Sam Bird to leave Virgin for Jaguar for 2020-21 Formula E season

Sam Bird will leave the Envision Virgin Racing Formula E team at the end of the season and sign for Jaguar for the 2020-21 campaign.

The Briton, who is the only driver in the series to have recorded a victory in each of Formula E’s six seasons, will replace James Calado at the British manufacturer for season seven.

Bird will see out the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign with Virgin, with the season concluding with a run of six races over nine days at the Tempelhof Airport circuit in Berlin.

The nine-time Formula E race-winner will then link up with Jaguar to partner Mitch Evans, who currently sits second in the season six standings, 11 points behind current championship leader Antonio Felix da Costa.

Bird has contested all 63 Formula E races since the start of 2014 with the Virgin squad.

"I have watched Jaguar's growth and progress in the series and am very proud to be driving for an iconic British brand with such a successful racing DNA and joining an incredible list of drivers that have raced for the brand,” Bird said.

"I am incredibly hungry for success and I believe that together with Mitch we can achieve great things for the team and ourselves.

"I want to thank Envision Virgin Racing for everything we have achieved together and wish them well for the future.

"After Berlin, I can't wait to test the Jaguar I-Type and be in the best place possible for season seven and beyond.”

Jaguar team principal James Barclay believes his side now has one of the strongest line-ups on the grid to deliver its goal of fighting for titles.

"Since the start of Formula E, Sam has demonstrated that he is one of the very best drivers in the championship and we believe that together we will form a great partnership,” he added.

"With Mitch and Sam we believe that we have arguably one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid.

"With extremely close competition it is clear that to be successful in Formula E you need two drivers who can be competing for podiums at every race.

"We now have two proven race winners that are capable of enabling us to challenge for both team and driver championship titles next season."