive 1-2 finishes in Rounds 2 and 3 with wins by Legge in Mexico City and Sellers in Hong Kong. Four different drivers have won each race with Simon Evans having won Round 1 in Saudi Arabia and Caca Bueno winning in Sanya.
LEGGE AND SELLERS ARE 2ND AND 3RD IN SERIES POINT STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 4 OF 10
Sellers took the series points lead with 46 after his win in Round 3 in Hong Kong and was four points ahead of second place Legge, 42, heading into Round 4 in Sanya. After that event, Legge is second to Simon Evans by one point (49-48) and Sellers is third with his pre-Sanya tally of 46 points.
KATHERINE AND BRYAN ON THE CHALLENGES IN SANYA AND THE NEXT SIX ROUNDS
“We struggled in Sanya, the pace wasn’t there all weekend,” said Legge. “The track layout was great, as was the surface. They did a really nice job with it. I think you have to take everything onboard after each race, and do the best job you can moving forward. The thing about racing is that you can never give up or let anything or anyone beat you. It’s a very close community and you have to have a long-sighted view about things. We are both in the hunt for the championship and baring any surprises moving forward, I think we have a good shot at it.”
“Sanya was a very different track to the ones we have raced on so far,” added Sellers. “It was much more stretched out than the previous tracks. I felt like in all honesty it was a lot of fun to drive but probably not the best track to race that we had been to. We had good speed and were able to run very competitively, which gives me confidence moving forward. The way I look at it is simple, Sanya is Sanya, and what happened is out of my control. Kat and I will continue to do what we have done every single race. Work together in the best way possible. Try and learn the new tracks and try and produce the best result possible. Overall, we had a great time in China and really enjoyed the country.”
KATHERINE AND BRYAN ON APPLYING KNOWLEDGE LEARNED IN SANYA TO ROME
“It’s important to salvage as many points as possible on difficult weekends,” said Legge. “That’s how you win championships. If you have issues, you have to soldier on. The weekends are so tight on time that you have to make the best out of everything and be ready to capitalize on opportunities when they arise.”
“I think we learn from every race we go to,” added Sellers. “We made some big swings on the car setup and things that worked in Sanya. Hopefully those things can and will apply in Rome.”
KATHERINE AND BRYAN ON THE LAYOUT IN ROME
“It looks like a fun track that I’m excited to drive,” said Legge. “I find it hard to judge these circuits in this car. Bryan and I walk the tracks and watch video but nothing really prepares you for it until you get on track.”
“I think this layout is more along the lines of what the I-PACE was designed for — a smaller track with a lot of corners,” added Sellers. “I am and have been really looking forward to this event. I think it will be unlike any track we have been to so far.”
POSTCARDS FROM ROME
“Rome is one of my most favorite places on earth!” said Legge. “I love Italy and actually have some Italian heritage. I have not been there to visit in years so we are looking forward to a day or so exploring before we have to ‘get to work’!”
“I have been to Rome once before but unfortunately was not able to do any sightseeing,” added Sellers. “Katherine and I have really tried to take some time everywhere we have gone so far to look around. We will definitely take a day in Rome to look around and take it all in.”
ABOUT THE SERIES
The Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY is the official support race to ABB FIA Formula E from season five onwards. The championship, a world first, will take place over 10 rounds in nine global cities, with up to 20 entrants competing for a prize fund in excess of £500,000. After becoming the first premium manufacturer to enter the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in 2016, Jaguar has now created the world’s first production battery electric vehicle race series – the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY. The history-making championship is the official support race to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, with up to 20 cars taking to the grid from season five onwards. The series supports the launch of the Jaguar I-PACE, Jaguar’s first battery electric vehicle, and reinforces Jaguar Land Rover’s future electrification strategy, commitment to electric street racing and ‘Race to Innovate’ mission.