This week, the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team will be heading to Indonesia for the 12th round of Season 11.

Sam, Taylor and Team Principal Ian James are here to help us prepare for the event. As well as hearing from the team, we’ll also be explaining some key FE terminology, recapping the season so far, and catching up with a team member on their priorities this weekend.

Key info

Where	Jakarta, Indonesia
When	Saturday, 21 June 2025
Lap Distance	2.370km

“I’m looking forward to heading out to Jakarta. From my side, Shanghai was a positive weekend, with another podium and some more experience driving in the rain.

“With some question marks around the weather this weekend, I think we’re prepared for every eventuality, and I know that the team are excited about getting back out there and fighting for more podiums.”

“This weekend we’ll be racing in Jakarta, somewhere that I’ve been a few times before. It’s usually incredibly hot and humid, which presents a challenge not just for us as drivers, but also for the team as a whole.

“I’m feeling prepared. We’ve done our homework, both from looking at the data from previous seasons and also in the simulator, so I’m looking forward to seeing what Jakarta has in store for us.”

“This week we return to Asia for the final single-header event of the season; the Jakarta E-Prix.   

“Some of the challenges the team will face at this event are the intense heat and high levels of humidity – something our drivers have been preparing for.

“The fight for positions in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championships remains incredibly tight and, despite having slipped back following the races in Shanghai, we’ll be looking to maximise our potential in the final five races of the season - starting this weekend. Let’s go racing!”

The season so far

The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team enjoyed a weekend of two halves in Shanghai.

We started strongly on the Saturday, with Taylor notching his fifth podium of his rookie campaign. The 21-year-old began the race from second, unfortunately dropped towards the back of the field, but then worked his way back up to third with a brilliant recovery drive. On the other side of the garage, Sam also drove a strong race, climbing from 12th to seventh, combining a good strategy with some excellent overtakes.

The following round on Sunday was more challenging, as Sam and Taylor both saw their session Red Flagged due to poor weather, which resulted in them starting the race down the order. Taylor lined up in 14th and made it up to 10th, while Sam began in 16th and finished 15th. 

This puts NEOM McLaren fourth in the Teams’ standings, with five rounds remaining.

FEducation: What causes the sound of a Formula E car?

Our aim is to ensure everyone is as equipped as possible to follow Season 11, so whether you’re new to following Formula E or a long-time fan, we’ll be explaining some of the series’ most complicated terminology, jargon, acronyms, and technical terms to aid your understanding. This week, it’s the sound made by the Formula E cars.

Formula E cars are renowned for having one of the most distinctive sounds in motorsport - a high-pitched, whining noise, reminiscent of a jet plane. But why?

These noises are at their loudest during high speeds, when the motor and gears are working hardest.  

The electric motor contributes to this noise as it operates at a high frequency, which allows it to achieve higher speeds with a smaller, lighter motor design, improving efficiency. This causes the motor's components to vibrate more intensely, resulting in increased friction and noise.

Another cause is the cars’ use of straight-cut gears, as opposed to helical gears. These are more energy-efficient, but are noisier. They generate a high-pitched sound when meshed together as the entire tooth surface comes into contact abruptly at the same time, rather than angled teeth that gradually and more smoothly engage.

What to watch out for in Jakarta

Each weekend, we’ll catch up with a different member of the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team and ask them what their priorities are for the upcoming E-Prix. This weekend, we’ve spoken with Lead Race Performance Engineer Thibault Huguet.

On a day-to-day basis, my role focuses on ensuring that the car and driver are operating at their full potential through a mix of preparation, analysis, and collaboration. I work closely with other engineers and drivers at the factory, in the simulator, and at the track. I analyse data and monitor performance metrics to identify areas for improvement. I'm also actively involved in cross-functional performance groups and contribute to the development and validation of new software features that enhance our control systems.

Over a race weekend, my primary responsibility is to support Taylor and help him to extract maximum performance from the car. This includes providing key information ahead of the event, analysing data to fine-tune his driving technique, and refining key software-controlled features that are unique to Formula E, such as corner-specific and phase-specific brake balance settings. I also work closely with the Race Engineers to maximise the car setup based on performance data and driver feedback. Additionally, I oversee energy management and help adapt our race strategy in real-time to ensure we achieve the best possible result on track.

One of the main challenges in Jakarta is the limited recent data, as Formula E didn’t race here last season. This means we’ll need to strike the right balance between insights from previous visits and our more recent developments to be competitive from the start. The hot and humid climate also presents additional challenges, particularly in terms of battery temperature management, which can impact performance and race strategy. To address these challenges, we utilise simulation tools and simulator sessions to develop tailored solutions and ensure we’re prepared to respond to any challenge. In a series where performance margins are measured in milliseconds, thorough preparation can make all the difference.

Jakarta presents a unique combination of challenges that directly impact my role. The energy allocation for the race, combined with high ambient temperatures and a circuit layout that makes overtaking difficult, means that every detail matters. Making the most of limited practice time will be essential to understanding the car’s behaviour and adapting our approach quickly. Additionally, the circuit features several corners with combined braking zones, which challenge our control systems and require careful tuning to ensure optimal performance.

Don’t miss out on any of the action and follow the team on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.