Dan Ticktum reveals why Fortescue won his Formula E signature

Dan Ticktum says a conversation with Gary Ekerold months before the London race helped shape his decision to join Fortescue Zero Racing, despite the team emerging late in the process and Lola Yamaha making him an offer.

The Briton, who left Cupra Kiro at the end of the previous campaign, had also been linked with Fusion, the proposed Porsche customer squad. He said that prospect became complicated, while tests with Lola gave him a positive impression of its Gen4 car. But his relationship with Ekerold, Jaguar’s race director and Fortescue Zero manager, had already shifted his thinking.

Ticktum’s move to the new team was announced as Fortescue prepared for its Formula E debut.

An earlier meeting changed Ticktum’s outlook

Ticktum said Ekerold made time for a one-to-one meeting at MotoGP, months before the London race and before Fortescue had become a team. He used the conversation to explain his career setbacks and why he felt people had misunderstood him.

The discussion left him feeling that Ekerold had taken a different view of him. Ticktum said he appreciated being able to speak openly and came away with a strong desire to work with him. When Fortescue’s deal later came together, he moved quickly to explore a seat.

The Australian energy group had bought Penske Autosport’s entry and appointed Jim Wright as team principal. Ticktum said he then needed to convince the new operation that it would get the right version of him consistently. He described the opportunity as a fresh start and said the team’s confidence in him mattered after criticism he had received elsewhere.

Lola tests left no hard feelings

Ticktum said Lola had made a solid offer and that he was surprised by how well its Gen4 car drove during testing. The programme also helped the team work through reliability matters, he said, and proved useful to both sides.

Although he ultimately chose Fortescue, Ticktum does not believe the decision damaged his relationship with Lola. Once the Fortescue opportunity became clear, he said it quickly became his preferred option.

The signing places Ticktum in a new project after his Cupra Kiro spell, which included scrutiny around his conduct; he previously responded to a Cupra Kiro reprimand. His account suggests the deciding factor was not simply which seat was available, but the trust established with Ekerold before Fortescue’s entry took shape.