The Briton sealed his twelfth win within the all-electric championship with a last-lap go on chief Mitch Evans in Brazil having led the 34-lap contest at a number of factors.
The victory marks Bird’s first in almost three years having final stood on the highest step in New York in 2021 for Jaguar, earlier than a barren spell that finally ended with him leaving the Big Cat on the finish of final season.
He subsequently moved throughout to McLaren, with the race on Saturday was simply the fourth within the new partnership, whereas the British producer solely joined Formula E final yr.
“I think this one is one of the more special [wins] because of what I’ve had to go through to get back to this [winning press conference] chair,” stated Bird.
“This one positively feels very particular, additionally the truth that it’s the primary for McLaren.
“We had some targets in the beginning of the yr about scoring some podiums and I’d be mendacity to you by saying that I assumed that we might positively win a race this early.
“It would have been a dream, I didn’t imagine it but we’ve managed it. That doesn’t mean to say that we’ve made it and we need to rest, there’s still a lot of work to do but to score our first win feels really special.”
Mitch Evans, Jaguar Racing , Jaguar I-TYPE 6, Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Penske, DS E-Tense FE23, Sam Bird, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, e-4ORCE 04, Edoardo Mortara, Mahindra Racing, Mahindra M9Electro
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Evans took his first podium of the yr in second having proven outright velocity earlier than struggling issues within the earlier three races of 2023.
The Jaguar driver took the lead from his old team-mate six laps from the tip of the race with a wholesome quantity of vitality nonetheless to deploy.
But the searing temperatures in Brazil performed havoc as automobiles all through the sector have been affected by overheating, with Evans struggling de-rating on the ultimate lap that “felt like I was in a Gen1 car”.
He added: “It’s bittersweet I’d say. Just a few laps to go I assumed it was going to be for us once more [after winning in Brazil last year] however began getting some temperature warnings fairly shortly after which it escalated on the final lap.
“I had an enormous de-rate on the final lap with the ability. I feel even when Sam didn’t overtake me [where he did] he in all probability would have gotten me to the beginning/end line.
“A bit frustrating, I had lots of energy left, I was just trying to bring it home but just two corners shy.”
