2022 Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne was never going to stay out of Formula E for too long. And so it is that he becomes an official reserve driver at the Jaguar TCS Racing for the forthcoming season.
Vandoorne has completed three middling seasons in the Gen3 era in a car and with a style of racing that doesn’t play to his strengths. The anticipation is that this will change for the better for the 34-year-old in Gen4 when an opportunity to get back on the grid full-time may come about.
The road to that aim will be attending races next season as a reserve something that Vandoorne has done in recent seasons for the Aston Martin F1 team too.
His experience and know-how though will be an important element for Jaguar’s title quest this coming season as it looks to build on the impressive momentum of its final half of the 2024-25 campaign in which it won five of the last six races.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Jaguar TCS Racing as reserve driver for the upcoming season,” said Vandoorne.
“It’s a team I’ve long admired for its performance and professionalism, and I’m excited to contribute to their continued success. I’m looking forward to supporting the team both on and off the track and helping push the Jaguar I-TYPE 7 to its full potential.”
Vandoorne will also be integrated into Jaguar’s Gen4 development programme as he is familiar with manufacturer preparation for new rules sets after contributing to DS Performance’s Gen3 dev project in late 2022 after he had left the vacating Mercedes EQ operation.
Ian James, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal, who ran Vandoorne at Mercedes for three seasons said that he was “proud” to welcome Vandoorne to Jaguar TCS Racing” and that his “credentials speak for themselves – a former Drivers’ World Champion with over 100 race starts and a wealth of experience across seven seasons.
“We’re also glad to retain Tom Dillmann, who has been a hugely valuable member of Jaguar TCS Racing for the past six years. His dedication and technical expertise have played a key role in our development, and we’re grateful for his continued support as we prepare for Formula E’s most exciting era of racing yet.”
Vandoorne’s Rollercoaster Silly Season
Stoffel Vandoorne’s prior career in Formula E was underpinned by long-term deals at first with Mercedes and then Stellantis Motorsport who employed him to be part of the DS Penske team between 2022 and 2024 and then with sister brand Maserati in 2025.
But with the end of the Maserati project this summer and a volatile environment within Stellantis on driver selections around its WEC and Formula E projects, Vandoorne found himself temporarily and potentially surplus to requirements in both.
That’s not to say that there was any bad blood. Far from it. Vandoorne was a highly rated and valuable member of the Peugeot TotalEnergies team and contributed hugely to its upsurge in form. But recently it was confirmed that he would be replaced at the 2025 season finale in Bahrain next month, although the chance to return to Peugeot in the near future is believed to be entirely possible.
Vandoorne had been talking to the Genesis Magma team, which will enter WEC in 2026, for some time and a deal appeared close at one stage. But Vandoorne is believed to have been clear in his desire to continue his career in Formula E and WEC amid a duel programme something he has completed for several seasons. This is understood to have not been compatible with Genesis’ plans.
FEN understands that there is still a good chance that Vandoorne will continue to race in WEC next season in conjunction with his commitments as a reserve with Jaguar and his work in F1.
