Formula E's New Look Signals Something Much Bigger

Klaus Schmidt · 2026-09-24

Formula E just dropped a brand identity that feels less like a logo refresh and more like a statement of intent. The series is calling it "Make Progress Thrilling," and honestly, that phrase does a lot of heavy lifting. It's not just about going faster. It's about making the whole experience feel more visceral, more immediate, and more connected to the culture it's trying to reach. ### Why This Rebrand Matters More Than You Think The timing here is deliberate. Formula E is heading into its 2026/27 season, and the series wants you to feel that shift before a single car hits the track. The new identity leans hard into global youth culture, high performance, and the kind of relentless innovation that electric racing was always supposed to represent. Think about what that means in practice. Formula E has always had a bit of an identity problem. Is it a tech showcase? A racing series? A sustainability project? The new branding seems to say: all of the above, but with way more attitude. As someone who's watched motorsport marketing evolve over the past decade, I can tell you this is a smart move. Younger audiences don't respond to earnest explanations about battery efficiency. They respond to energy, speed, and something that feels like it actually matters. ### The Track Product Is Getting a Major Upgrade Too Here's where it gets interesting. Formula E isn't just changing how it looks. The series is promising its biggest ever step change in track action. That's a bold claim, but it tracks with everything we've heard about the next generation of cars and race formats. The goal seems to be making every lap feel like it counts. More overtaking opportunities. More strategic depth. More moments that make you lean forward in your seat instead of checking your phone. > "Make Progress Thrilling" isn't just a tagline. It's a challenge to everyone who thought electric racing couldn't be edge-of-your-seat entertainment. ### What This Means for the Broader Racing Landscape Formula E has always been the underdog in the motorsport world. It doesn't have the century of history that Formula 1 has, or the raw Americana of NASCAR. But that's also its advantage. It can experiment. It can take risks. It can build something that feels genuinely new. This rebrand signals that the series is done playing it safe. It wants to compete for attention, not just participation trophies. And with the 2026/27 season on the horizon, the timing couldn't be better. If you've written off Formula E before, this might be the moment to give it another look. The series is betting big on a version of racing that's fast, loud in its own way, and unapologetically forward-looking. That's a bet worth watching.