Andrew Forrest challenges Formula One to race Formula E
Fortescue Zero Racing boss wants a head-to-head contest between the two series.
Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest launched Fortescue Zero Racing and challenged Formula One to race Formula E. He said Formula One belonged in a museum and called for a direct speed test.
Key takeaways
- Fortescue Zero Racing is the first Australian-owned Formula E team.
- The team was formed after buying Penske Autosport in September.
- Jaguar will supply the powertrain for the Gen4 car.
- Dan Ticktum and Taylor Barnard will drive for the team.
- Jim Wright is team principal and Claire Williams is an ambassador.
Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest launched his new all-electric Fortescue Zero Racing Formula E team on Friday and challenged Formula One to a head-to-head race. The Fortescue founder and executive chairman said Formula One belonged in a museum and argued that younger fans prefer the most advanced and environmentally kind racing, which he identified as Formula E.
Why it matters
Formula E has a much smaller global television audience than Formula One, but its Gen4 car for the 2026/27 season will reach 100kph in about 1.8 seconds and 200kph in 4.2 seconds. Sportstar reported that this is some 30% faster than a Formula One car. Both series share a link through US billionaire John Malone, founder of Liberty Media, which owns Formula One, and Liberty Global, which owns Formula E.
Team details
Fortescue Zero Racing is the first Australian-owned Formula E team and was formed after the purchase of Penske Autosport last September. Their Gen4 car will have a powertrain supplied by champions Jaguar with British drivers Dan Ticktum and Taylor Barnard. The company acquired Williams Advanced Engineering in 2022 from former Formula One world champions Williams and had previously supplied battery technology to Formula E.
Williams connection
The Williams connection remains strong, with former marketing head Jim Wright now team principal and Claire Williams, who ran the team founded by her father Frank, an ambassador for Fortescue. The FW initials appear on the new Fortescue car, with Wright and Claire Williams paying tribute also to Australia and Williams’ late 1980 F1 world champion Alan Jones, who died on Thursday.
History and context
The Formula One championship started in 1950 while Formula E’s first season was in 2014, when the drivers needed to switch cars mid-race to have enough battery to do a full race distance.
What happens next
Forrest said he wants to see Formula One go head to head with Formula E and asked how many decades Formula One had to get things right compared with the months his team had. He said he does not care whether his team comes first or second, and that coming anywhere near would mean it is over for Formula One.
Key facts about Fortescue Zero Racing
Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
Team | Fortescue Zero Racing |
Series | Formula E |
Car | Gen4 |
Powertrain supplier | Jaguar |
Drivers | Dan Ticktum and Taylor Barnard |
Team principal | Jim Wright |
Ambassador | Claire Williams |
Related on Apex Sports News
Piastri out of Mexico GP points after post-race penalty for Lindblad clash
Honda power unit cooling failure ended Aston Martin race after five laps
Sources
Topics
Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or use the flag button above. Our editorial standards explain how we report.
Discussion
Sign in or create a free account to join the discussion. Please follow our community guidelines.