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The coronavirus pandemic has been a reminder that motorsport is peripheral. This is no longer an era of Enzo Ferrari - manufacturers exist to make cars and money first, and go racing second. As such, the continuation of teams and championships are at the mercy of spreadsheets and economic analysis.
Jaguar Land Rover's finances have been under scrutiny for some time. Last year, long before factory shutdowns and working from home, it announced a cut of 4500 jobs. Anyone who's been to Bruntingthorpe Airfield will have seen the hundreds of Jaguar and Land Rovers sitting dormant. It's more cost effective to churn out a load of unsold cars than it is to cease production lines and disrupt supply chains.
Therefore, it's not wholly surprising to learn that the Jaguar I-PACE eTrophy is to be killed off after only two seasons of its three-year deal to support Formula E events. In all likelihood, and however bleak, it's the first of several motorsport casualties as the toll of the pandemic on the global economy will be felt for years.
