Formula E CEO 'not concerned' after key partner leaves major sporting series

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has insisted that he is "not concerned" after its key partner, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), exited sporting series LIV Golf.

It was announced by PIF on Thursday evening that it would pull out of LIV Golf at the end of its 2026 season, leaving the golf series in a race against the clock to secure fresh investors.

In a statement released by PIF, it explained that it had made its decision because the "substantial investment required is no longer consistent" with its own investment strategy.

Naturally, PIF leaving LIV Golf has led to questions about whether it will end investment elsewhere, for example in Formula E.

PIF is not only a small stakeholder in Formula E, but it also has a multi-year partnership with the all-electric series as part of Electric 360, which includes Extreme E and E1.

Despite what has happened to LIV Golf, Dodds is not concerned about PIF's investment in Formula E, believing it would have been a "business decision".

"So they're not just a sponsor of ours," Dodds told RacingNews365 during an interview. "We do the E360 partnership with them, which is actually an electric partnership they do with us, with Extreme H and with E1. And they're also a small investor in us, so they have a small holding in us as well.

"So obviously they're going through and reviewing their own portfolios. You know, I'm a massive golf fan, and actually I think LIV — some people love LIV, other people can't bear what they've done to the sport — but we're a challenger brand, we're an underdog brand.

"I admire anybody that comes in and tries to disrupt and shake up an industry and make it better. I think PIF, if they have announced they're coming out of LIV, it will be a business decision they've made based on what they think is the realistic value creation they can make out of it.

"So I think that doesn't necessarily mean they're going to make other decisions in other sports. They're obviously big into boxing, they're big into motorsport. I think at this stage, I'm not concerned. I haven't heard anything from PIF that would concern me."

No signs of PIF exit

PIF branding is very present in Formula E due to its 5% stake in the category, as it is eager to drive electric motorsport.

With Jeddah also a host venue on Formula E's calendar, Dodds has been keeping a watchful eye on the conflict in the Middle East.

Despite everything going on, there are no concerns about Formula E being next on PIF's exit radar.

Pushed on whether he is confident that Formula E will not suffer a similar fate to LIV Golf, Dodds said: "I'm as confident as somebody who observes the conflict in the Middle East at the moment, which is very challenging.

"And as confident as somebody who, if they're pulling out of one of their big investments, LIV, obviously all of those things are marginally unsettling, but I've not heard anything that would make me concerned."