Fortescue Zero is set to become the first Australian-owned team to compete in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship when it joins the grid at the start of the 2026/27 season, subject to approval from Formula E Operations (FEO) and the FIA.
The company has acquired the Penske Formula E operation to “set the groundwork for this exciting new chapter”, it said in a statement, and will compete with a Jaguar Gen4 powertrain.
Fortescue has previous experience in motorsport through its former Williams Advanced Engineering business, which became a high-performance engineering operation focused on electrification, and it is the official Pit Boost supplier of Formula E.
The Gen4 Formula E car can reach speeds of more than 335km/h and accelerate from 0-100km/h in approximately 1.8 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 4.4 seconds, 1.5 seconds faster than its predecessor. In race mode, the Gen4 race car delivers 50% more power than the current Gen3 Evo. In qualifying mode, it is expected to be around 10 seconds faster per lap on average, with Attack Mode increasing output to up to 600kW, a 71% increase over Gen3 Evo’s base output. Gen4 is also the only single-seater race car with permanent all-wheel drive.
Gus Pichot, Fortescue growth and energy CEO, said, “For more than a decade Fortescue Zero has been the brains behind some of the groundbreaking technologies powering and transforming electric racing. Now, we’re going to show the world how we can compete on the track as well.
“At Fortescue it’s in our DNA to go to the extreme, push the limits and go further and faster than our competitors. For us, motorsports is more than just a chance to take home a championship trophy, it’s a platform to develop, test and hone in on the next great technologies that will transform industries beyond racing.”
Jeff Dodds, Formula E CEO, added, “Fortescue Zero has been a vital technology partner for Formula E from day one, standing alongside us since the inception of the Championship. Formula E is far more than a racing series, it’s an incubator for peak performance and ground-breaking technology, and Fortescue Zero exemplifies both.”
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