McLaren Racing have announced that they will exit Formula E at the end of the 2024/25 season after a “strategic portfolio review.”
Crucially, the team confirm they remain “fully committed to fighting for success until the very last race of the season”, with Sam Bird and Taylor Barnard currently competing for the NEOM McLaren Formula E team.
McLaren’s Electric History
McLaren entered the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Season 9 (2022-2023), formed through the acquisition of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E team.
Rebranding to the NEOM McLaren Formula E team, the team secured two pole positions and a podium finish in their first season with Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck De Vries.
Season 10 saw the team build on their initial success, securing two more pole positions and podiums, with Sam Bird achieving the team’s first-ever Formula E victory at the Sao Paulo E-Prix.
Taylor Barnard and Sam Bird currently compete for NEOM McLaren Formula E team in the 2024/25 season, celebrating three podiums and one pole position so far.
McLaren’s Racing Portfolio
McLaren’s current racing portfolio includes Formula 1, IndyCar and a hypercar project in the World Endurance Championship from 2027.
Although the team reiterated it was “confident” that Formula E “will continue to form an integral part of the multi-facetted motorsport landscape”, they “recognise the importance of maintain a focused and strategic approach to all our racing activities.”
Therefore, this decision will allow them to “maximise future opportunities for growth across our key markets and continue to offer partners a versatile and impactful sponsorship ecosystem.”
Furthermore, the team emphasise how McLaren will be the “only motorsport team to compete in Formula 1, IndyCar and the World Endurance Championship from 2027 onwards.”
With the team being the only one in history to already have won the prestigious Triple Crown, winning the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, McLaren will be striving for this incredible accolade once again.
Further Thoughts
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said:
“We are immensely proud of what we have achieved in Formula E and the series plays an integral part in the overall motorsport landscape, but the time is right to explore other opportunities that more closely align with McLaren Racing’s overall strategic direction – including our 2027 entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship. For now, we are focused on setting this great team up for future success by working towards securing a new owner. The team has delivered a strong start to the year, and we intend to finish the season on a high. I’d like to thank the team, Formula E, our partners, and our fans for their continued support.”
Ian James, Team Principal and Managing Director of McLaren Electric Racing, said:
“We have been on an incredible journey so far as a team and are rightly proud of our achievements. Since the start of Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, we have been extremely fortunate to have been an integral part of the McLaren Racing family. My heartfelt thanks goes out to the company, our partners and all of our fans, for their trust and support throughout, which will continue as we fight to the end of this year’s Championship. This team is second-to-none in terms of the talent within – talent which has delivered huge success in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
“Although our McLaren Racing chapter comes to an end, we recognise the value and power of Formula E as a World Championship and platform for positive change as the sport goes from strength to strength. Work is well underway to explore the best opportunities for the team to continue competing beyond Season 11. In the meantime, we will be giving our all to make sure that we finish the current chapter of our Formula E adventure in style.”
Featured Image Credit: Formula E Media Centre
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