McLaren Racing to Take over Mercedes-EQ Entry from Season Nine of Formula E

McLaren Racing will make their debut in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship next season after agreeing a deal to take over the running of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team.

Having signed an option to join the third generation of Formula E at the beginning of 2021, the option has now been taken up, with the Woking based team adding a Formula E team alongside its FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Extreme E, NTT IndyCar Series and esports outfits.

Current Mercedes Team Principal Ian James will remain in the same role when the team switches over to McLaren ownership, but announcements on who will be the drivers, powertrain suppliers and other commercial partners will be come in the upcoming weeks and months.

“Today’s announcement confirms the next exciting chapter in the development of the team,” said James.  “Since our inception in 2019, performance, sustainability and adaptability have been the keys to our success.

“Mercedes-Benz have been the main enablers for this team so far and when we started this journey, we could only have hoped for the results we’ve achieved to date. The company’s clear objectives and technological expertise accelerated our ambitions, and I would like to thank them for being the most supportive owner by helping us to do what we do best: racing.

“Now, once again, they have been instrumental in securing the right partner to continue our Formula E journey.”

James says it is a privilege for him to become a member of the McLaren Racing family, and he is excited to see what the future holds for the team when it joins the grid next year.

“Becoming part of the McLaren Racing family is a privilege: McLaren has always been synonymous with success and high-performance,” he said.  “This is a great moment for all parties involved but, above all, for the people that make up this team. They are what keeps its heart beating. Being able to continue working with them is what I am most excited about.

“I’m very much looking forward for this next chapter for the team and will be a proud member of it in Season 9. Until then, we will be focused on delivering the best results possible as the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, for the remainder of the current season.”

Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren Racing, says he is pleased to announce the team’s arrival in Formula E, and he believes it will be a great move for them to be racing in another competitive championship alongside it’s other commitments across the globe.

“McLaren Racing always seeks to compete against the best and on the leading edge of technology, providing our fans, partners and people with new ways to be excited, entertained and inspired. Formula E, like all our racing series, fulfils all those criteria,” said Brown.

“As with all forms of the sport we participate in, Formula E has racing at the centre but will be strategically, commercially and technically additive to McLaren Racing overall. It is also satisfying to provide a home for the class-leading Formula E team that Mercedes has built, which will become a fully-fledged part of the McLaren Racing family.

“While run separately to our F1 and IndyCar teams, Formula E complements and builds out our EV racing programme alongside Extreme E.

“I firmly believe that Formula E will give McLaren Racing a competitive advantage through greater understanding of EV racing, while providing a point of difference to our fans, partners and people, and continuing to drive us along our sustainability pathway.”