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Formula E is returning to where it all began, with the world championship heading to China for a double-header in Shanghai for rounds 11 and 12 this weekend. As the world’s most sustainable racing series returns to the country of its first-ever race, it is a good time to look back at some of the most iconic motorsport and vehicle brands involved in the series’ history.
These teams are some of the most prominent brands in the world of motorsport and have all made invaluable contributions to the growth of Formula E during their time in the sport.
Jaguar
The luxury car manufacturer made a big motorsport comeback when it entered Formula E during Season 3. The charge was led by South African James Barclay, the Jaguar TCS Racing team principal and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) head of motorsport. The championship has offered the British team a unique chance for JLR to develop their EV technology for their road cars, as they plan to go fully electric by 2025. The British outfit hit 100 race entries this year, and have marked the season with a historic 1-2 in Monaco. The Monaco E-Prix also coincided with Jag’s announcement of their commitment to the sport until at least 2030.
Fun fact: Jaguar’s involvement with South Africans does not end with James Barclay, as Johannesburg-born Sheldon van der Linde has regularly competed in official Formula E rookie tests with the British outfit.
BMW
Another German giant made their mark in Formula E when BMW partnered with Andretti Autosport in Season 5. The manufacturer had been involved with the all-electric championship since the beginning, supplying the BMW i8 safety car and i3 medical and course cars. The team also had great success when it was BMW i Andretti Motorsport, winning seven races over three seasons. They are no longer involved in the sport, but Andretti has continued to keep the team and recently crowned Jake Dennis the Drivers’ World Champion in Season 9.
Fun fact: Supported by technology pioneered during its time in Formula E, BMW manufactures electric vehicles in its plant in Rosslyn, Gauteng.
Mercedes
The Mercedes name made its way to Formula E officially in Season 6. They had kept an ear close to the ground the year prior, with their affiliates at HWA before officially entering as a manufacturer. The Silver Arrows experienced their first race at the 2019 Diriyah E-Prix where Stoffel Vandoorne achieved a podium on debut, with the Belgian star taking the team to winning ways at the end of the season. For Seasons 7 and 8, Mercedes got stronger and won the Teams’ Championship over two consecutive years as well as crowning both their drivers, Nyck de Vries and Vandoorne, World Champions, respectively.
Fun fact: EV innovations developed during its time in Formula E are used in the vehicles manufactured by Mercedes in its plant in East London, Eastern Cape.
Porsche
Season 6 also welcomed TAG Heuer Porsche to the roster. This meant that at the time, Formula E had the ‘big four’ of German manufacturers on the grid at the same time – Porsche, Mercedes, Audi and BMW. At the time of writing, over their 68 race entries, they have won eight races and stood on the podium 16 times. During Season 9, the team also confirmed their commitment to Formula E until Season 12 of the all-electric championship.
Fun fact: TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team driver Pascal Wehrlein is the first and only professional racing driver from Mauritius.
Audi
Audi Sport ABT Formula E Team was another key player in the championship’s early days. Fronted by Daniel Abt and Lucas di Grassi, the team made history on debut as di Grassi became Formula E’s first race winner in Beijing. Over the next few seasons, the team continued to improve and picked up more victories. In Season 3, di Grassi secured the Drivers’ Title with the Audi Sport-supported ABT team, before Audi became the first German car manufacturer to take part in Formula E with a factory team for Season 4. That same season they won the Teams’ Championship. Over their time in the championship, the German manufacturer claimed 46 trophies, with the charge led by Di Grassi, who drove for the team in every season it competed in the sport.
Fun fact: ABT Sportsline’s involvement in Formula E did not end with Audi, as the brand returned to the championship with Cupra to form ABT Cupra FE Team. The team’s official test and development driver is South African Kelvin van der Linde, who has filled in during multiple races in 2023 and 2024.
