How Formula E Hopes to Shift Car Culture to All-Electric Motorsport Racing

Formula E partners with Japanese tuning house Liberty Walk and motorsports influencer Vinnie Hacker to reshape championship for Gen Z audiences

By Rudie Obias

Rudie Obias

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January 29, 2026

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Maximillian Gunther (7) of Team DS Penske Formula E Team

Maximillian Gunther (7) of Team DS Penske Formula E Team, drives during practice ahead of the Miami E-Prix, Round 5 of the 2025 FIA Formula E World Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on April 11, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Anadolu via Getty Images

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Since 2014, Formula E has been positioned as a cleaner, quieter, and more eco-friendly alternative to auto-racing sports, like Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, and other motorsports. While Formula E is continuously in pursuit of environmental sustainability and authenticity with all-electric racing, the league also wants to shift car culture further into the 21st century to reach a larger global audience and a new generation of fans — especially Gen Z.

As part of that shift, Formula E has partnered with Liberty Walk, the iconic Japanese tuning house, along with L.A.-based influencer and content creator Vinnie Hacker to merge motorsports with youth culture and community. The partnership is a broader effort to reshape how the motorsport connects with fans, while turning a race series into a lifestyle movement.

During the 2026 Miami E-Prix, which starts on Friday, Jan. 30, the Liberty Walk activation in Los Angeles will feature Hacker — who is known for his massive following for his motorsport content — taking his audience into a behind-the-scenes look into racing high-performance electric vehicles.

The Miami E-Prix is designed to have a street racing vibe instead of a traditional racing venue. The activation also doubles as a watch party to experience the only Formula E E-Prix event in the United States this season. It hopes to disrupt tradition and get new fans to discover the motorsport.

This is the first time Formula E and Liberty Walk joined forces. Back in 2024, Formula E and Liberty Walk partnered up to build a custom GEN3 racer, which featured an aggressively wide-body kit and bold design with a triple-tier front wing, clean lines and aerodiscs on its wheel rims. It felt like something out of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, while, in fact, one of the film’s stars, Sung Kang (who played the very charming Han Lue in the franchise) made an appearance at its unveiling event.

With free practice set for Friday, Jan. 30, and qualifying rounds and the main race itself scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31, Formula E Miami E-Prix takes place at Miami International Autodrome — which is located at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Learn more about the 2026 Formula E Miami E-Prix here.

Hacker isn’t the only celebrity who’s a fan of Formula E. Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, Lucien Laviscount, Supercar Blondie (Alex Hirschi) and Tom Felton have all participated in the brand’s content series Evo Sessions, while Idris Elba, Orlando Bloom, Ewan McGregor, Sienna Miller and Uma Thurman have been spotted at races in the past.

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