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Formula E and SABIC’s GENBETA Car sets Guinness World Record title
Mumbai: SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, formally highlighted the use of its materials in applications on the GENBETA car, the new holder of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors revealed and is now on display at the 2023 Hankook London E-Prix from today.
The GENBETA car was pushed to the limit by ABB FIA Formula E World championship drivers Jake Hughes (NEOM McLaren Formula E Team) and Lucas di Grassi (Mahindra Racing) in the Duals format used to qualify for Formula E races.
Jake Hughes hit a top speed of 218.71KPH, setting a new world record. The vehicle is part of the GENBETA live development and innovation project, which aims at exploring new materials and technologies for future EV race and road cars.
Leveraging application development expertise and material science, SABIC supported the design and development of innovative parts of the GENBETA car, which is based on the GEN3 car, helping and enabling the creation of the fastest, lightest, and most powerful and efficient electric car, reinforcing the company’s ambition to accelerating the world’s shift to electrification and carbon neutrality.
SABIC’s role in the GENBETA program and integration in the car forms part of the company’s collaborative innovation partnership with the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship.
The materials from SABIC integrated into applications of the GENBETA car are highly engineered thermoplastics that enable design freedom through their inherent processing moldability compared to most other materials. Such thermoplastics can help enhance the car’s aerodynamics, contributing to its acceleration and speed performance.
The relevant applications include:
Front wing endplates – These elements, formed using an additive manufacturing or 3D printing process known as fused deposition modelling, are mounted on the outboard extremities of the vehicle’s front wing. They are integral to a redirection of airflow around the front wheels to help reduce drag while contributing to the car’s downforce and stability.
Wheel fins – These components are manufactured through injection moulding with SABIC’s sustainable mechanically-recycled thermoplastics from the portfolio of TRUCIRCLETM circular materials. These parts are mounted onto the wheel rims in a radial, spoke-like pattern, and are intended to help optimize airflow and reduce aerodynamic drag for higher acceleration and speed performance. As an additional benefit, the fins can increase the car’s overall efficiency and aid in cooling the brakes to improve stopping power.
Wind deflector – This transparent part is a coated thermoplastic sheet product, manufactured through an extrusion process using a bio-renewable, low-carbon material from the TRUCIRCLE portfolio. The component is attached to the front of the cockpit, ahead of the driver, and supports optimization of airflow for decreased drag – again, contributing to improved speed performance.
As SABIC collaborates with Formula E and its partners, it is drawing on a still-expanding portfolio of thermoplastics developed under dedicated solution platforms for electrification (BLUEHERO), and the circular economy (TRUCIRCLE).
First announced as the electric racing series Principal and Innovation Partner in 2022, SABIC intends to continue to work closely with Formula E to develop cutting-edge solutions that will help drive further innovation in electric vehicle technologies and progress in sustainable practices across the sport’s wider ecosystem and operations.
As part of its presence at the London E-Prix, SABIC participated in Formula E’s sustainable innovations summit – Change. Accelerated. Live. – where they discussed in ‘The Power of Prototypes’ panel discussion the advantages that development projects like the GENBETA bring to the EV industry and the world.
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Warner Chappell Music launches India ops, Jay Mehta to lead unit
WMG shifts to direct model, unifying publishing and recorded music
MUMBAI: Warner Chappell Music has officially launched direct operations in India, marking a strategic shift by parent Warner Music Group to deepen its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets.
The move replaces the company’s earlier sub-publishing model with a full-fledged, on-ground operation, aimed at giving Indian songwriters stronger access to global networks, rights management tools, and creative infrastructure.
To lead the push, Jay Mehta has been handed an expanded mandate. Already serving as managing director of Warner Music India, Mehta will now oversee both recorded music and publishing across India and neighbouring South Asian markets, effectively bringing the two sides of the business under one roof.
The unified structure is designed to streamline how artists and songwriters work with the company, offering a more integrated ecosystem that spans compositions, recordings, and global distribution.
Warner Music Group managing director, recorded music and publishing, India and SAARC Jay Mehta said, “India’s songwriters are world-class, constantly redefining genres and pushing creative boundaries. By establishing a direct footprint for Warner Chappell, we’re bridging the gap between local brilliance and global opportunity.”
The timing is no coincidence. According to CISAC, creator collections in India jumped 42 per cent year-on-year to Rs 7 billion in 2024, while IFPI ranks India as the 15th largest recorded music market globally. At the same time, the industry is undergoing a structural shift, with independent and non-film music gaining ground over traditional Bollywood soundtracks.
Warner’s bet is that a direct presence will help it capture this changing dynamic. The company is also offering India-based creators access to its proprietary tools, including AI-powered royalty matching systems and real-time analytics platforms, aimed at improving transparency and earnings visibility.
Warner Chappell Music co-chair and CEO Guy Moot said the move is about shaping a publishing ecosystem that “works for creators and ensures their music is heard, protected, and rewarded everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl underlined India’s importance to the company’s global strategy, noting that the new structure creates a “unified powerhouse” for both creators and audiences.
With local studios, global reach, and tighter integration across its business lines, Warner is clearly doubling down on India. And as streaming habits evolve and independent music rises, the company is positioning itself to be not just a participant, but a key architect of the country’s next music chapter.
