Leonardo DiCaprio launches racing team

Renowned thespian and Fisker enthusiast Leonardo DiCaprio has launched a Formula E team with Monaco-based race outfit Venturi.

The snappily named Venturi Grand Prix Formula E Team (guys, wouldn't ‘eCaprio' have been better?) will compete in next year's inaugural running of the all-electric race championship.

DiCaprio is a well-known fan of green tech, famously owning a Prius and, subsequently, investing in recently deceased Fisker.

[Read our interview with Leo from last year, in happier times for Fisker]

He'll doubtless be hoping his involvement with Venturi proves less ill-fated than the Fisker project. The French-founded marque made its name producing petrol-powered GTs and race cars in the Eighties and Nineties, but in 2001 was purchased by Monegasque millionaire Gildo Pallanca Pastor, who moved the company's focus to electric tech.

With some success: Venturi holds the land speed record for an electric vehicle, cracking 307mph in its battery-powered ‘Buckeye Bullet', and plans to go even quicker in the 3000bhp, all-electric VBB-3 soon.

So how do you reckon eCaprio Racing will get on against Andretti, Super Aguri, Drayson and the rest? Insert your own Catch Me If You Can/Titanic failure joke below...