12th September 2025
Q+A with Co-Team Principal, John Marlow
After five E1 races so far this season, Team AlUla is gearing up for the final two legs of the 2025 calendar. Before the next GP in Lagos, Nigeria, we sat down with Co-Team Principal John Marlow to find out a bit about how the year has gone, the highs, the lows and what’s still to come…
Hi John, how would you sum up the season so far for Team AlUla?
“Overall, it’s gone really well. We’re the only new team this year in E1 – every other team has got a season under their belt. With this in mind, we always knew it was going to be a steep learning curve. The first couple of races were about learning, making some mistakes and understanding where we could improve. Shortly after that, everything came together and we scored our first podium in Dubrovnik, which felt incredible. Since then, we’ve consistently finished in the top five, with a P4 last time out in Monaco. It’s been a really great effort from everybody – the pilots, mechanics and all those behind the scenes too. For the final two races, we’re looking to build on this momentum and we’d love another podium or two to round out the year. We are fighting for fifth place in the championship and currently only two points behind Westbrook Racing, so that’s our challenge for the next two races.”
What has been a personal highlight for you?
“Finishing on the podium in Dubrovnik after only our third race was a huge achievement for the whole team – especially since we only formed the team in January. Then having LeBron onsite in Monaco supporting the team was very memorable and really gave us a boost during a very special race.”
And on the flipside, a moment you’d like to forget...?
“In qualifying at Lago Maggiore, Rusty made a lightning start and pulled clear of the field, only for a boat issue to send us into a smart marker. Damage dropped us from hero to zero in just 30 seconds; a tough blow. To make matters worse, more damage later in the weekend, through no fault of our own, ruled us out of the finals. A truly testing weekend, both technically and emotionally.”
What can we expect from the next race in Lagos, Nigeria?
“Lagos will be a new location for E1 and us as a team, too. None of us have been before so we really don’t know what to expect but we’re excited to visit Africa for the first time with the series and we’ve heard that the locals are very excited for us to bring an international sporting event to the waters of Lagos. The E1 team have also been on the ground a couple of times recently and have said how enthusiastic everyone is there to have E1 visiting. I’m excited to see it and we’re hoping to bring home some silverware.”
How was it having LeBron James onsite with the team in Monaco?
“We’re obviously very excited and honoured to have LeBron on board as our team owner and to represent a location as incredible as AlUla, so to have him with the team in Monaco was a huge thrill. He had a good look round the paddock, the Team AlUla garage and our beautiful RaceBird. I think he was keen to try to get in the RaceBird, but I think he’s a little too tall to be our next pilot!
“He is an incredibly humble and genuine guy and it’s a real privilege for us to represent him in E1. I still think it’s unbelievable to have the likes of LeBron James, Tom Brady, Didier Drogba, Virat Kohli and Rafael Nadal involved in E1. Obviously, LeBron is one of the most successful basketball players ever but the grid is packed with some of the best and brightest from across the world of sport and entertainment.”
You and Barny [Whitwham] co-lead the team – can you explain the background as to how Team AlUla came about?
“Barny and I are old friends from university. We both studied motorsport engineering and then, after our careers took quite different paths, began working together again after we rediscovered a shared passion for sustainable motorsport. We saw an opportunity to get involved with running a team which is where our conversations with E1 began. We visited a couple of GPs in their inaugural season, and it all went from there. It’s been an incredible opportunity and I’m relishing every moment of this journey.”
How do you and Barny split your roles, do each of you have certain responsibilities?
“Barny is the ex F1 engineer, so he is mostly focused on the sporting and strategic side of things. His job is to make the boat go as quickly as it can! My day to day role is more focused on the commercial aspects and general running of the team. Our jobs crossover over a lot though and we talk daily to ensure everything is taken care of.”
Finally, what do you enjoy most about E1?
“Each day brings fresh challenges, and once the desk work is done, we have the chance to travel the world to incredible locations and compete against the best in E1 — representing one of the greatest athletes and one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I feel incredibly lucky!”
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