McLaren’s Formula E exit turns expensive as FIA issues €400k fine

©McLaren

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McLaren Racing has found itself in the unusual position of being punished by a championship it no longer competes in.

The FIA has handed the Woking-based outfit a €400,000 fine after determining that it breached Formula E’s cost cap during its final campaign in the all-electric series.

McLaren exited Formula E at the end of the 2024/25 season to focus its resources on Formula 1, IndyCar and an ambitious Hypercar programme set to debut in the World Endurance Championship next year.

According to the FIA's review, McLaren exceeded Formula E's spending limit by 4.54%, equivalent to approximately £555,628.

The overspend was uncovered during an extensive audit of the team's financial submissions for its final Formula E season, a campaign in which rising star Taylor Barnard delivered five podium finishes.

Crucially, the FIA stressed that the breach was self-reported by McLaren before any formal investigation began. The governing body also accepted that the additional spending was not directed toward gaining a competitive advantage on track.

Instead, the excess expenditure stemmed largely from the practical realities of shutting down the programme after the decision was made to leave the championship.

Cooperation softens the blow

In its findings, the FIA noted that McLaren "voluntarily notified" the Cost Cap Administration of the overspend and cooperated fully throughout the review process.

The regulator further acknowledged that the team acted "cooperatively and in full transparency throughout the process" and that the overspend "primarily arises from costs associated with the orderly wind-down of the team following the decision to exit the Championship."

©McLaren

Importantly, the FIA added that there was "no accusation or evidence of aggravating factors" and no indication that McLaren had acted in bad faith.

Given those circumstances, the matter was resolved through an Accepted Breach Agreement, signed on June 1, 2026, with McLaren accepting a €400,000 fine.

The episode closes an unusual final chapter in McLaren's Formula E adventure. The team may have left the championship to focus on new horizons, but FIA’s accountants clearly wanted one last meeting before saying goodbye.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.