Not exclusively. Formula 1 and Le Mans use hybrid engines. Formula E and Extreme E are battery electric racing series.
Why doesn't Tesla have a Formula E team?
Why would Tesla spend the minimum tens of millions of dollars to get into what is at best a side diversion from their main business? They certainly have better uses for that capital and talent.
Of course they do. They advertised at you and it worked. It's worked so well that you're even parroting their marketing messages for them, including the myth that they don't advertise.
> Why would Tesla spend the minimum tens of millions of dollars to get into what is at best a side diversion from their main business?
Formula E doesn't cost tens of millions of dollars. Team budgets in Formula E are $10 million. And Tesla doesn't need to own a team. They can be a powertrain supplier just like other car companies are suppliers and not team owners.
As for Formula E, that's a great question. It seems like it should be right up their alley, but I'm almost positive AI is verboten and that would be a non starter for Tesla.
Then they can join Roborace which is all about AI:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roborace
Although sometimes the AI is more artificial and less intelligent:
https://www.thedrive.com/news/37366/why-that-autonomous-race...
Thanks for this =)