Born	30/05/1994, Birmingham, England
Nationality	British

Jake Hughes embodies the notion that it’s never too late to chase your dreams, with the Birmingham-born racer having taken up karting as late as 15. Now in his 30s, Jake combines a race seat in Formula E with a Test and Simulator Role for McLaren in Formula 1, bringing with him over 10 years’ experience in single-seater competition.   

Despite having never previously driven a go-kart, Jake displayed a natural talent for racing at a friend’s 15th birthday party, leaving an impression on the track’s owner, who suggested he took it up competitively.  

After two years of karting, he stepped up to single-seaters, initially in BARC Formula Renault, before embarking on a full campaign in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship, where he enjoyed immediate success. After four wins and a further six podiums from 24 races, Jake was crowned as the series’ inaugural champion. From here, he completed a two-year stint in several Formula Renault Championships, which included finishing second in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps in 2015.  

The Brit then secured numerous Formula 3 race wins between 2016 and 2020, during which time he was credited with playing a key role behind the scenes, helping to establish newcomers HWA RACELAB in the series.  

These efforts earned him promotion to Formula 2 with the team for 2022, where he remained for two seasons – briefly returning to Formula 3 as a substitute for Carlin Buzz Racing. In addition to competing in Formula 2, Jake also served as a Reserve and Development Driver for the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team during this period.  

When McLaren acquired the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team in 2022, becoming the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, Jake was announced as one of the team’s two drivers for Season 9. Across two seasons, Jake claimed four Poles and a podium, before joining Maserati MSG for 2024/25.  

Despite his departure, Jake remains a regular presence at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, serving as a Test and Simulator Driver for the McLaren Formula 1 team. An experienced hand on the F1 simulator, Jake contributes to car development during the week, feeding back on design direction and potential upgrades. Meanwhile, on race weekends, he supports Lando, Oscar, and the team on setup choices for Qualifying and the races.