This week, the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team will be heading to Jeddah for the third and fourth rounds of Season 11.

Sam, Taylor and Team Principal Ian James are here to help us prepare for the event, which is the home race of our Title Partner, NEOM. We’ll also hear from Reserve and Development Driver Alex Dunne, who is set to make his competitive Formula E debut in this week’s Rookie Free Practice session on Thursday, 13 February.

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	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
When	Friday, 14 & Saturday, 15 February 2025
Lap Distance	3.01km

“Looking ahead to Jeddah, our previous performance as NEOM McLaren has been pretty good on higher grip circuits, and I feel like the lessons that we’ve learnt over the first two rounds have been quite crucial to us now putting in a good performance. So far this season, we have been lacking a little bit in Qualifying, so that will be what we’re focussing on most.

“However, the pace in both races has looked pretty good so far, so I’m hoping to bring home more points and hopefully another trophy.”

“I’m extremely excited for the double-header in Jeddah. It’s a very important race for us, as Jeddah will mark our Title Partner NEOM’s home race, and it’s also going to be the first race to contain pit stops in the GEN3 era, with the introduction of Pit Boost, so hopefully that will add a new element to the racing that everybody up and down the pit lane is looking forward to.  

“We learnt a lot from Mexico, which was a challenging weekend for us and hopefully we can put things right when we get out to Saudi Arabia.”

“Off the back of our last race in Mexico City, the team returned home unsatisfied; we knew we had work to do as our performance and the subsequent results were not to the level we expect. Since then, the team has worked hard to identify improvements which we will put in place from our next event in Jeddah.

“Given that Jeddah is a new track for Formula E, we are presented with a fresh opportunity to show what the team and the package is capable of. On Friday, we will see Pit Boost used for the first time in race conditions, adding an extra element of jeopardy for teams, and hopefully a good dose of excitement for fans. I am very interested to see the impact that Pit Boost will have, and I know that the team is well prepared to take advantage of any opportunities it may provide.

“This race will also see the return of the Rookie Free Practice session, with our Reserve and Development Driver Alex Dunne getting the chance to test GEN3 Evo machinery for the first time on a racetrack.

“I cannot wait to get out to Jeddah for our first home race of the season and look forward to sharing this weekend together with our Title Partner, NEOM. Let’s go racing!”

The season so far

After scoring a podium in the season opener, the team experienced a tougher outing last time out in Mexico City, as they failed to bring home any points. 

After qualifying 19th, Taylor was able to battle up to 10th in the race, before a post-race penalty dropped him out of the points. On the other side of the garage, Sam qualified 10th, but was unable to maximise his race and finished in 18th.

However, speaking after the race, both drivers and Team Principal Ian James said they were boosted by the pace of our package and would head into the upcoming rounds with confidence.

FEducation: Pit Boost

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 Pit Boost.

After two years of development, Pit Boost will be introduced for the first time this weekend in the Jeddah E-Prix.

Pit Boost is a form of fast charging that will allow teams to add 10 per cent more usable energy back into the car via a 30 second, 600kW pit stop. Like Attack Mode, Pit Boost will be a mandatory mid-race feature that will challenge teams to come up with a strategy in which to use it.

Pit Boost will enable more flat-out racing, lessening the need to preserve energy, but it will require teams to weigh up the benefits of the boost, against the risk of losing track position during a pit stop.

What to watch out for in Jeddah

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 Senior Specialist, Partnerships – NEOM, Taome Oliver to get an insight into the work of our partnerships team at NEOM’s home race.

“I've been with NEOM McLaren Electric Racing for over two years, providing dedicated support to the Title Partnership with NEOM. My role broadly involves oversight of partnership projects and workstreams, supporting with the planning and execution of NEOM’s activation plans, and ensuring that partnership objectives are effectively achieved. My day-to-day typically involves plenty of project management and communication touchpoints across various internal and external teams.

“As a partnerships team, we're responsible for all partner-related touchpoints at track, including on-site branding checks, digital and physical activations, plus all in-person engagements. Broadly, our role is to support the brand experience team in delivering a premium hospitality experience for our partners. This largely involves planning and coordinating guest movements to and from exclusive team experiences, such as garage tours, pit lane walks and viewing gallery slots.

“Partnership activity really varies from race to race and largely depends on each partner's key markets - each race presents a unique opportunity to tailor activations that align with their strategic goals. Partner activity ranges from easy-lift plans, such as digital campaigns and executive engagements, to larger-scale activations, such as private suites or business-to-business events in the lead up to a race. 

“The Jeddah E-Prix is particularly significant to us because it is the home race of our Title Partner, NEOM. It provides an unparalleled opportunity to connect with their team whilst in-region. Prior to the race, we'll be visiting NEOM with our drivers and Team Principal to explore key regions, learn about ongoing projects, and engage with their local community.

“Partner activity around the Jeddah E-Prix requires plenty of additional planning to ensure all activations run seamlessly. With lots of moving parts, the priority is to ensure smooth execution on the ground, making this a standout event for our Title Partner in 2025.”

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