Jaguar TCS chief: Formula E is a ‘startup’ with unmatched line-up of teams and manufacturers
For “startups,” Formula E isn’t doing bad at all.
Friday and Saturday will see the second and third rounds of season 9 in the Dirriah E-Prix night-time double-header, and Jaguar TCS Racing team principal James Barclay believes few other sports can match the pace, metaphorically and literally. Can, the game is set since its inception.
“I think the first thing to say is that Formula E is only 8 years old,” he said. “This is a wonderful thing. It’s still a startup by definition, which is exciting to think about. We have come a long way in eight years. It is one of the fastest growing forms of motorsport in the world, which is incredibly exciting to watch. We have an incredible lineup of teams and manufacturers that is unmatched in single-seater racing.
The first race of the season in Mexico City saw the launch of Formula E’s Gen3 car – the fastest and most efficient vehicle in the all-electric series to date.
Barclays said, “I think the first race is something we’ve been looking forward to for a while, so it’s nice to have it.”
“It’s fine when you’re developing and testing, but there’s nothing like competing to really see where things are. We’ve had mixed fortunes but there’s also a lot of positives to get out of it. Another Apart from the manufacturer, Porsche, we had more cars in the top 10,” he attributed the achievement to Jaguar’s efficiency.
The Jaguar line-up this season includes New Zealand’s Mitch Evans and Britain’s Sam Bird. The team put up a solid show in Mexico City and are now placed sixth with four points.
Barclay says that whether it is getting to grips with the new tires or other emerging factors, the teams will need some time to adjust over the coming weeks.
“I think what we will see in the first four or five races this year is potentially a real swing of performance and form,” he said. “There are some very competitive teams and drivers who are out of position, including us. The teams that got it right last week, do they know the reason why they got it right? And will they be able to get it right this week? ?
“We should let it play out in the first four or five races.”
Teams, including Barkley’s own Jaguars, are keeping their cards close to their chest early in the season.
“Because it is a new car, people are still getting used to overtaking with it,” he said. “You didn’t want to take too many risks in the first race of the season because you want to get full races under your belt; You want to get mileage. So, you’ve seen people being a bit cautious and maybe not making the big moves that we’ve seen in Formula E in the past. He will come
Friday night will see the first of two Diya races take place under floodlights, and the Jaguar boss is delighted to be back in Riyadh.
“It’s great to be back here,” Barkley said. “What we love about this race is, first of all, the location in the historic part of Diriyah. It’s a really challenging circuit. It’s a formidable track. The drivers enjoy it, which is always a positive sign.
“Sector one and sector two are incredibly technical and fast. You have to be very precise. A small mistake has a big penalty. It’s basically like threading a needle through the eye. There’s no room for error. And it’s been a roller coaster down that first section.
“Add to that the fact that it’s a night race, our only night race for Canada. And I think it really adds something special to it.
Barclay says the relevance of Formula E continues to grow as the world moves towards electric mobility.
“Regulation is driving it,” he said. “If you look at most car manufacturers, they make clear statements, so for us, we have made a statement that from 2025, Jaguar will become an all-electric model luxury car company.”
Daimler and Volkswagen have also made similar announcements.
“In short, most of the manufacturers here have made a clear statement at different times towards becoming fully electric car companies. In our case, it will be very soon, but all within the next 10 years, which Incredibly exciting,” Barkley said.
Barclay calls Formula One the “pinnacle” of internal combustion engine racing and says that Formula E plays a similar role in electric racing.
“What happens in the future, after 2030, when in many markets, you can’t sell ICE engines, nobody knows,” he said. “But the reality is, I think Formula E is incredibly well placed if you look at the core automotive market, and the shift towards electric mobility, or the faster pace of electric cars. So we see That is a positive place to move forward in terms of what is at the core of the Formula E championship.
Beyond the environmental aspects, Formula E currently has a structure that other motorsports cannot match.
Barclay said, “We don’t have any drivers who bring the budget to racing Formula E. Everyone has a full professional employed by the team.” “I can’t think of any other category where that happens. It doesn’t happen in Formula One. It doesn’t happen in IndyCar. It doesn’t happen in NASCAR. Basically, I think it’s the best race car in the world.” Perfect professional driver lineup and one that has so much strength in depth.
Add to that an expanded calendar that saw a new race in Jakarta last year and has added Sao Paulo, Cape Town and Hyderabad this year, and Formula E’s popularity is only going to grow further.
“I come back to that point: We are a startup sport,” Barkley said. “I think what’s incredible is if you look at the short amount of time, we just came back from Mexico City where we had less than 60,000 people. The stadium was absolutely packed, sold out, full of grandstands.” All the tickets, all the hospitality tickets were sold out. In Jakarta, last year we had 60,000 people.
“So really, wherever we are, we’re sold out.”