Jaguar: Formula E will pitch newcomers against “traditional” names

Jaguar returns to motorsport as a works force after a decade away, and Barclay believes that Formula E will increasingly morph into a series where OEMs in the electric-vehicle sector compete against those already established in the automotive world.

“The technology is constantly evolving,” he said. “But it’s not just the car manufacturers: there’s a battle shaping up between the tech start-ups like Tesla and Faraday Future against the traditional car makers.

“So, as a manufacturer, we’re expecting to have different competitors in future, just like the case in motorsport. But the more competition there is, the faster the development.”

Barclay added that the promise of extra manufacturers, such as Faraday Future – which revealed its tie-up with Dragon Racing in London today – will intensify the competition.

“We’re an early adopter, and from what we’ve heard there are more brands coming – which is exciting,” he added. “We want hard competition, the best formulae are the ones where you have to really earn results.

“We expect seasons three and four to be even more competitive, although the series has been right to control the technology to maintain the quality of the show.

“We have been very thorough in our preparation, but anyone making predictions now before the season three cars have even turned a wheel is not doing so based on any data.

“So it’s way too early to say where we’ll be, but once we’re out there testing [alongside the other teams], we’ll begin to see the first signs.”

Additional reporting by Jamie Klein