The justification for Fortescue entering Formula E is explained HERE but an additional accelerant to it was probably Porsche’s decision in the autumn of 2025 to acquire a licence for a planned second factory team.
With Stellantis essentially also having two factory teams (Citroen and Opel), Fortescue through its Jaguar deal and its acquisition of PEnske, saw an opportunity to match Porsche and outnumber Stellantis in one ultra quick and clever chess move.
As the FIA got stricter on sporting equity for Gen4, Fortescue’s move in to Penske now feels like a clever power play. But it is one that will also see it under probably even more scrutiny than Porsche’s double down move.
FEN understands via a well-placed source that the FIA were highly displeased when they learned of the developments around the Fortescue Zero acquisition of Penske last month in London.
While Porsche’s doubling up of its cars, via a still to be fully understood two-car effort for Gen4, was less than popular throughout the paddock, the Fortescue Zero addition has been met with some inevitable suspicion.
The ownership structure of the new Fortescue Zero team though, is completely different to Jaguar, with no crossovers. Jaguar doesn’t own any of the Penske team, just as Fortescue doesn’t own any of the Jaguar TCS team. It is only operationally where some may question the intricacies of what might be construed as slightly incestuous arrangements.
Ultimately, Fortescue will have to be compliant with all FIA financial, technical, and sporting regulations for Gen4. Its official designation will be as a customer team of Jaguar despite it housing the Jaguar TCS Racing team within its corridors in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
Back in 2016 when Jaguar entered Formula E with Williams Advanced Engineering (soon to become Fortescue Zero) there was uproar in many areas of the paddock because of WAE supply all teams with the Gen1 traction batteries.
This writer even recalls an outraged Alain Prost, then part of the Renault edams set-up, articulating the suspicions of the paddock on whether a fair and equitable scenario was actually been followed through with the two distinct projects being run from the same premises (then Grove, UK).
Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal, Ian James, expressed that the Big Cat were “delighted to be working with Fortescue Zero Racing as a new customer team for Formula E’s GEN4 era.
“Formula E remains the ideal platform to enable Jaguar to remain at the forefront of electric vehicle technology development,” said James.
“With Fortescue Zero Racing entering Formula E, we are strengthening Jaguar’s presence on the grid while supporting our shared passion for technological innovation.”
Quite what James, not yet a year in to his tenure as boss at Jaguar TCS Racing, really makes of the move will be fascinating to understand. It is imagined that despite his bullish and soothing words there will be concerns over the arrangements despite the fact that from a manufacturers standpoint the Big Cat is now purring through sheer numbers.
Jaguar has maintained its manufacturer status for a fourth rules set, with Jaguar TCS Racing being its factory team. From the outset of Jaguar’s Formula E programme Fortescue Zero (nee Williams Advanced Engineering) worked alongside the British manufacturer to develop its all-electric motorsport programme.
Jaguar positions WAE/Fortescue Zero as ‘bringing its operational and technical motorsport expertise to fast-track Jaguar’s development programme – including manufacturing its own powertrains – in the world’s first all-electric motorsport World Championship.’
Off track there will be a great deal to manage and juggle. On track there will ultimately be stringent protocols (don’t hit each other, etc) but for case studies see 2023. That was when, rather uncomfortably for Jaguar, it was Envision who took the teams title, beating Jaguar, its customer team, to that heralded landmark.
And Porsche’s second licence and its new entry? Well, that is an enigma wrapped up in a mystery and sealed within an ambiguous secret at present with FEN understanding that a final decision and communication on what the team may look like and how it might be activated, is extremely imminent.
