The ERT Formula E team has provided a major pre-season surprise by arranging a deal to run older-spec Porsche powertrains - a dramatic move that could help shore up the team's future.
The move to a customer supply for the previously manufacturer-positioned ERT team is believed to have been in the pipeline for several months, as negotiations with Porsche have been ongoing since at least June.
Those negotiations appear to have borne fruit for what is likely to be a two-season deal until the Gen4 era kicks in - although it is believed that several factors have to be ironed out to absolutely secure the supply for the start of the season, which is now just 70 days away.
One of these is believed to be additional investment in ERT, which is known to be facing significant financial challenges and requires backing to ensure operational costs are met for the 2024-25 season.
The Race understands that the potential for some form of additional manufacturer input has also been scoped out and discussions have taken place with an as-yet-unknown brand to potentially badge the powertrains.
ERT also has the back-up option of continuing with a new powertrain, which is provided by various suppliers under the ERT manufacturer registration. One of these is the Helix company, formerly known as Integral Powertrain.
Helix has provided the bulk of ERT's powertrain hardware over several seasons and is known to have developed a 2024-25 design.
Although this has been bench-tested it has not had track testing in the close-season, meaning that, if the Porsche plan falls through, ERT would head into the Valencia test in November with a relatively unproven package and a clear deficit to other teams in the track testing and preparation stakes.
The team finished last in the teams' and manufacturers' championship last season, with a best result of fourth with Dan Ticktum at Misano.
The deal with Porsche is intriguing for the simple reason that it will be the first time since the first season of Formula E that one manufacturer has provided three powertrains on the grid - so six of the 22 entries in 2024-25.
Porsche was previously believed to be averse to supplying a third team. It shied away from providing the Abt team with powertrains when discussions were held at the end of 2023.
This was thought to be the result of a combination of internal VW politics and economic reasons.
But it is now understood that Porsche has relented, mostly through the attraction of being able to capture extra data, even though it will be a different spec of powertrain.
Porsche's works team and existing customer Andretti will use a more advanced version of its powertrain for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
The Race has had it confirmed from both ERT and Porsche that a deal for a powertrain supply has been reached for next season.
Line-up continuity is close
Ticktum and Sergio Sette Camara look highly likely to race together at the new-look team for a third consecutive season.
The pair have matched up relatively closely in the last two campaigns, with Ticktum outscoring his team-mate in the 2022-23 campaign, while Brazilian Sette Camara won out in qualifying and was only a point behind Ticktum this season.
Both drivers are viewed as strong assets by senior management and engineering groups within ERT.
ERT has held talks with recently released Nissan driver Sacha Fenestraz, who is looking to stay in Formula E.
The chances of that happening appear to have diminished, with Sette Camara close to finalising an extension to his deal, although no contracts are currently signed with any driver.
Another name change?
The Race understands that ERT is gearing up to go through another name change and could have this confirmed and launched ahead of the Valencia test in November.
Electric Racing Technology Formula E Team was conceived in the summer of 2023, to replace the NIO 333 moniker (used between 2019 and 2023) - which had been derived to follow the NIO branding after the team was acquired by Lisheng Sports and Gusto Engineering from China and Hong Kong respectively.
Prior to that, the team was known as NEXTEV NIO in the 2016-17 season after originally being entered as Team China Racing in 2014.
The team was originally set up by Yu Liu and Steven Lu before being run briefly by former Ford and Maserati executive Dr Martin Leach.
A pivotal time in the team's history came in 2019 when the team was under the direction of Gerry Hughes and Paul Fickers and completed a disastrous season in which it finished bottom of the points table and also massively overspent before being sold to Lisheng.
