Jaguar TCS Racing have appointed Ian James as Team Principal starting in October to lead the team into the 2025/26 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and then GEN4 era.
James, who will also be Managing Director JLR Motorsport, has a proven record of leadership success in Formula E including four World Championship titles with Mercedes-EQ – two Teams’ and two Drivers’.
His move to Jaguar follows his stint at the helm of NEOM McLaren.
The 47 year old spent much of last season attempting to save the McLaren team via a deal that initially looked to include the Stellantis brand Citroen.
But a combination of political manoeuvrings on both the Stellantis side and via Formula E Operations’ acquisition of the Maserati MSG licence scuppered the deal at a relatively late stage.
That meant the McLaren team was closed, and its assets were disbanded and its staff let go throughout August and September. James is believed to have formally accepted the offer to succeed Barclay shortly after the end of the last Formula E campaign.
James will take over a Jaguar team that will go into its 10th Formula E season as one of the favourites for titles after a strong end to the 2024 – 25 season.
It notched up the most wins for a single manufacturer – seven – with four for Nick Cassidy, two for Mitch Evans and a single success for customer team Envision Racing after Sebastien Buemi won at Monaco.
I’m incredibly proud to be joining Jaguar – a brand with a unique history of technical innovation through racing and now with an exciting all-electric future ahead of it. To be able to lead the talented team at Jaguar TCS Racing to fight for success on-track while pioneering EV development through competition will be a privilege.
James on the news.
Our JLR Motorsport programmes play a vital role within the business – developing and innovating technology for the future benefit of our customers and inspiring our global 40,000-strong workforce with a winning mindset. Ian joins Jaguar TCS Racing at a particularly relevant time for the Jaguar brand – as hardware and software technology proven on-track will transfer to the next generation of Jaguar all-electric road cars previewed by Type 00 – and also for Formula E as we are only a year away from the GEN4 era of regulations. I’m looking forward to working with Ian on leading the team to further success.
Chris Thorp, Chairman JLR Motorsport.
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