Skip to content
https://shop.fervogear.com/cart
Mitch Evans Faces ‘Curveball’ as Heavy Rain Hits Formula E
Highlights
- Heavy rain forecasted for Formula E races in Shanghai and Tokyo.
- Shanghai rounds scheduled for July 12-13 with predicted wet afternoons.
- Last year’s Shanghai event disrupted by severe rain and red flags.
- Nissan’s Tommaso Volpe confirms FIA contingency plans for heavy rain.
- Mitch Evans leads championship by 19 points entering Shanghai weekend.
- Wet conditions expected to significantly impact strategy and championship outcomes.
Mitch Evans warns Formula E faces a rain-affected fortnight, with Shanghai and Tokyo forecast wet, jeopardising strategy and points as the championship enters its decisive phase.
Persistent afternoon showers are predicted for Shanghai’s double-header on July 12-13 at the Shanghai International Circuit, heightening operational risk and compressing practice preparation windows.
Last year’s Shanghai weekend was heavily disrupted: an early race stoppage, FP3 red-flagged after seven minutes, and qualifying curtailed to group stages for the grid.
Nissan team principal Tommaso Volpe says the manufacturer group is working with the FIA on clear wet-weather contingencies to avoid procedural ambiguity if conditions deteriorate.
FIA and manufacturers have defined contingency frameworks for heavy rain, according to Nissan’s Tommaso Volpe.
Evans expects Shanghai and Tokyo variability to influence the title fight more than London, where conditions are typically stable, placing greater emphasis on adaptability and risk management.
Wet running amplifies performance swings between powertrains and circuits, with tyre temperature management, brake migration, and traction deployment dictating pace more than outright efficiency.
The Jaguar driver holds a 19-point lead after Sanya’s anomaly, where leading contenders failed to score and his own early elimination carried no championship penalty.
Evans leads the standings by 19 points entering Shanghai, his best pre-weekend position of the season.
Evans frames this as his strongest platform yet but stresses consistency, while confidence builds within Jaguar amid a season-long duel with Envision.
Execution will decide the weekend: sighting-lap reads, starting tyre choice, conservative energy targets under safety car risk, and qualifying duels that could be compromised by rainfall timing.
Last season’s Shanghai rain forced red flags and a group-only qualifying, a scenario teams aim to avoid through revised procedures.
Shanghai and Tokyo outcomes could reshape the order before London, with rain potentially decisive in crowning the 2026 Formula E champion.
Visual Summary
⚡
Evans
+19
pts
Championship Lead
Rain set to reshape Formula E title fight
Shanghai
🌧️
July 12‑13
Forecast: Heavy Rain
🌧️
July 12‑13
Forecast: Heavy Rain
Tokyo
🌧️
TBA
Chance of Rain
🌧️
TBA
Chance of Rain
London
⛅
Stable
Usual Conditions
⛅
Stable
Usual Conditions
💧
“Wet weather can turn the grid upside down. If the rain hits in Shanghai or Tokyo, everything in the championship could change in a heartbeat.”
– Mitch Evans
Zane Muniz writes across NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, IMSA, NHRA, and dirt-racing news. His breaking-news alerts and event previews ensure motorsport fans never miss a lap, drift, or drag-strip showdown.
