After guiding Jaguar TCS Racing to Formula E glory and establishing the brand as a powerhouse in electric motorsport, James Barclay is set to step down from his leadership role. The long-serving team principal will conclude his 12-year tenure with Jaguar following the London E-Prix in July, marking a significant transition for one of the most successful teams in the all-electric racing series.
Departure of a Formula E stalwart
Barclay, a familiar figure in the Formula E paddock since Jaguar’s entry in 2016, has informed the team of his intention to pursue a new opportunity within motorsport. While details of his next role remain unconfirmed, sources suggest it will be outside the Formula E ecosystem where he has become such an influential presence.
The announcement came shortly before the Miami E-Prix, with official confirmation following in a team statement. Jaguar noted that Barclay’s departure as managing director of JLR Motorsport and team principal of Jaguar TCS Racing will take effect on August 1, 2025, as he moves on “to pursue an exciting role outside our business.”
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds acknowledged Barclay’s contributions to the championship. “He’s a racer himself and very passionate about racing,” he said. “James is a really good collaborator for us, very collegiate and very supportive of the championship ambition to grow. And he’s been part of the growth. He’s put a shift in he’s earned the right to go on and do something else.”
Building a Championship-winning operation
Barclay’s leadership transformed Jaguar from Formula E newcomers into championship contenders. After navigating a challenging debut season in 2016-17, he orchestrated the team’s evolution into a formidable racing operation that has claimed 15 race victories to date. Under his guidance, Jaguar secured both the teams’ championship and the inaugural manufacturers’ crown in the previous season, marking Jaguar’s first world championship success since 1991.
This journey of growth included Mitch Evans scoring the team’s breakthrough victory at the 2019 Rome E-Prix in their third season, with subsequent wins coming from Sam Bird and Nick Cassidy as well. Beyond Formula E, Barclay also played a key role in establishing Jaguar’s upcoming Dakar Rally program for the Defender brand, which will compete in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship from 2026.
A new period of transition
Barclay’s departure continues a period of transition within Jaguar’s racing operation. Two other senior figures—Craig Wilson, CEO of team partner Fortescue Zero (formerly Williams Advanced Engineering), and technical director Phil Charles—have left the team in the past 18 months.
Currently, the most experienced remaining senior team member is Gary Ekerold. He serves as race director, though he is employed directly by Fortescue rather than Jaguar. The team is not expected to announce Barclay’s replacement for several months.
Before joining Jaguar, Barclay established his motorsport credentials both on and off the track. After competing in UK Vauxhall and Lotus series in the early 2000s, he shifted to the business side of racing, helping to relaunch Lotus Motorsport in 2006. His background in marketing and PR also included a stint at Bentley from 2002 to 2013, where he was part of the team that claimed victory at the 2003 Le Mans 24 Hours.
This experience in endurance racing appears to have remained a passion for Barclay throughout his career. When launching Jaguar’s Formula E program in November 2015 at London’s Shard building, he emphasized that the company had made an “important decision for Jaguar” and “wanted to get it right.”
Navigating the challenges
Throughout his tenure, Barclay has faced numerous challenging decisions, including a significant recruitment drive after a difficult first season. The dismissal of Nelson Piquet Jr. in 2019, the unexpected replacement of Alex Lynn with James Calado, and the discontinuation of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY race program in 2019. 2020.
Most notably, he navigated the team through a bittersweet moment in London last July, when Jaguar claimed the teams’ and manufacturers’ championships but saw drivers Evans and Cassidy lose their chances at the drivers’ title due to team decisions. This ultimately allowed Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein to become champion.
As Barclay prepares for his departure, questions remain about Jaguar’s immediate competitive prospects. The team currently faces an uphill battle to defend its championships this season. The focus for Barclay’s successor will likely centre on a seamless transition this summer and preparation for the start of Formula E’s Gen4 era in the 2026-27 season.
Regardless of this season’s outcome, Barclay leaves behind a transformed Jaguar racing operation—one that has successfully returned the historic brand to international racing prominence and established it as a leading force in electric motorsport.
