"I’ll prove the doubters wrong": Dan Ticktum on finding a home with Fortescue Zero Racing for GEN4

At the start of a brand new chapter with Fortescue Zero Racing, can the paddock’s most candid driver turn doubters into believers?

Interview

07 Nov '26

Dan Ticktum has always been one of the most entertaining and honest drivers in the Formula E paddock - qualities which have made him an undeniable fan favourite. But at the end of last season, a huge question mark hung over his future in the all-electric championship, with the London-born driver uncertain about whether he would secure a spot on the grid for the start of the GEN4 era.

However, the Dan Ticktum that walked on stage at the Shoreditch Electric venue on Friday was confident and excited about the start of a new chapter, after finding a home 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," reiterated Dan. "I then quite quickly got a few offers and this was always at the top of the pile.

"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. But you know, sometimes people can be a bit skeptical about how I can represent a brand. So I feel like I will prove all the doubters wrong."

The team itself will likely have its doubters, with the whole operation coming together in just two months, following Fortescue Zero's successful acquisition of the PENSKE operation. Yet, despite the quick turnaround, Ticktum has total confidence in the new venture.

"I've only been with the team for a few weeks," he says. "And I've tried to get in the simulator as much as possible and understand the Jaguar systems and try and get to grips with things.

"I think there's very good people and the right level of investment to win races consistently. So, for me as a driver, it's very motivating. They're a great bunch of guys."

Fortescue Zero are no strangers to motorsport, from its roots in Williams Racing (as Williams Advanced Engineering), to becoming an in-demand, high-performance engineering business, working at the cutting edge of electrification as the Official PIT BOOST supplier of Formula E.

Their entrance to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship coincides with the all-new GEN4 era, a radical reimagining of electric racing, featuring an even more aggressive 5,540mm x 1,800mm footprint designed to harness a massive 600kW (815bhp) output. This futuristic chassis introduces two aerodynamic packages that switch between high-downforce qualifying and low-drag race modes to exceed 200 mph, and permanent All-Wheel Drive for unprecedented traction.

For drivers up and down the grid, pre-season testing in Madrid (16-20 November) will be their first real opportunity to get to grips with the all-new machinery, and even for experienced race winners such as Ticktum, it will be a challenge.

"I envision teething issues for all the teams up and down the grid," he states. "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."

Of course, the Brit has already had one memorable outing in the GEN4, after taking part in the Goodwood Hillclimb at the 2026 Festival of Speed - finishing the weekend second on the timing sheet.

"Any time in the car is useful. I've done bits and pieces in the GEN4 car since then, so yeah I'm relatively confident in it already to be honest, but it would be nice to throw the thing around properly for a number of laps around Jarama (Madrid), that's for sure."

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