Formula E's next big challenge as McLaren quit series after three seasons

McLaren will walk away from at the end of the season. The British squad will instead focus their efforts on F1, IndyCar and a newly-installed hyper car programme for the World Endurance Championship, which was announced earlier this month.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown is believed to value the Triple Crown of Monaco, Indy500 and Le Mans and following a change in sponsorship revenue which resulted in a review of their racing portfolio, he has confirmed their new ventures.

Investment in the team from Saudi-based title sponsors NEOM is due to come to an end in 2026. The news is a blow to Formula E, who will look to keep the team on the grid but under a different guise.

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McLaren took over the branding of the team from in 2022, who themselves took over from HWA Racelab a couple of years previous. Under the Mercedes guise, led by current McLaren team principal Ian James, they won two teams championships and secured drivers titles for Stoffel Vandoorne and Nick De Vries.

This year, their driver stable is made up of veteran Sam Bird, who has driven in every season of Formula E since its formation 11 years ago, and rookie 20-year-old Taylor Barnard, who already has two podiums and a pole position - the youngest driver in series history to achieve both.

James is hopeful he can remain on the FE grid and move the current squad - which is a customer of Nissan powertrains and has a deal beyond this season - into a new identity, just as he did in 2022.

In typical Formula E fashion, CEO Jeff Dodds - while disappointed with the news from McLaren, which is said to have come out of the blue - is open to a fresh approach for team funding and identity.

It comes a couple of months after FE put influencers and celebrities around the into their race cars, generating a reported 300million video views online, with most of those coming from non-FE fans.

Dodds said: “If Ian brings in another motorsport or another automotive powerhouse onto the grid that would be amazing, I'd love that. But if he brought in a globally recognised, massive consumer brand or digital brand onto the grid, that would also be mega because it would take our sport to a different audience.

“Ian is not limiting his thinking to traditional motorsports brands. Whether that's OEMs (original equipment manufacturer), whether it's branded customer teams or traditional motorsport sponsors, he's looking at a much broader landscape than that.

“The motorsport pool is quite a small pool and if that's the area we want to fish in, it's highly competitive.”

In a statement on McLaren’s exit from FE, Brown 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.”