The worst kept ‘secret’ in Formula E’s recent history is out.
Stoffel Vandoorne is now a Jaguar TCS Racing Formula E driver and will partner Antonio Felix da Costa at the British team in to the GEN4 era.
Vandoorne’s deal, or at last the basis of it, stretches back to the summer of 2025, when discussions between his management and Jaguar started to ramp up.
At that time, it was known that erstwhile team principal, James Barclay, would leave the manufacturer and that Antonio Felix da Costa would likely replace the outgoing Nick Cassidy. Additionally, with Mitch Evans’ deal up for renewal in the summer of 2026, it was clear that an opening might be possible for 2022 champion, Vandoorne.
The fact that Ian James, Vandoorne’s former TP at Mercedes EQ, replaced Barclay to lead the team from last autumn onwards, in fact had no bearing at all on Vandoorne signing what many believe to be a three year deal covering 2026 through to 2028.
Actually, driving it from the Jaguar side was general manager, Gary Ekerold, a committed Vandoorne admirer. He recognised that a fresh challenge after the Stellantis years was needed and that Vandoorne’s capabilities could be a good match for the GEN4 car
In late autumn 2015 it became clear relatively quickly that the plan was to replace the departing Evans with Vandoorne, when the Evans era at Jaguar started to run its course.
Vandoorne, who was in attendance at the majority of the 2025-26 races, began being a key integrated force in to the GEN4 programme from an early stage, while Evans did not turn a wheel in its GEN4 test and development car.
The vast majority of Vandoorne’s success in Formula E came in the GEN2 era between 2018 and 2022, culminating in his title. That was in the final year of a pre cost-cap Formula E and it was also when Vandoorne felt more adapted to the racing than he became in GEN3.
It was no secret that, like many others, Vandoorne disliked the quirky pack racing of GEN3, and in fact was not particularly enamoured by the design itself. The results point to this, especially since he was twice beaten on points by teammate Jean-Eric Vergne in 2023 and 2024.
There were still highlights of course. Notably performances for DS Penske at Sao Paulo in 2023, where he took pole, a third place at Monaco in 2024 and his epically strategic win at Tokyo in May, 2025.
But the GEN4 car already feels much more like a Stoffel Vandoorne-like racing car. One that will suit his precise and nerve-sensing skills. The Belgian is a clever racing driver in the sense that he has an expansive latitude of channels he can mentally tap in to in a race. It’s what won him the title so clinically and effectively in 2022 with Merc. Jaguar will hope he can still access those for his new adventure with one of Formula E’s most technically adept manufactures.
Jaguar re-welcomes Vandoorne
Jaguar has officially welcomed Vandoorne in to the team, although he already feels like a long standing member of the operation after a full year already working with the team at its Kidlington base and at most of the 2025-26 E-Prixs.
Team Principal, Ian James, said he knew “the calibre of driver and person that Stoffel is and, after working closely with him over the past year as part of our GEN4 development programme, the entire team has seen those qualities for themselves.
“His experience, technical insight and proven ability to perform at the highest level make him a natural fit alongside António as we enter a new era of Formula E.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for everyone at Jaguar TCS Racing. On track, we’re building on the momentum of our recent Teams’ World Championship success as we begin the GEN4 era and, off track, we’re helping shape Jaguar’s all-electric future following the launch of Type 01.
“With Stoffel and António, we have a driver line-up that combines championship-winning talent, experience and determination, and we’re looking forward to what we can achieve together.”
