Ticktum says Ekerold meeting helped secure Fortescue seat

Dan Ticktum has said a meeting with Gary Ekerold, Jaguar race director and Fortescue Zero manager, played a decisive role in him joining Fortescue Zero Racing for the team's debut Formula E season. Ticktum had left Cupra Kiro at the end of the previous campaign and was widely linked with Fusion, the Porsche customer squad, before the German manufacturer's plans changed.

Ticktum also tested with Lola Yamaha and had a contract offer from the team, but Fortescue, formed after the Australian energy group bought out Penske Autosport's entry, won his signature. He described the conversation with Ekerold, held months earlier, as one in which he could explain his career to the Jaguar figure, and said he felt misunderstood in the past.

Ticktum said he was pleasantly surprised by Lola's Gen4 car during testing and denied any bad feelings over choosing Fortescue.