Jaguar TCS Racing has unveiled its new I-Type 08 and confirmed Stoffel Vandoorne alongside António Félix da Costa as the driver lineup for the reigning Teams’ World Champions, as they prepare for Formula E’s GEN4 era in 2027.
Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine had our first visit to Jaguar at Knightsbridge, London on Monday 9th November for the launch of the new GEN4 Formula E car. The I-Type 08 brings a striking change of appearance for the team, with its French Ultramarine Blue livery inspired by a colour available on the new Jaguar Type 01. It’s also great to see the Leaper displayed proudly on a Jaguar racing car again, displayed against the strikethrough graphic shared with the road car.
Beneath that bodywork lies a substantial advance in performance. The I-Type 08 produces up to 600kW, with permanent active all-wheel drive and 700kW of regenerative braking capacity. The new regulations also give Jaguar greater freedom to develop its own technology, extending the opportunities to transfer lessons from racing into future road cars. Indeed, the software that controls battery charging and the inverter banks for the electric motors are all directly applied from Formula E to Type 01.
For Vandoorne, the announcement marks a return to a full-time Formula E race seat after spending 2026 working with Jaguar as its reserve and development driver. The Belgian has already contributed extensively to the I-Type 08’s development, giving him valuable familiarity with the car he will now race.
The 2022 Formula E World Champion brings experience spanning Formula 1, endurance racing and four Formula E victories. Partnering 2020 champion da Costa gives Jaguar two proven title winners, with a combined 264 Formula E starts, 18 victories and 49 podium finishes.
Team Principal Ian James highlighted Vandoorne’s technical insight and the qualities demonstrated during the development programme, while da Costa welcomed the opportunity to work alongside a competitor he has long respected. Vandoorne, meanwhile, described his enthusiasm for returning to competition with a team whose people and ambitions he already knows well.
The next step comes at Formula E’s official pre-season test in Madrid, from 16–20 November, when the I-Type 08 takes to the track ahead of the new campaign.
For Jaguar enthusiasts, the combination of a radically developed racing car, a fresh visual identity, and two champion drivers offers plenty to follow as the team begins the defence of its world title.
