McLaren Intends To Enter The Extreme E Race Series Next Year

McLaren is heavily involved in automotive racing in multiple segments all around the world. A new report has surfaced that McLaren intends to enter another racing series called Extreme E. This is a unique racing series and something that McLaren has never participated in before as it involves racing electric SUVs.The report claims McLaren will enter the series in 2022, presumably for the next racing season, but that is unclear. Word of McLaren's participation came from McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown who says he expects the participation in the series to be commercially positive for McLaren from the start.

McLaren has confirmed that it will use mostly existing personnel to make up the Extreme E race team but won't draw any talent from its Formula One pool. Brown says the automaker will never distract or detract from its Formula One efforts. In addition to racing in Formula One, McLaren also participates in Indycar and is adding Extreme E to the umbrella.

McLaren will become the 10th team to sign for the five-race series, and there are two more slots for additional race teams available. The announcement of McLaren joining the Extreme E sport is a big deal for the new racing franchise. McLaren's participation is coming from McLaren Racing, not the automotive side of the company. Presumably, that means participation in the electric SUV racing series doesn't mean McLaren is at work on an SUV.

That's interesting because the other participants in the Extreme E series, which include Cupra, Hummer, and Lotus, all have electric vehicles to promote. On the other hand, McLaren doesn't have an SUV to its credit all nor does it have a fully electric sports car as Lotus does. Brown was specific in stating that Extreme E participation was a "McLaren Racing effort solely."