Ford Tipped As Next Automaker To Join Formula E

Automakers the world over have been flocking to Formula E, seizing on the opportunity to promote their electric-vehicle operations. The one notable exception has been the US auto industry. But if the latest rumors are to be believed, one of America’s largest could be preparing to get in on the action.

That automaker, according to e-racing365, is Ford. The Blue Oval is said to be evaluating participation in the electric racing series as soon as next season.

Apparently Ford is “realizing they should be involved in Formula E to some extent before viable avenues potentially close for it to become involved without difficulty,” an unnamed source told the electric racing website, on the condition of anonymity.

Its entry into the series could come at the expense of the Ford GT program currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The current initiative is slated to end next year, following the 2018/19 “super season” that’s set to get underway at Spa in May.

If Ford does indeed jump onto the Formula E bandwagon, however, it wouldn’t be free to start its own team. The grid is set to expand to 12 teams once Mercedes and Porsche get on board, but that’s as big as it’s going to get for the foreseeable future. Audi, Jaguar, Citroën, and the Renault-Nissan Alliance are already participating in the series. As are EV startups Venturi and NIO, not to mention Indian giant Mahindra.

That would leave Dearborn to partner with one of the existing teams, and Dragon Racing is tipped to be the favorite. For one thing, the team (like the automaker) is based in the US. For another, it’s one of the few teams that doesn’t currently have a partnership with an automaker, after its split with Faraday Future. Finally, the team is run by Roger Penske’s media-savvy son Jay. And while the two Penskes’ operations aren’t directly linked, the Penske name could prove attractive to the automaker that has longstanding ties with Roger’s operations – both on the track and one the retail side of the business.

Will all that prove enough for Ford to get in on the electric racing action? Only time will tell. But the automaker has been getting more serious about its electrification program, and Formula E could emerge as just the avenue to demonstrate its commitment.