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Round 7 from Tempelhof could scarcely have been closer. A record eight race leaders, 20 lead changes at-the-line and 190 overtakes over the course of the 43 lap E-Prix proved that beyond doubt. Evans managed to pick his way through a frought top 10 and to the front of the pack, though it was no easy task.
"We made some good steps between Quali and the race and that obviously worked," said the 28-year-old. "We had a really strong race and the best car here by far. Just navigating through the traffic was really, really tough today but Sao Paulo was good practice for that in Sao Paulo.
READ MORE: The full Round 7 report
"It was a bit scary at times, actually. It’s daunting with the massive concertina effect and trying just not to get caught out by the field squeezing in front of you, and you’re also relying on the guys behind you doing the same. It was very hard to manage and maybe I had a bit of luck today – I was just able to sneak through at the right time and get it done."
Slipstream and ultimate efficiency always matter in the trade off between pace and energy in Formula E. Sao Paulo was particularly pronounced and heavy on regen and drafting, while Berlin is up there in those requirements, too. Evans felt Jaguar worked well as a unit and timed things as well as could have been hoped - managing the competition between the Kiwi and teammate Sam Bird to a tee.
"It wasn’t as extreme [slipstream] as in Sao Paulo but definitely a factor," adds Evans. "These cars have really changed things and how the dynamic of races change is quite crazy to be honest. I got into the lead with 17 or 18 laps to go and it was too early. I was trying to play it smart and the team got me through it. It was all fair with Seb (Buemi) and I just had to get the green light to attack Sam [Bird] and I feel like I had good pace at the end – enough to get me a gap so I could bring it home.
"We’ve been working really well together since he joined the team and it’s been great this year off the back of a tricky one last year. He’s been really strong and he’s a real team player, as am I. I wanted to make sure of the team’s thinking and how he was feeling in the car. It was very fair and it’s always been like that with us. He had a great race today."
Eyes on Round 8 tomorrow, then. Evans is hoping for a step in performance, and feels like it'll be necessary if he's to repeat the feat.
"A double would be nice and I’ll take it but I can’t be greedy – I’ve already had a double off the back of Sao Paulo. We’re hoping to take a little bit of a step with the car between now and then with how the race played out today."
