Dan Ticktum lands Fortescue Zero Racing seat for Formula E GEN4 era

Here's the thing about Dan Ticktum: you always know where you stand with him. The London-born driver is undeniably one of the most honest and entertaining characters in the Formula E paddock, but at the close of last season, his place in the all-electric championship was genuinely up in the air. Standing on stage at the Shoreditch Electric venue on Friday, however, the picture was entirely different. He was confident and excited to unveil his new chapter with Formula E newcomers Fortescue Zero Racing.

"There was a time a couple of months ago where I thought I might not have a seat full stop," Ticktum explained. "I then quite quickly got a few offers and this was always at the top of the pile." He acknowledged that people sometimes harbor skepticism regarding how he represents a brand, but he offered a sharp, defiant counter. "I think with a new team trying to find its footing and to figure out what kind of driver they want - obviously most people know what kind of driver I am - I'm very quick. I feel like I can do the driving round in circles pretty much better than anyone... So I feel like I will prove all the doubters wrong."

“I envision teething issues for all the teams up and down the grid,

Of course, the team itself faces its own skeptics after bringing the entire operation together in a mere two months following the successful acquisition of the PENSKE operation. Despite that remarkably quick turnaround, Ticktum's belief in the venture remains absolute. Having spent the past few weeks throwing himself into simulator work to master Jaguar systems and get up to speed, he sees the right ingredients for success. "I think there's very good people and the right level of investment to win races consistently," he said. "So, for me as a driver, it's very motivating. They're a great bunch of guys."

Fortescue Zero is far from a stranger to the motorsport world. Born from roots in Williams Racing as Williams Advanced Engineering, the enterprise has evolved into a high-performance engineering powerhouse and serves as Formula E's Official PIT BOOST supplier. Now, they step into the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship right at the dawn of the GEN4 era. This radical machine brings an aggressive 5,540mm x 1,800mm footprint, a massive 600kW (815bhp) output, two aerodynamic packages shifting between high-downforce qualifying and low-drag race modes to clear 200 mph, and permanent All-Wheel Drive.

Pre-season testing in Madrid, scheduled for 16-20 November, will give the grid its first proper look at this terrifyingly complex machinery. Ticktum expects immediate hurdles for everyone. "I envision teething issues for all the teams up and down the grid," he stated. "I'm sure there will be. This is not a simple race car, by any stretch, so as I said, it's just about me trying to give the team the best feedback and work through the data as quickly as possible and sort out any problems we have. I have a good feeling."

Thankfully, the Brit already has some valuable experience under his belt, having piloted the GEN4 machine up the hill at the 2026 Festival of Speed to finish second on the timing sheet at the Goodwood Hillclimb. With a few extra bits and pieces in the car since then, his confidence is already high. Now, it is simply a matter of getting out to Jarama in Madrid to properly throw the beast around for a meaningful run of laps.