Get Up Close and Personal with an I-Pace Race Car
Though Célia Martin’s I-Pace looks nearly stock on the outside, there’s more than meets the eye hiding within.
As Jaguar’s first EV, the I-Pace is a welcome change from the Tesla game when it comes to automotive luxury and performance. And speaking of performance, the electric crossover is able to throw its weight around the corners in the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series, a support series for FIA’s Formula E Championship featuring 20 cars with identical specs fighting for the crown over 10 races.
What’s it like to drive inside one of the I-Pace eTrophy cars? Jaguar Deutschland takes a look at the one helmed by Team Germany driver Célia Martin to learn more.
“This is my racing car, and as you can see, it looks very similar to the normal I-Pace,” said Martin. “We just have a little modification for the bodywork. It’s a little bit body-built.”
Martin adds that tire pressure and suspension are also a big part of a successful run around a given circuit for an I-Pace eTrophy car, especially for a shot at the top spot on the podium.
“This is my office,” said Martin. “Here is the regeneration, so when you’re braking, to use a little bit more electric energy to brake you. We have just two positions — on or off at the moment. You can play with the ABS. It’s [the] amount of time you have before you lock the tires… 400 horsepower to manage with that car.”
Next to Martin’s seat is a bit of extra ballast to compensate for her lightness, plus a fire extinguisher and a radio. The whole affair is quite the departure from what an I-Pace usually has, but it’s cool to see what it takes to make the crossover race-ready.
“When we have this autograph session, I’m always very impressed by the amount of people interested just to [have] something on the paper,” said Martin, “because it can be nothing, but for them, it’s quite a bit of thing… It’s a nice part of being a racing driver.”
Another nice part of being a driver in the I-Pace eTrophy, of course, is making the podium, which Martin did in the Pro-Am class at Hong Kong with a third place finish a couple of months ago. Martin is currently fourth in the Pro-Am standings of the 2018-19 season heading into Paris April 26 through 28.
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