McLaren confirm worst-kept secret as withdrawal decision announced after ‘strategic review’
Oscar Piastri (McLaren MCL39) in action at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Reigning F1 Champions McLaren have confirmed that they will withdraw from the all-electric Formula E series at the end of the current season.
It comes after reports emerged on Thursday that the Woking-based outfit had decided to drop their Formula E program.
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McLaren have had a presence in Formula E since rebranding the former Mercedes outfit in 2022, with the team winning just a single race over the last three seasons.
With McLaren recently confirming plans to enter the World Endurance Championship from 2027, the team have announced that their Formula E activities will conclude at the end of the 2024/25 season.
A McLaren statement read: “McLaren Racing today announces that following a strategic review of its racing portfolio the decision was taken not to continue our participation in the FIA Formula E World Championship beyond the current 2024/25 season.
“McLaren Racing has always been committed to innovation and excellence in motor racing, and our participation in Formula E has been an important part of that journey.
“The team remains fully committed to fighting for success until the very last race of the season, building on the strong on-track performance to date – including Taylor Barnard becoming the youngest-ever polesitter in Formula E history at the Jeddah E-Prix earlier this year.
“We are confident the series will continue to form an integral part of the multi-facetted motorsport landscape.
“However, we recognise the importance of maintaining a focused and strategic approach to all our racing activities, and this decision will allow us to maximise future opportunities for growth across our key markets and continue to offer partners a versatile and impactful sponsorship ecosystem in the ever-evolving motorsport landscape.
“McLaren Racing will be the only motorsport team to compete in Formula 1, IndyCar and the World Endurance Championship from 2027 onwards.
“And as the only team to have won the prestigious Triple Crown – winning the Monaco GP, the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans – McLaren Racing will be uniquely placed to strive for this incredible accolade once again.”
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Zak Brown, the McLaren chief executive, said: “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved in Formula E and the series plays an integral part in the overall motorsport landscape, but the time is right to explore other opportunities that more closely align with McLaren Racing’s overall strategic direction – including our 2027 entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship.
“For now, we are focused on setting this great team up for future success by working towards securing a new owner.
“The team has delivered a strong start to the year and we intend to finish the season on a high.
“I’d like to thank the team, Formula E, our partners, and our fans for their continued support.”
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Ian James, the team principal of the McLaren Formula E team, added: “We have been on an incredible journey so far as a team and are rightly proud of our achievements.
“Since the start of Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, we have been extremely fortunate to have been an integral part of the McLaren Racing family.
“My heartfelt thanks goes out to the company, our partners and all of our fans, for their trust and support throughout, which will continue as we fight to the end of this year’s Championship.
“This team is second-to-none in terms of the talent within – talent which has delivered huge success in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
“Although our McLaren Racing chapter comes to an end, we recognise the value and power of Formula E as a World Championship and platform for positive change as the sport goes from strength to strength.
“Work is well underway to explore the best opportunities for the team to continue competing beyond Season 11.
“In the meantime, we will be giving our all to make sure that we finish the current chapter of our Formula E adventure in style.”
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