Formula E | McLaren enters 2022-23, takes over the Mercedes team

This broadens the range of action of the British team in electric motorsport, following the decision to join Extreme E this year. The team had already signed an option deal to enter Formula E for the ninth season of the championship, which it completed with the purchase of the Mercedes squad.

The Formula E team will then join the McLaren Formula 1 team and IndyCar’s Arrow McLaren SP team under the control of McLaren Racing.

Current Mercedes team principal, Ian James, will remain on board to lead the Formula E team, as the deal to sell Mercedes control of the team will be completed later this year.

“Today’s announcement confirms the next and exciting chapter in team development,” said James. “Since our inception in 2019, performance, sustainability and adaptability have been the keys to our success.”

“Mercedes-Benz has been the main driver of this team so far and when we started this journey, we could only have hoped for the results we have achieved so far.”

“The company’s clear objectives and technological expertise have accelerated our ambitions and I would like to thank them for being the most supportive owner, helping us do what we do best: racing. Now, once again, they have been instrumental in securing the right partner to continue our journey in Formula E “.

“Joining the McLaren Racing family is a privilege: McLaren has always been synonymous with success and high performance.

“This is a great moment for all parties involved but, above all, for the people who make up this team. They are the ones who make his heart beat. Being able to continue working with them is what excites me the most.”

Ian James, Team Principal, Mercedes-Benz EQ

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

“I am looking forward to the next chapter of the team and I will be a proud part of it in Season 9. Until then, we will be focused on our work, on delivering the best possible results as Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team for the rest of the season. current season “.

McLaren said its driver lineup and powertrain supplier will be announced at a later date, along with any sponsorship deals to help fund the team.

Chief Executive Zak Brown explained that McLaren’s entry into Formula E will help expand the team’s interest in electric mobility.

“McLaren Racing always seeks to compete with the best and to be at the forefront of technology, offering our fans, partners and people new ways to be excited, entertained and inspired. Formula E, like all of our motorsport series, satisfies all of these criteria, “said Brown.

“As in all forms of sport we participate in, Formula E has racing at its core, but it will be strategically, commercially and technically additional to McLaren Racing as a whole.”

“It is also a satisfaction to provide a home to the class-leading Formula E team that Mercedes has built, which will become an integral part of the McLaren Racing family. While managed separately by our F1 and IndyCar teams, Formula E complements and develops our own. electric racing program together with Extreme E “.

“I firmly believe that Formula E will give McLaren Racing an edge through a greater understanding of the electric, while providing an alternative to our fans, partners and employees and continuing to lead us on our sustainability path.”